City release page
Use this bill of sale when selling a motorcycle in Bakersfield, California. It documents the transfer and helps you complete DMV title paperwork.
Create a compliant bill of sale and download the signed PDF immediately.
DMV / Title Office
DMV Bakersfield Office
Address
5607 Stockdale Hwy, Bakersfield, CA 93309
Phone
(800) 777-0133
Office Hours
Mon–Fri 8:00 AM–5:00 PM (Thu until 6:00 PM)
Title Transfer Fee
$23.00
Sales Tax Rate
8.25%
Base Registration Fee
$46.00
California state base 7.25% + Kern County 1.0%
California does not require notarization for vehicle transfers.
The most common motorcycle makes in private-party sales are Harley-Davidson, Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki, Suzuki. Average private-party motorcycle prices range from $2,000–$20,000. Motorcycles average 2.4 NHTSA recalls per model across categories including Fuel System, Electrical, Brakes.
Before completing a motorcycle bill of sale in California, verify these safety items:
Motorcycle insurance averages $700–$1,500/year for full coverage. Sport bikes cost significantly more to insure than cruisers. Motorcycles depreciate 35–50% in the first 3 years. Harley-Davidson and BMW models hold value best. Peak season for private motorcycle sales is late winter to early spring (february–april) as riding season approaches, with an average of 30 days on market.
Motorcycles are classified as "Motorcycle" for registration purposes. No weight-based exemption for motorcycles. All motorcycles under 20 years old require federal odometer disclosure. Federal odometer disclosure is required for motorcycles under 20 years old.
Bakersfield residents completing a motorcycle bill of sale should be aware of local requirements in addition to California state rules. The state sales tax rate is 7.25%, 7.25% base; county/city adds 0.25–3.25% (total up to 10.75%). The most popular motorcycle makes in California include Harley-Davidson, Honda, Yamaha.
BillOfSaleNow has generated 14,217 bill of sale documents for California transactions, with 382 generated this month alone. The most popular vehicle type is car.
45% faster sale
Vehicles whose listings include a history report spend ~45% less time on site before selling, and report-viewers are 5x more likely to become a lead.
Source: Experian / AutoCheck
$4,000 avg loss
NHTSA estimates 450,000+ vehicles per year are sold with rolled-back odometers — the average victim loses about $4,000 in downstream repair costs.
Source: NHTSA
17.5M private sales/yr
About 17.5 million private-party vehicle transactions happen in the U.S. each year — roughly 47% of the used market.
Source: Cox Automotive 2024
1 in 3 buyers
Roughly 1 in 3 used-car buyers say they suspect private sellers are hiding mechanical problems — documentation closes that trust gap.
Source: JW Surety Bonds (n=3,000)
Bakersfield is in Kern County. Title transfers are handled by the DMV Bakersfield Office at 5607 Stockdale Hwy, Bakersfield, CA 93309. Hours: Mon–Fri 8:00 AM–5:00 PM (Thu until 6:00 PM). Phone: (800) 777-0133.
The combined rate is 8.25%. California state base 7.25% + Kern County 1.0%.
No. California does not require notarization for vehicle transfers.
Title transfer fee: $23.00. Base registration fee: $46.00. Sales tax at 8.25% is collected at the time of title transfer.