Free Massachusetts Trailer Bill of Sale Template

A Massachusetts trailer bill of sale records a private trailer sale. For lighter trailers it pairs with the previous registration to become the proof of ownership, since no title will ever exist.

Only above 3,000 pounds. The Registry of Motor Vehicles states that trailers with a gross vehicle weight rating of 3,000 pounds or less are exempt and will not be issued a title.

Above that line, Massachusetts title law requires the trailer to be titled within 10 days of purchase, and the certificate of title fee is $75.

Below it, the registry accepts the previous registration together with the bill of sale as proof of ownership. Those two documents together do the job a title would otherwise do.

The registry is strict about presentation, and one step has to happen before you ever reach a counter.

Your insurance agent goes first

You visit a licensed Massachusetts insurance agent to obtain an active policy and have the agent complete, stamp, and sign the registration and title application. The registry will not process it otherwise.

Nothing crossed out

Any erasures, white-outs, or alterations on the proof of ownership or the application will be refused. The application must be legible and printed on white letter-size paper, since colour paper and card stock are not accepted.

It has to match

The application must match the supporting documentation being presented, so the figures on your bill of sale and your application need to agree exactly.

Signatures and mileage

The proof of ownership must contain signatures of sellers and buyers, with the mileage recorded in the appropriate area.

How the tax is worked out

On a private sale, sales tax is calculated on the sale price or the book value of the vehicle, whichever is higher. It has to be paid by the twentieth of the month following the date of purchase, and late payment brings penalties and interest.

If you are exempt

Where sales tax does not apply to your transfer, a completed sales tax exemption form has to accompany the application rather than a bare assertion.

Title without registering

A title-only application can go by post to the registry’s title department in Boston, with the completed application, proof of ownership, and payment.

Which document proves ownership

Acceptable proof runs to a certificate of origin for new vehicles only, the previous owner’s certificate of title assigned to you, a dealer reassignment form, or the previous registration with the bill of sale.

The insurance step drives the running order.

1. Draw up the bill of sale covering price, date, and a full description.
2. Take the registration and title application to a licensed Massachusetts insurance agent for stamp and signature.
3. Gather the previous owner’s certificate of title, or the previous registration plus your bill of sale for an exempt trailer.
4. Check that every figure on the application matches the supporting documents.
5. Take everything and the fee to a full service RMV centre.

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

Record the year, make, and identification number, the gross vehicle weight rating, the purchase price, the date, and both parties’ names and signatures.

The weight rating is worth stating plainly. It decides whether the registry issues a title at all, and it is the manufacturer’s figure rather than anything you can estimate.

Both sides should sign in ink and keep a clean copy.