Boat bill of sale: what to include

A boat bill of sale records who sold a vessel, who bought it, exactly what changed hands, the price, and the date. Most state titling agencies want to see one before they will put the boat in the buyer's name, and insurers and lenders ask for it too. We have separate guides on the full paperwork checklist for selling a boat and on sales where the boat, motor, and trailer carry three separate titles. This article stays on the document itself. These are the fields a boat bill of sale needs, in roughly the order they appear on the form.

Seller and buyer, written out in full

Start with full legal names, street addresses, and phone numbers for both parties. Nicknames and initials cause problems at the title office, so each name should match what is printed on that person's driver license. If the boat has co-owners, list every name that appears on the title, and pay attention to how those names are joined. A title that reads John or Jane Smith usually lets either owner sign alone, while John and Jane Smith usually means both must sign. When a business owns the boat, use the exact registered business name and have the person signing add a title such as owner or manager next to the signature.

The hull identification number

The United States Coast Guard (USCG) has required a hull identification number on recreational boats since the early 1970s. The HIN is a 12 character code, and on most boats it is stamped or molded into the upper starboard (right) corner of the transom, the flat surface at the stern. Many builders also place a duplicate HIN somewhere hidden on the hull, which is one of the ways surveyors and wardens spot altered numbers.

Copy it character for character, then read it back against the hull. Coast Guard guidance on HIN verification warns that entering even one character incorrectly causes you to alter the boat's identity entirely. The HIN on the bill of sale must match the HIN on the title and the registration card. If it does not, the buyer will be making a second trip to the title office, and possibly a second trip to your driveway for a corrected document.

Make, model, year, and length

Describe the vessel the same way the state records describe it: builder name, model, model year, and length in feet. Add the hull material and the propulsion type if your form has room, since several states record both. If the boat carries a current registration number painted or stickered on the bow, the state prefix followed by digits, include that too. None of this replaces the HIN. It gives a human reader enough to recognize the boat without decoding a serial number, and it helps settle things if a single HIN digit is ever disputed.

The motor is its own line item

An outboard motor is removable property with its own serial number, and in some states it is titled on its own, entirely apart from the hull. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD), for example, issues titles for boats and for outboard motors, so a sale in Texas that omits the motor serial can leave the buyer unable to transfer the motor at all. Record the motor make, horsepower, year, and serial number. On most outboards the serial plate sits on the transom bracket or on the motor block under the cowling. Inboard engines are worth listing by serial number as well, even in states with no separate motor title, because the engine is often half the value of the package.

The trailer and its VIN

If a trailer is part of the deal, say so, and identify it by its own VIN. Trailers are road vehicles in every state, and most states title or register them separately from the boat they carry. The trailer VIN is typically stamped into the tongue or printed on a plate riveted to the frame near the front. Include the trailer make, year, capacity if known, and license plate number if it has one. And if the seller is keeping the trailer, write a line saying the sale excludes it. That one sentence prevents a genuinely awkward argument on pickup day.

One sale, three prices

Write an itemized price for the boat, the motor, and the trailer rather than one lump sum. The split matters for taxes, because states tax vessels, motors, and trailers under different rules, sometimes at different rates, and sometimes with caps that apply to one item and not another. It also matters if part of the deal unwinds, for example if the trailer turns out to have a lien against it.

Below the itemized lines, state the total, any deposit already paid, the payment method, and the date the balance changed hands. If anything else rides along with the sale, electronics, safety gear, dock lines, or a spare prop, list it by name. Unlisted extras have a way of disappearing between the sea trial and the handoff.

The as-is clause and the title promise

Almost every private boat sale is as-is. Say it in plain words: the buyer accepts the vessel in its current condition, and the seller makes no promises about future performance. That single sentence has settled a great many arguments about engines that failed a month after the money moved.

The seller should also warrant clear title, meaning the seller actually owns the boat, has the right to sell it, and knows of no undisclosed liens. A buyer can check for recorded liens through the state titling agency before closing. Note the difference in scope. As-is covers the condition of the hull and motor. It does not excuse selling a boat that a bank still has a claim on.

Signatures, dates, and notarization

Both parties sign and date the document, and each side keeps a completed copy. A handful of states will only accept a notarized bill of sale for a vessel title transfer, and some require notarization only above a certain value or for particular transfer types. Check the rule for your state with our notarization checker before you meet, because finding a notary with the buyer standing in your driveway is much harder than booking one the day before. Where notarization is optional, it still adds a neutral witness and a date stamp that are difficult to dispute later.

That is the whole document: two fully identified parties, one precisely identified boat, the motor and trailer pinned down by serial number, itemized prices, an as-is clause, a clear title promise, and dated signatures. Fill in every field before anyone signs, and the title office gets no reason to send your buyer home.

Sources

• U.S. Coast Guard, HIN verification guidance
• Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, boat titles and registration