Trailer bill of sale template

A free trailer bill of sale for utility, cargo, boat and horse trailers, in Word and PDF, with VIN, GVWR and empty weight fields, since states title by weight.

Signed by: Seller, then Buyer.

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Free, no sign-up. Updated September 30, 2026 by Suresh Ganapathy.

A trailer bill of sale is the written record that a specific trailer, identified by its VIN or trailer identification number, changed hands for a stated price. It’s often the only ownership paper for a light trailer that the state never titled, which makes it more important, not less. This free bill of sale for trailers comes in Word and PDF and covers utility, cargo, boat, car-hauler, equipment and horse trailers.

Does your trailer need a title, or just a bill of sale?

It depends on the state and on the trailer’s weight, and states don’t even agree on which weight to use. Two examples:

Florida titles only trailers with a net (empty) weight of 2,000 pounds or more, according to the Hillsborough County Tax Collector’s guidance. Lighter trailers are registered but not titled.
Texas requires a title for a manufactured trailer whose gross weight exceeds 4,000 pounds, and TxDMV defines gross weight as the trailer’s weight plus the weight it can carry. Titling is optional for newly assembled trailers at or below 4,000 pounds, and farm trailers under 4,000 pounds used mainly on the farm are exempt from title and registration.

So a 1,900-pound empty car hauler might need a title in Texas (because its carrying capacity pushes gross weight over 4,000) and not in Florida. That’s why our template asks for GVWR and empty weight separately. When there’s no title, TxDMV lists a bill of sale plus the registration receipt as evidence of ownership, and Florida’s county offices expect the bill of sale to show the trailer identification number.

Your state’s rule may be different again. Find its motor vehicle agency through USA.gov and look for its trailer page before you meet the buyer.

What’s the difference between GVWR and empty weight?

GVWR (gross vehicle weight rating) is the value the manufacturer specifies as the loaded weight of the trailer. You’ll usually find it on the VIN plate or sticker on the tongue or frame. Empty weight is simply what the trailer weighs unloaded; if it isn’t on the plate, a certified scale at a truck stop or scrap yard will give you a printed weight slip.

Write both on the bill of sale. The buyer’s title office will ask for whichever one it uses, and a number written on a signed document is easier to rely on than a memory.

Which trailers is this template for?

It’s built for trailers that haul things: open utility trailers, enclosed cargo trailers, dump trailers, car haulers, flatbeds, and boat and horse trailers sold on their own. Picture a hypothetical landscaper in Ocala selling a 6x12 tandem-axle utility trailer with a rear gate ramp for $2,400. The bill of sale should list the VIN, the axle count, the ramp, the spare, and whether the plate stays on.

Some cases fit other templates better. Selling a boat and its trailer together? Use the boat bill of sale, which has a trailer section. Travel trailers, fifth wheels and pop-up campers belong on the RV bill of sale. For a truck or car, use the vehicle bill of sale.

What does our trailer bill of sale include?

Identification. Year, make, model or type, VIN or trailer identification number, title number if there is one, and plate number.

Weight and axles. GVWR, empty weight, number of axles, and whether it has electric or surge brakes.

Homemade trailers. A tick box for a trailer that was built rather than bought from a manufacturer, with a line for the build year and builder. States often ask for extra steps for these; in Florida, an unregistered homemade trailer of 2,000 pounds or more needs an inspection by a state compliance examiner, who assigns a trailer identification number.

Condition checklist. Lights, tires, bearings, brakes, deck and frame. It’s a short list, but it’s exactly what gets argued about a month later.

Accessories. Ramps, spare tire, jack, tie-downs, hitch lock, toolbox.

Price, payment, as-is terms and title transfer. Standard, and balanced for both sides.

On odometer disclosure: federal rules exempt vehicles that aren’t self-propelled, so a trailer doesn’t need one.

How do you fill it in and get it signed?

Check your state’s trailer titling rule and whether it has its own bill of sale form (Florida, for example, has form HSMV 82050).
Read the VIN plate and weigh the trailer if the empty weight isn’t listed.
Complete the bill of sale and walk around the trailer together with the condition checklist.
Sign, and sign over the title if there is one.
The buyer registers the trailer (and titles it if required) under the new owner’s name.

A trailer bill of sale is an ordinary sales contract, so it can generally be e-signed under the federal ESIGN Act. If a title is involved, sign it however your state requires. Our article on whether electronic signatures are legally binding has the background.

Download it, fill in the blanks, and send it for e-signature with any tool you like. (If you’d like to try SignWren when it launches, join the waitlist.)

This page is general information, not legal advice. For a specific sale or dispute, talk to a lawyer licensed where you are.

The trailer bill of sale template

Download as Word

Template from signwren.com. General information, not legal advice. Check your state's rules and adapt it before you use it.

Some states require their own DMV bill of sale or title form for trailers, and whether a trailer needs a title often depends on its weight. Check your state's motor vehicle agency on USA.gov first. If the trailer is titled, this bill of sale does not replace signing over the title.

TRAILER BILL OF SALE

On [date], [Seller's full legal name] of [address] (the "Seller") sells to [Buyer's full legal name] of [address] (the "Buyer") the trailer described below, on the following terms.

Seller's phone / email: [contact details]
Buyer's phone / email: [contact details]

1. Trailer

Type: ☐ Utility ☐ Enclosed cargo ☐ Dump ☐ Car hauler ☐ Flatbed / equipment ☐ Boat ☐ Horse / livestock ☐ Other: [describe]

Year: [year]
Make and model: [make, model, or "homemade"]
Size: [for example, 6 ft x 12 ft]
Color: [color]
VIN or trailer identification number: [number]
Title number and state: [number, state, or "not titled"]
Registration / plate number: [number, or "plate kept by Seller"]

2. Weight, axles and brakes

Gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR), from the VIN plate: [pounds, or "not shown"]
Empty weight: [pounds]. Source: ☐ Manufacturer's plate or paperwork ☐ Certified weight slip dated [date] ☐ Seller's estimate
Number of axles: [number]
Brakes: ☐ None ☐ Electric ☐ Surge ☐ Other: [describe]

3. Homemade or assembled trailer

☐ This trailer was built by a manufacturer.
☐ This trailer was homemade or assembled. Built in [year] by [builder's name]. Seller will give Buyer any receipts for major parts (axles, frame steel, lights) that Seller still has.

4. Condition at sale

The Seller and the Buyer looked at the trailer together. Noted condition:

Part	Condition
Lights and wiring	☐ Working ☐ Not working ☐ Partly: [note]
Tires (including spare)	[note]
Wheel bearings	[note, for example "repacked 2025" or "unknown"]
Brakes	[note]
Deck / floor	[note]
Frame and tongue	[note]
Coupler and safety chains	[note]

Known problems the Seller has disclosed: [describe, or "none known"]

5. Included accessories

☐ Ramps ☐ Spare tire ☐ Jack ☐ Tie-downs or straps ☐ Hitch lock ☐ Toolbox ☐ Other: [list]

Not included: [for example, ball mount and hitch stay with Seller]

6. Price and payment

Purchase price: [$ amount] ([amount in words] dollars).

Paid by: ☐ Cash ☐ Cashier's check ☐ Bank transfer ☐ Other: [describe]

☐ Paid in full on signing; the Seller confirms receipt.
☐ Deposit of [$ amount] paid; balance of [$ amount] due by [date]. The Buyer takes the trailer only when the balance is paid.

7. As-is sale

Tick one:
☐ The trailer is sold as-is, with all faults. The Buyer has inspected it and had the chance to have it inspected by someone else. The Seller makes no promises about its condition beyond what is written in this document.
☐ The Seller promises only the following about condition: [describe].

8. Ownership

The Seller states that the Seller owns the trailer and has the right to sell it, that it is free of any lien or loan except [lender and amount, or "none"], and that to the Seller's knowledge the VIN or trailer number has not been altered and the trailer is not stolen. Any lien will be paid off and released before the Buyer takes the trailer.

9. Title, registration and plates

If the trailer is titled, the Seller will sign over the title on full payment. If it is not titled, this bill of sale and the Seller's last registration receipt (if any) are the Buyer's ownership documents, and the Seller will give the Buyer both.

The Buyer will register, and title if required, the trailer in the Buyer's name within the time the Buyer's state requires. The license plate ☐ stays with the trailer ☐ is removed by the Seller, as state law requires.

Taxes and fees are paid by: ☐ Buyer ☐ Seller ☐ Shared: [describe].

10. Pickup and responsibility

The Buyer will pick up the trailer on [date] from [location]. The Buyer is responsible for having a tow vehicle, hitch and wiring suitable for the trailer. From pickup, the Buyer is responsible for the trailer, including insurance, tolls, tickets and damage.

11. General terms

Entire agreement. This is the complete agreement between the Seller and the Buyer about the trailer.

Changes. Changes must be in writing and signed by both.

Governing law. The law of [State] governs this bill of sale.

Severability. If any part is unenforceable, the rest still applies.

Electronic signatures and counterparts. The parties agree this agreement may be signed electronically and in counterparts, and an electronic signature has the same effect as a handwritten one. This does not change how a trailer title must be signed under state law.

Signatures

Seller
Signature: ______________________________
Name: [full name]
Date: [date]

Buyer
Signature: ______________________________
Name: [full name]
Date: [date]

Quick answers

Does every trailer need a title?

No. Many states only title trailers above a weight limit, and the limits differ. Florida titles trailers with an empty weight of 2,000 pounds or more, while Texas requires a title for manufactured trailers whose gross weight is over 4,000 pounds.

What's the difference between GVWR and empty weight?

GVWR is the manufacturer's rated loaded weight for the trailer. Empty weight is what the trailer weighs with nothing on it. States use different measures for titling, which is why this template asks for both.

How do I sell a homemade trailer?

Write a bill of sale with the build year, a description and the price, and expect the state to want more. Florida, for example, may ask for a certified weight slip and, for heavier homemade trailers, an inspection that assigns a trailer identification number.

Can I use this for a travel trailer or camper?

You can, but our RV bill of sale has fields that matter for campers, like slide-outs, appliances and water damage. Use that one for anything people sleep in.

Sources

This template and guide are general information, not legal advice. Laws vary by state; for anything important, have a lawyer licensed where you are review it.

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