A Utah Vehicle Bill of Sale: Everything You Need to Know

in Car Buying Tips
utah sign on side of highway

Photo by Clay Banks on Unsplash

A Utah vehicle bill of sale is a critical document that keeps track of the legal movement of a vehicle. It exists to complement the title received when you invest in or sell a car. The title is the official declaration of the purchase, while the bill of sale helps to complete the transfer between both parties.

If you intend to buy or sell a vehicle in Utah, read on to learn more about a Utah vehicle bill of sale. Many details can be handy to become familiar with before you begin the process of completing a Utah vehicle bill of sale. Understanding this unique document will help you establish the official ownership of the vehicle when you make a sale or invest in a car.

Utah Bill of Sale Requirements

When creating a Utah vehicle bill of sale, several items are required to be on the document. This item will provide proof that the car has legally shifted over to another person. It’s critical to the process.

According to the Utah DMV, a Utah vehicle bill of sale should include:

  • Indication of the buyer: This will include the buyer’s name and legal address, excluding items like P.O. boxes. 
  • Indication of the seller: This will include the seller’s name, legal address, and signature, excluding items like P.O. boxes.
  • Vehicle description: This will include the Vehicle Identification Number, also known as a VIN on some forms.
  • Trade-in description: If applicable, a trade-in description should be added to the document.
  • Prices: This will include the net purchase price and the purchase price of the vehicle.
  • Trade-in allowance: If applicable, a trade-in allowance should be added to the document.

These items should all go on a Utah vehicle bill of sale to make it as detailed as possible, providing whoever views it with as much legal information as possible.

The Utah DMV also states that the bill of sale can either be handwritten in ink or typed and then printed. The most critical thing is to ensure the bill of sale comes to be so you can keep track of the transfer ownership of the vehicle in Utah. The title will be utilized along with this document as you move forward in the transaction.


NOT JUST FOR CAR SHOPPING

The CoPilot app isn’t just for buying a car - our new CoPilot for Owning tool will help you keep track of recalls and gives you advice on which scheduled maintenance tasks are most important.


Is a Bill of Sale Required to Register a Vehicle in Utah?

Although a title is required to register a vehicle in Utah, a bill of sale is not. However, it provides a personal record that will prove well to keep in your files for use later in life. It can come in handy if legal issues arise or you need to go back to the page in time. It’s also beneficial for tax records when the month comes to file.

For the most part, a bill of sale in Utah is a personal record that can come in handy in the future. You should keep it on hand but note that the title is critical when registering a car in Utah. A bill of sale serves as a complementary factor in the sale process and should occur to keep track of the factors involved.

Does the Bill of Sale Mean Ownership?

According to pandadoc.com, a bill of sale in the state of Utah does not mean ownership all by itself. It needs to be paired with a title to do that. What a bill of sale does do is provide proof that ownership has switched over to another person. As mentioned above, it’s beneficial to keep on hand whenever issues may arise legally.

If you want to prove that you own the car or have transferred the ownership, keep the title in mind. However, in the state of Utah, the bill of sale can legally prove that you have switched the title over. Both the buyer and the seller should be familiar with this when the transfer happens. A title is needed, but a bill of sale should happen.


THE BEST USED MINIVANS ON THE MARKET

When it comes to hauling a lot of people and cargo, the minivan is hard to beat. We’ve factored in reliability, affordability, and functionality to create this curated list of the 8 best used minivans on the market today.


What Are the Benefits of a Bill of Sale in Utah?

Many benefits come with a Utah vehicle bill of sale. All of these are critical to know before signing so you know what you are getting into when you take the time to complete this document.

According to utahinformation.org, some of the benefits that come with a Utah vehicle bill of sale include:

  • Evidence of purchase: A Utah bill of sale provides evidence of the exchange that took place. This evidence can assist you in understanding the taxes you should be paying and provide backup if legal issues arise for sellers.
  • Faster registration: For those registering a vehicle, the Utah vehicle bill of sale can make everything go much smoother. It provides a way for workers at the DMV to skim through information and enter everything as quickly as possible.

These are two of the benefits that come with a vehicle bill of sale in Utah, but there are many smaller ones you may encounter as you move forward in the process.

Having a bill of sale for your vehicle has many benefits, whether you are the seller or the buyer of the final piece. The benefits of this document in Utah are extensive with this big of action and will help both parties keep everything in line. You never know when legal issues may arise when a car transfers between owners.


 THE BEST CARS FOR SNOW

Winter driving impacts young and experienced drivers alike. We’ve compiled a list of the best cars for snow, so you can get from Point A to Point B as safely as possible.


Conclusion

A bill of sale is a vital document that provides proof of car transactions in Utah. It can be looked to later if legal issues arise, as it documents the parties involved and basic information about the vehicle sold.  It benefits both the buyer and the seller in many ways as the ownership shifts.

A Utah vehicle bill of sale is not required to register a vehicle, but it works well with a car title to legalize the transfer of ownership. It can make the registration process faster, and it compiles all critical information in one convenient location. With a bill of sale in Utah, both parties have proof of what has taken place.



Get a Curated List of the Best Used Cars Near You

The CoPilot car shopping app is the easiest way to buy a car. Tell us what you’re looking for and we’ll search the inventories of every dealership in your area to make you a personalized list of the best car listings in your area.

Only looking for newer models? CoPilot Compare is the search engine for nearly-new cars. Only see cars five years or newer with low mileage — CoPilot Compare is the best way to find off-lease, early trade-in, and CPO cars.

The best part? CoPilot is built using the same technology that dealerships use to buy and sell their inventories, so we have more info on each vehicle than competitors. CoPilot doesn’t work with dealerships, so there are no sponsored posts or other shady practices — just the most info on the best cars. Check out our About Us page to see how CoPilot works.