We Owe Form on a Used Car: Get Promises in Writing

A we-owe form (sometimes called a due bill) is a written list of what the dealer still owes you after you sign: a repair, a part, a second key, a detail job or a fix for a problem found on the test drive. If a promise is not on a signed we-owe form, assume you will not get it. Ask for the form before you sign the contract, not after.

What belongs on the form

Write each item on its own line with enough detail that a stranger could tell whether it was done: the part, the repair, who pays and the date it will be finished. 'Fix brakes' is weak; 'replace front pads and rotors at dealer cost by Dec. 1' is strong. Ask the dealer to sign and date it, and keep a copy with your buyer's order.

How it fits with as-is sales

Many used cars are sold as is, which the window Buyers Guide shows under federal rules at 16 CFR 455.2. A signed we-owe form is a separate written promise for the items listed. Our Buyers Guide explainer and window sticker guide cover how the sticker and the contract work together.

Do not let it replace an inspection

A promise to fix something later does not tell you what else is wrong. Get a pre-purchase inspection, and our inspection cost guide shows what to expect. Run the VIN at the NHTSA recall lookup, since open recalls are fixed free by franchised dealers and should not be a we-owe line you pay for. Keep deposits small until the paperwork is final; our deposit refund guide explains why.

Common we-owe items

Typical lines include a second key or fob, a missing owner's manual, floor mats, a repair the inspection found, a scratch the dealer agreed to fix, a state safety or emissions inspection, or title and registration delivered by a set date. Anything you were promised to close the deal belongs on the list, including small items that are easy to forget a month later.

Watch for spot-delivery changes

If you drive away before financing is final, the dealer may call you back to rework the deal. A signed we-owe form should stay attached to any new paperwork. Our yo-yo financing guide covers what to do when the dealer asks you to re-sign. The CFPB auto loan page covers the loan side.

What to do if the dealer does not deliver

Call and email the dealer with a copy of the signed we-owe form and ask for a date. If the promised repair or item still does not arrive, put a short complaint in writing to the general manager, then to your state attorney general or consumer office. A signed form with the dealer's name, the item and a date is the proof you need; a verbal promise is very hard to enforce.

A short we-owe checklist

• Every promise is listed, one per line.
• Each line has a part, a service or a dollar amount.
• A due date is written next to each item.
• A dealer representative signs and dates the form.
• You keep a copy with the buyer's order and the contract.

Keep one paper file for the deal

Put the ad screenshot, texts, the buyer's order, the Buyers Guide photo, the title copy, the bill of sale and every receipt in one folder or one phone album the day you buy. If something goes wrong a month later, that file is what a DMV clerk, a lender or a consumer office will ask to see first. Dates and names on each page matter more than your memory of who said what.

History report and title still come first

Ad tricks and paperwork gaps do not replace a clean title check. Pull a history report for brands and odometer readings, run an approved NMVTIS check when the car crosses state lines and match the VIN on the dash to the paperwork before money moves. Our NMVTIS vs CARFAX guide and private-party CARFAX guide cover that order of operations on a used car deal. Our lien release guide covers payoff paperwork when a lender is still on the title.

What the report costs

As of early November 2026 a CARFAX bought direct usually costs around $44.99, and AutoCheck sits a little lower. We are a licensed CARFAX and AutoCheck reseller, not affiliated with CARFAX, AutoCheck or Experian. Our guest price has been about $5.50 a report, about $4.50 for members, and about $6.75 for a CARFAX and AutoCheck bundle. Confirm the price at checkout, since it can change.

Sources

• 16 CFR 455.2, Buyers Guide rule (LII)
• CFPB auto loans
• Texas DMV: buying or selling a vehicle
• NHTSA recall lookup
• NMVTIS, U.S. Department of Justice