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Cell Phone Bill of Sale Template

Most phone sales happen with no paperwork at all, which is exactly why they go wrong. A phone can be blacklisted after the sale, still owed on a carrier plan, or locked to the seller's account and useless to the buyer.

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  • Fill in on your computer
  • Letter size, 2 pages
  • Notary page included
Page 1 of the cell phone bill of sale

This template records the IMEI and forces both sides through the checks that prevent all three.

It's a fillable PDF: type into it in Acrobat, Preview or your browser and save the finished copy, or print it blank and fill it in by hand.

What's on the form

  • Seller and buyer names, addresses, phones and emails
  • Brand, model, color, storage and serial number
  • IMEI or MEID, the number unique to that handset
  • Carrier status: unlocked, or locked to a named carrier
  • Included accessories such as charger, box and case
  • A four-point checklist covering account sign-out, factory reset, blacklist status and activation
  • Price, payment method and as-is clause
  • A seller's certification that the phone isn't stolen, blacklisted or still being financed

How to fill it out

  1. Get the IMEI and check it

    Dial *#06# on the phone, or find it in Settings. Run it through a free IMEI checker before paying to see whether it's reported lost or stolen. A blacklisted phone can't be activated on any major network.

  2. Make the seller sign out in front of you

    On an iPhone: Settings, tap the name at the top, Sign Out, then erase. On Android: remove the Google account, then factory reset. A phone still linked to the seller's account is a paperweight.

  3. Factory reset, then power it back up

    After the reset, boot the phone and confirm it reaches the setup screen with no account lock. That's the moment to discover a problem, not a week later.

  4. Ask whether it's paid off

    Phones bought on carrier instalments can be blacklisted when payments stop, even months after the sale. The form has a line for any outstanding balance.

  5. Check the lock status

    Unlocked, or locked to a specific carrier. A locked phone only works on that network until the carrier unlocks it, which usually requires the account to be paid off.

Before you hand it over

  • Do the checks before money changes hands. Everything on the checklist is easy to fix before the sale and nearly impossible after.
  • Keep the IMEI on your copy. It's the only number that identifies the exact handset.
  • Meet somewhere safe and public. Many police stations have marked exchange zones.
  • A receipt isn't a warranty. This is an as-is sale, so test everything — cameras, buttons, charging, battery health — during the meeting.

Questions

How do I find a phone's IMEI?

Dial *#06# and it appears on screen. It's also in Settings under About, on the SIM tray of some phones, and printed on the original box.

What does blacklisted mean?

The IMEI has been reported lost, stolen or unpaid, and carriers block it from their networks. A blacklisted phone usually can't be activated anywhere in the country.

Do I need a bill of sale to sell a phone?

Nothing requires it, but it's the only proof you sold the phone on a given date, and it's what protects you if the buyer later claims the device was faulty or stolen.