North Dakota Bill of Sale
North Dakota's SFN 2888 is a bill of sale with teeth: notarized, sworn under misdemeanor penalty, and able to stand in when the title itself can't be found. Here's the form, the flat 5% excise, and the damage-disclosure rule.
A sworn certificate, a five-dollar title, a flat five percent.
| Official form | SFN 2888 — Seller's Certificate & Bill of Sale (rev. 2026) |
| Notary | Yes — seller signs before a notary; false filing is a Class B misdemeanor |
| Tax | Flat 5% excise on actual price, trade-in deducted, no local add-ons |
| Title fee | $5 — among the lowest in the US |
| Damage disclosure | SFN 18609 required for vehicles under 9 model years |
| Deadlines | Seller delivers title within 30 days; buyer applies within 30 of receipt |
North Dakota specifics, answered.
What makes SFN 2888 different from an ordinary bill of sale?
It's a sworn seller's certificate: the seller signs before a notary, and filing a false one is a Class B misdemeanor — up to $500 and 30 days, printed right on the form. That legal weight is also its superpower: SFN 2888 includes a field for the reason a title can't be furnished, making it North Dakota's path for selling when the paper title is lost or stuck.
Where does a North Dakota title transfer actually happen?
Through NDDOT's Motor Vehicle Division — a state-run system centered in Bismarck, not county offices. The seller delivers the endorsed title within 30 days, the buyer applies within 30 days of receiving it, and the title transfer fee is five dollars — among the cheapest in the country.
How is the tax calculated?
A flat 5% motor vehicle excise tax on the actual purchase price, with trade-in value deducted and no local add-ons — one of the cleanest tax pictures anywhere. The price on your bill of sale is the number that matters, so record it honestly.
What must the seller disclose about damage?
For vehicles less than nine model years old, North Dakota requires a Damage/Salvage Disclosure Statement (SFN 18609) covering crash, fire, flood, or vandalism damage from the past eight years. It rides alongside the title and bill of sale — skipping it stalls the transfer.
Not legal advice. Verified against NDDOT sources in July 2026 — official links in our 50-state requirements table.