Free Delaware Trailer Bill of Sale Template

A Delaware trailer bill of sale records a private trailer sale between two people. It has a direct financial effect here, because the Division of Motor Vehicles uses it to work out what you owe.

It sets the tax base. Delaware imposes a motor vehicle document fee on the sale, transfer, or registration of any new or used trailer, and the fee is calculated on the purchase price.

The Division states that where a Delaware title is presented for transfer and the applicant has no bill of sale, or the reverse of the title does not show the purchase price, the document fee is based instead on the current average trade-in value in the N.A.D.A. Guide.

For a trailer bought cheaply, that difference is real money. An owner may alternatively obtain an appraisal from a licensed Delaware dealer, and that appraisal may also be considered.

Beyond the document fee, a handful of Delaware rules shape the transaction.

Originals only

Every document presented to the Division must be the original. Photocopies are not accepted, which includes the title application and any power of attorney.

Registration fees run on weight

Trailer registration fees are based on weight. For a recreational trailer, Delaware law sets the fee at $40 per year where the gross load weight does not exceed 5,000 pounds, and $6.40 per year for each 1,000 pounds or fraction above that.

When the document fee does not apply

Delaware waives the document fee in specific cases, including a gift between immediate family members such as a spouse, parent, child, sibling, or grandparent, and step and in-law relatives. Transfers between joint owners, inheritance from a decedent, and a name change by marriage, adoption, or court order are also exempt. Purchases from an estate remain subject to the fee.

Credit for a private sale

If you made no trade-in but privately sold your previous trailer within 60 days before or after the new title was issued, credit may be given on the document fee. Only one vehicle or trailer counts per application.

Tax paid to another state

Delaware allows out-of-state owners a credit for sales tax, transfer tax, or a similar levy paid to another state, provided the trailer was titled or registered there within 90 days before you register it in Delaware.

Getting it home

The Division issues a temporary tag so you can drive the vehicle to Delaware. To get one, bring proof of Delaware liability insurance, the bill of sale or title, the vehicle identification number, and the make and year.

The steps below cover a private purchase from another Delaware owner.

1. Complete the bill of sale, stating the purchase price plainly and dating it.
2. Have the seller complete the assignment on the reverse of the title, including the purchase price.
3. Gather originals of everything, since photocopies will be refused.
4. Bring proof of Delaware liability insurance and acceptable proof of residency.
5. Present the documents at a DMV office and pay the document fee, title fee, and weight-based registration fee.

Fees are set by the state and change from time to time, so confirm current amounts with the Division of Motor Vehicles before you go.

Record the trailer’s year, make, and VIN, the purchase price, the sale date, the gross load weight, and both parties’ full names and addresses.

State the price as a clear figure rather than a range or a bundled total. That single number is what the Division works from, so ambiguity there is expensive.

Both parties should sign and keep an original.