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California DMV form

REG 135 - the DMV's bill-of-sale form

Official name: Bill of Sale

Reviewed by the DMVCA editorial team · Content last verified September 15, 2026 · sourced to dmv.ca.gov

REG 135 is California’s official bill of sale - a short record of who sold what to whom, for how much, and on what date. Its own heading reads Vehicle / Vessel Description, so one form serves every private sale - car, motorcycle, RV, trailer or boat alike. The thing worth knowing before you download it: California does not require a bill of sale to transfer a vehicle, and a bill of sale never transfers ownership on its own. The title does that. REG 135 is evidence of the sale, not the sale itself.

Download REG 135 from dmv.ca.gov (PDF) Bill of sale - when California actually needs one →

Describes REG 135 rev 2/2007, checked September 15, 2026. The DMV revises forms at the same web address - if the copy you download shows a different revision, treat the section notes below as out of date and follow the form itself.

When you need it

When you need it

  • You want a written record of the sale price and date for your own protection.
  • The DMV has asked for one to support a use-tax figure or an unusual transfer.
  • You are selling a vehicle without a title in hand and are documenting the transaction alongside the other paperwork.
  • The buyer or seller simply wants the sale in writing - the most common reason of all.

When you need a different form

When you need a different form

The commonest reason a form comes back is that it was the wrong one.

Use REG 262

You are actually transferring ownership and need the odometer disclosure.

Federal odometer disclosure belongs on the title or REG 262, not on a bill of sale. A REG 135 alone leaves the transfer incomplete.

Use REG 138

You have sold the vehicle and want your liability to end.

The bill of sale does not tell the DMV you sold the car. The Notice of Transfer and Release of Liability does, and it has a deadline.

What REG 135 asks for

What REG 135 asks for

Section by section, in plain language.

Vehicle description
Year, make, plate or VIN - enough to identify the specific vehicle rather than the model.
Seller and buyer
Printed names and addresses for both parties, and the date of sale.
Selling price
The actual amount paid. This is the figure the DMV may read for use tax, so an inaccurate price is not a harmless simplification.
Signatures
Both parties sign. The form has space for more than one seller or buyer where a vehicle is jointly owned.

Related forms

REG 262 Vehicle/Vessel Transfer and Reassignment You are actually transferring ownership and need the odometer disclosure. REG 138 Notice of Transfer and Release of Liability You have sold the vehicle and want your liability to end.

Questions

Frequently asked questions

Does California require a bill of sale?
No. California does not legally require one to transfer a vehicle. The signed title carries the transfer; a bill of sale is evidence of the sale.
Does REG 135 transfer ownership?
No. Only the title does. A bill of sale records that a sale happened - it never replaces the title or the transfer paperwork.
Do I have to use the official REG 135?
No. Any bill of sale that identifies the vehicle and the parties is acceptable. REG 135 is the DMV’s version, and it is optional.
When does the DMV actually ask for one?
Chiefly to establish the chain of ownership - for example where the seller is not the registered owner shown on the title, or across multiple transfers.

Related guides

REG 227 - selling a vehicle with no title Transferring a vehicle title REG 256 - Statement of Facts
Sources. California DMV - REG 135 · California DMV - forms catalog
Content last verified September 15, 2026.
Official name Bill of Sale
Format Downloadable PDF
Revision 2/2007
Required by law? No
Transfers ownership? No - the title does

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→ All DMV forms The common set the guides reference. → DMV fee schedule Every fixed fee, from one source. → Bill of sale - when California actually needs one The task this form belongs to.