Iowa car bill of sale Do you need one? And what else does Iowa require?

Do you need a separate bill of sale?

Yes, unless your title has a Transfer/Sale Date section — and a damage disclosure too

Iowa DOT lists a bill of sale among what you give the buyer. Some title versions have a Transfer/Sale Date section you can use as the bill of sale; if yours does not, a bill of sale is still required. Iowa also asks for a damage disclosure statement, completed and given to the buyer, on newer vehicles — it is normally part of the assignment area of the title rather than a separate document. It is not needed for vehicles more than seven model years old, motorcycles, or trucks with a gross vehicle weight rating of 16,000 pounds or more. If the title was issued before Jan. 1, 2005, a separate damage disclosure statement may be needed.

Source: Iowa DOT, Seller's Checklist; Iowa DOT, How to Sell a Vehicle

Does the title need a notary or witnesses?

Neither

Properly assign the title by signing the reverse side as seller, printing the buyer's name and address on the top line, and printing the date of sale. No notary. Iowa also asks you to give the buyer the name of the county where the vehicle was last registered and its expiration date.

Source: Iowa DOT, Seller's Checklist, checked Oct 12 2026

What happens to the plates?

Off — keep them for your next car, or turn them in

Iowa's checklist puts it first: remove license plates. If you buy another vehicle within 30 days, the plates can go on it once its fees are paid. If you do not buy a replacement, turn the plates in to the county treasurer. Doing so is also how you claim the money: see below.

Source: Iowa DOT, Seller's Checklist; Iowa DOT, How to Sell a Vehicle

Do you have to tell the state you sold it?

Optional — but Iowa names three ways to prove it

Iowa does not demand a filing. It tells you to keep evidence of the sale, and lists three acceptable forms: a receipt from the buyer stating they accepted delivery of the car and the title; a copy of the back of the title showing the assignment; or filing form 411107, Notice of Sale of Vehicle and Delivery of Title, with any county treasurer. Iowa's checklist says the county where the vehicle is registered; the DOT's own sell page and the law say any county treasurer. Once the form is filed, you are presumed to have assigned and delivered the title. The state's own checklist prints a Buyer's Acknowledgment of Delivery receipt for you to use, with a note to keep it as evidence. Form 411107 is a sworn statement, signed under penalty of perjury, with a notary block.

Source: Iowa DOT, Seller's Checklist; Iowa DOT, How to Sell a Vehicle; form 411107

Where does the odometer reading go?

In the assignment area of the title

The odometer statement is completed and given to the buyer, and Iowa notes it is normally part of the assignment area of the title rather than a separate form. For transfers through Dec. 31, 2030, it is required on model year 2011 or newer. Then claim your money: Iowa refunds unused registration fees where the vehicle was sold or junked and no credit was taken for a replacement. Claim the refund within six months of the sale. Refunds under $10 are not granted, so on an old plate it may not be worth the trip.

Source: Iowa DOT, Seller's Checklist; Iowa DOT, How to Sell a Vehicle

The forms Iowa publishes

• Notice of Sale of Vehicle and Delivery of Title (411107) — One of three ways to prove the sale. File with any county treasurer. A sworn statement with a notary block. Where: iowadot.gov → Forms. Revision: not confirmed.
• Seller's Checklist — Iowa's own one-page list — and it prints a delivery receipt for you to keep. Where: iowadot.gov/media/1181/download. Revision: not confirmed.

Selling here, registering somewhere else

These are the rules where you are selling, not where the buyer is taking it. The title is signed under Iowa’s rules, and the plate and the notice are yours to handle here.

Registering it and paying tax falls under the buyer’s own state’s rules.

How Iowa compares

Counted from the same answers, for all fifty states.

Ready to handle the paperwork?

Get your free documents, set up for a Iowa sale — the bill of sale, and the answers on this page as one printable sheet. Print what you need. Free, no account.

Get my free documents →