City release page
Use this bill of sale when selling a heavy equipment in Des Moines, Iowa. 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
Polk County Treasurer – Motor Vehicle
Address
111 Court Ave, Des Moines, IA 50309
Phone
(515) 286-3060
Office Hours
Mon–Fri 8:00 AM–4:30 PM
Title Transfer Fee
$25.00
Sales Tax Rate
5.00%
Base Registration Fee
$35.00
Iowa charges 5% use tax on private vehicle sales (no local add-on for vehicles)
Iowa does not require notarization for private vehicle sales. A signed title is sufficient.
County Clerk / Recorder
Polk County Recorder
Phone
(515) 286-3572
The most common heavy equipment makes in private-party sales are Caterpillar, John Deere, Komatsu, Volvo, Case. Average private-party heavy equipment prices range from $10,000–$300,000. Heavy equipments average 0.7 NHTSA recalls per model across categories including Hydraulic System, Electrical, ROPS/FOPS.
Before completing a heavy equipment bill of sale in Iowa, verify these safety items:
Equipment floater or inland marine policy required. Costs vary widely: $500–$5,000/year depending on value and use. Caterpillar and Komatsu machines hold value well — 50–60% retention after 5,000 hours. Peak season for private heavy equipment sales is spring when construction season begins, with an average of 60 days on market.
Heavy Equipments are classified as "Construction equipment (not registered for road use; transported on flatbed/lowboy)" for registration purposes. Heavy equipment is valued by engine hours, not mileage. Machines over 80,000 lbs require special transport permits. Federal odometer disclosure does not apply to heavy equipments.
Des Moines residents completing a heavy equipment bill of sale should be aware of local requirements in addition to Iowa state rules. The state sales tax rate is 5%, 5% one-time new registration fee instead of sales tax. The most popular heavy equipment makes in Iowa include Caterpillar, John Deere, Komatsu.
BillOfSaleNow has generated 772 bill of sale documents for Iowa transactions, with 21 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)
Des Moines is in Polk County. Title transfers are handled by the Polk County Treasurer – Motor Vehicle at 111 Court Ave, Des Moines, IA 50309. Hours: Mon–Fri 8:00 AM–4:30 PM. Phone: (515) 286-3060.
The combined rate is 5.00%. Iowa charges 5% use tax on private vehicle sales (no local add-on for vehicles).
No. Iowa does not require notarization for private vehicle sales. A signed title is sufficient.
Title transfer fee: $25.00. Base registration fee: $35.00. Sales tax at 5.00% is collected at the time of title transfer.