How to handwrite a bill of sale.

Learn about the elements you should include in a handwritten bill of sale, and how you can digitize it later to create a document for filing and safekeeping.

What is a bill of sale?

A bill of sale is a legal document that transfers ownership of goods from one person to another. It is most often used for items of significant value, such as vehicles, watercraft, aircraft, and farm animals.

For example, if you are selling your car online and you find a buyer, you can use a bill of sale to transfer ownership of your car to the buyer.

Learning to handwrite a bill of sale is a useful skill to have, as a handwritten bill of sale can still be used in the event that a printer is unavailable.

Can a bill of sale be handwritten?

While it is common to present a bill of sale in a digital format, you can also create a handwritten bill of sale. What’s most important is to include all of the pertinent details in the bill of sale in order to protect both parties.

If you search how to write a bill of sale, you will find a plethora of information with samples and even templates, most of which are available online for free. That might get you to wonder if a handwritten bill of sale is legally binding. Handwritten bills of sale are indeed contractual agreements — so long as they have the right elements.

What should you include in a bill of sale?

Wondering how to handwrite a bill of sale? When handwriting your bill of sale, use this checklist as a basic guide:

• Contact information for the seller, including name, address, and phone number
• Contact information for the buyer, including name, address, and phone number
• A detailed description of the item being sold, such as the serial number, make, model, color, description, features, faults, and any other important identifying information
• The agreed-on price and payment details
• Method of payment
• Date of transaction
• Signatures from both parties
• Notary stamp or witness signature (if required — check your state regulations)

After the bill of sale is complete, a paper copy should be provided to both the seller and the buyer for their records.

Prefer to go digital with your bill of sale?

Learning how to handwrite a bill of sale can be a useful skill — but sharing it with your recipient and getting a protected digital copy can be more work intensive. Whether you’re working with a handwritten bill of sale, or you’re after a digital document, you can easily complete your task with Adobe Acrobat Sign.

With Acrobat Sign, you can quickly create a bill of sale agreement. It’s as simple as creating a form and collecting legally binding signatures.

Find out what else you can do with Acrobat Sign.