Do I need a title to sell a dirt bike?

Often, no. Many dirt bikes are sold as off-road, closed-course competition machines that were never titled, and a number of states do not issue titles for them at all. In those cases the bill of sale is the primary proof that ownership changed hands, so completing it carefully matters more than it would for a street motorcycle. If your state does title the bike and one exists, sign it over to the buyer in addition to the bill of sale.

Does a dirt bike bill of sale need to be notarized?

In most states notarization is not required, but a handful do require it for any motor-vehicle or off-highway-vehicle transfer. Even where it is optional, notarizing the document or signing it in front of a witness makes it much harder for either party to later claim the signature was forged or the sale never happened. Confirm the rule with your state DMV or off-highway-vehicle agency before you finalize the deal.

Where is the VIN on a dirt bike?

On most dirt bikes the frame VIN is stamped on the steering head, the section of frame just below the handlebars where the front forks meet. The engine carries its own separate serial number on the crankcase. Copy both exactly onto the bill of sale, because mismatched or missing numbers are a common reason a buyer cannot register the bike or prove ownership later.

What does selling a dirt bike "as-is" mean?

An as-is sale means the buyer accepts the bike in its current condition with no warranties. Once the bill of sale is signed, the seller is not responsible for mechanical problems the buyer finds afterward. As-is language is standard for used dirt bikes because they take hard abuse on tracks and trails, and stating it explicitly removes any argument about who carries the risk after the sale.

Can I ride a dirt bike on the street after I buy it?

In most places, no. Dirt bikes are built for off-road use and usually lack the lights, mirrors, horn, and DOT tires required to be street-legal, so they cannot be registered for road use without a conversion that many states do not allow. Most riders register the bike for off-highway use, where required, and trailer it to trails or tracks. Check your state rules before assuming you can plate it.

Dirt Bike Bill of Sale Template & Guide

A step-by-step guide to writing a dirt bike bill of sale. Covers the VIN, no-title sales, OHV registration, as-is clauses, and common mistakes to avoid.

Most dirt bike sales happen on a weekend: a marketplace listing, a cash handoff in a driveway, and a bike rolled up a ramp into the back of a truck. The deal is done in twenty minutes, and that speed is precisely why so many of these sales turn into problems weeks later. A dirt bike bill of sale converts the handshake into a written record of who sold what, for how much, and when. It shields the seller from liability once the bike leaves, and it gives the buyer the paperwork they need to register the machine or simply prove they own it, which matters more for dirt bikes than for almost any other vehicle, because a great many of them have no title at all.

This guide covers what a dirt bike bill of sale is, exactly what belongs in it, how to handle no-title and as-is sales, and the mistakes that leave you holding a worthless piece of paper.

What is a dirt bike bill of sale?

A dirt bike bill of sale is a written document that records the transfer of ownership of an off-road motorcycle from a seller to a buyer. It identifies both parties, describes the bike precisely, states the price and the date, and carries the signatures of everyone involved.

Where dirt bikes part ways with cars and street motorcycles is titling. A road-legal vehicle always has a title, the official ownership certificate from your state's motor vehicle department. Dirt bikes frequently do not. Many were sold new as off-road, closed-course competition machines that never received a title, and several states classify them as off-highway vehicles (OHVs) that they register or sticker but never title. When there is no title, the bill of sale carries the full weight of proving that ownership moved from one person to another.

For the seller, the document is a liability shield. It pins down the exact moment responsibility for the bike passed to the buyer, which matters if the new owner gets hurt or the machine ends up somewhere it shouldn't. For the buyer, it is proof of purchase for registration, off-highway stickers, and sales tax, and in a no-title state it is the foundation of any future ownership claim.

When you need one

Create a bill of sale for every private dirt bike sale. It becomes especially important when:

The bike has no title. With nothing to sign over, the bill of sale is the deal, the single record that ownership changed.
The sale is as-is. A signed as-is bill of sale is the seller's main defense if the buyer later complains about a blown top end or a cracked subframe.
You need to register the bike for off-highway use and your state agency asks for proof of purchase.
The buyer is paying over time. Installment terms need to be written down, including the amount, the schedule, and what happens on default.
The bike is a gift or sells for a token amount, where you still want a paper trail for tax and liability.

The same logic runs through nearly every private vehicle deal. For the broader rules covering cars, trucks, and powersports machines, see our guide on whether you need a bill of sale when selling your vehicle. The structure here closely tracks an ATV bill of sale; the main differences are titling and registration, which I cover below.

What to include in a dirt bike bill of sale

A bill of sale only works when it is specific. Vague descriptions and missing details are what turn a supposedly binding document into something a court, or a registration clerk, waves off. Include all of the following.

Buyer and seller information

Full legal names of the buyer and the seller
Current mailing addresses
Phone numbers or email addresses, handy for any follow-up paperwork

Dirt bike description

This is the core of the document. Pin down the exact machine so there is no question about what changed hands:

Year, make, and model (for example, 2022 Yamaha YZ250F)
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), copied exactly. On a dirt bike the frame VIN sits on the steering head, the chunk of frame below the handlebars where the forks meet. Older or competition-only bikes may have a short frame stamping rather than a full 17-character VIN.
Engine serial number, stamped separately on the crankcase. Record it alongside the VIN.
Engine displacement and stroke (for example, 250 cc, four-stroke). Displacement classes such as 65, 85, 125, 250, and 450 cc define the bike, so get this right.
Color and notable features (aftermarket exhaust, suspension, graphics kit)
Hour-meter reading, if the bike has one. Modern four-strokes often track engine hours instead of miles; hours are the closest thing to mileage on a dirt bike, so record them and note whether the reading looks accurate.
Off-highway sticker or registration number, if one is being transferred

Sale terms

Purchase price in numerals and written out in words
Date of sale
Form of payment (cash, certified check, electronic transfer, or installment terms)
If paying over time: the schedule, due dates, and what happens on default

As-is / warranty statement

Almost every private dirt bike sale is "as-is." State plainly that the bike is sold in its current condition with no warranties and that the buyer has inspected and accepted it. More on this below.

Signatures

Signatures of the buyer and the seller
The date each party signed
A notary or witness block if your state requires one, or you decide to use one

As-is sales: protecting the seller

In a private sale the seller rarely wants to answer for problems the buyer discovers later, and dirt bikes are prime candidates for hidden wear. These machines get revved to the limiter, jumped, dropped, and run through mud and sand. A motor that sounds fine in the driveway can be one ride from a rebuild. The way to keep that exposure off your shoulders is clear as-is language.

An as-is clause states that the bike is sold in its present condition, "with all faults," and that the seller makes no warranties of any kind, not about mechanical condition, not about fitness for racing, not for any particular purpose. It should also confirm that the buyer had the chance to inspect the bike, or have a mechanic inspect it, before paying.

Without that language, a buyer who finds a worn piston or a bent frame a week later may argue there was an implied warranty of merchantability. With it, they have acknowledged in writing that they took the machine as-is. As-is selling is legal in most private deals, but it will not shield a seller who actively lies, say, hiding a known crack or rolling back an hour meter. Honest disclosure plus as-is language is the combination that holds up.

Titling, registration, and off-highway stickers

This is where dirt bikes cause the most confusion, so it deserves a careful read.

Many dirt bikes never had a title. Bikes sold as closed-course competition machines were often delivered with only a manufacturer's statement of origin or nothing at all, never a title. Even where a state does title off-road motorcycles today, an older bike bought years ago may have none. Confirm whether a title exists before the sale, because it dictates the paperwork you need.

Off-highway registration varies by state. Some states require dirt bikes to carry a current off-highway-vehicle registration or sticker to be ridden on public land, trails, or designated riding areas. California's Green and Red Sticker program is the best-known example: a Green Sticker allows year-round riding, while a Red Sticker restricts certain newer competition bikes to seasonal use. After a private purchase, the buyer usually has a limited window to register or transfer the bike and display the new sticker.

Street use is usually off the table. Unlike a street motorcycle, a dirt bike normally is not road-legal: no headlight, no mirrors, no horn, no DOT-approved tires, and no plate. A few states allow a conversion to "dual-sport" status, but many do not, so do not assume you can register the bike for the road. Record the off-highway sticker number rather than a license plate.

The practical takeaway: with no title, treat the bill of sale as the most valuable document in the deal, and call your state's off-highway-vehicle agency to confirm exactly what they need to register the bike in the buyer's name.

Notarization and witnesses

Whether you need a notary comes down to your state. Most do not require a dirt bike bill of sale to be notarized, but a few require notarization for any motor-vehicle or off-highway-vehicle transfer. Check your state DMV or off-highway-vehicle agency before you finalize anything.

Even where it is optional, notarization is worth weighing for a higher-value bike. A notarized signature, or one witnessed by a neutral third party, makes it far harder for either side to later claim the document was forged or the sale never closed. If you do notarize, both parties should sign in front of the notary rather than beforehand.

How to write a dirt bike bill of sale: step-by-step

Step 1: Gather the documents. Have the title (if one exists), any registration or off-highway sticker paperwork, and the bike itself in front of you so you can copy the VIN, engine number, and hour-meter reading exactly. Mistakes here cause registration headaches later.

Step 2: Fill in the parties. Write the full legal names and addresses of both buyer and seller, using names exactly as they appear on a government ID.

Step 3: Describe the bike precisely. Record the year, make, model, frame VIN, engine serial number, displacement and stroke, color, hour-meter reading, off-highway sticker number, and any aftermarket parts included. Check the VIN character by character; a single wrong digit can sink the document at the registration counter.

Step 4: State the price and payment. Write the purchase price in both numerals and words, the payment method, and the date. If the buyer is paying over time, spell out the installment schedule and default terms the way you would in a simple loan agreement.

Step 5: Add the as-is clause. State that the bike is sold as-is, with no warranties, and that the buyer has inspected and accepted it.

Step 6: Sign and date. Both parties sign and date. Add a notary or witness block if your state requires it or the value justifies it.

Step 7: Make copies. Give each party a signed original or copy and keep yours somewhere safe and permanent, especially in a no-title state, where this is your ownership record.

Step 8: Handle title and registration separately. If your state titles the bike and a title exists, sign it over to the buyer. Either way, the buyer should register the bike and obtain a current off-highway sticker in their name within the state's deadline. The bill of sale supports that step but does not replace it.

Common mistakes to avoid

Leaving out the VIN, or copying it wrong. The frame VIN is the single most important identifier on the document. A missing or mistyped number can stop the buyer from registering the bike and undermine the whole sale.

Assuming a title exists. Many dirt bikes never had one. Confirm in advance, and in a no-title state, lean on the bill of sale as the deal's ownership record.

Skipping the engine and hour-meter details. Dirt bike engines get swapped and rebuilt constantly. Recording the engine serial number and engine hours protects both parties and heads off later disputes about how hard the machine was run.

Using a vague price. Always state an exact dollar amount in numbers and words. Tax agencies use this figure to calculate sales or use tax, and ambiguity invites trouble.

Forgetting the as-is clause. Without it, the seller may face implied-warranty claims on a hard-used race bike. This one line is the seller's biggest protection.

Ignoring off-highway registration deadlines. Riding an unregistered bike on public land can mean fines. The buyer should register and sticker the machine promptly.

After the sale: what each party should do

Once the bill of sale is signed, a little cleanup remains.

The seller should keep a copy of the signed bill of sale (and the title assignment, if any), cancel or transfer any insurance on the bike, and, where the state allows it, notify the off-highway-vehicle agency that the machine was sold so liability does not linger.

The buyer should keep the bill of sale and any signed title, register the bike and obtain a current off-highway sticker within the state deadline, and inspect the machine carefully before riding hard, checking the top end, the suspension, the chain and sprockets, and the frame for cracks around the steering head and subframe mounts.

A dirt bike bill of sale is a short document, but the titling rules surrounding it are unusual, and the details on it carry real weight. When you are unsure whether your state titles off-road motorcycles, whether yours needs notarization, or what the off-highway registration deadline is, your state DMV or off-highway-vehicle agency is the authoritative source. The VIN, the as-is clause, and the registration steps above are the points buyers and sellers overlook most often.

Related guides

Generate Your Dirt Bike Bill of Sale with Contractable

A dirt bike bill of sale looks simple, but leaving out the frame VIN, the engine number, or the as-is clause can cost you when a dispute arises, and in a no-title state, it is your only ownership record. Contractable generates a complete, customized dirt bike bill of sale in seconds, with the right description fields, as-is language, and payment terms for your sale. No lawyers or legal templates to wrestle with.