US States that do NOT use a boat title.

Seems this comes up fairly often so I thought I'd toss the list up. These states only require registration.

1.Alabama
2.Alaska
3.Arizona
4.Arkansas
5.Colorado
6.Connecticut
7.Delaware
8.Georgia
9.Hawaii
10.Kansas
11.Louisiana
12.Maine
13.New Hampshire
14.North Dakota
15.Tennessee
16.Wyoming


Publication of this list is dated 1-1-2011 so you may want to double check to see if your state has changed.

Re: US States that do NOT use a boat title.

Add Wisconsin, for boats UNDER 16' titling is optional.
If a title has been issued for a particular boat, then a title is required to transfer ownership.

That being said, last year I registered a boat that had not been sold since the titling law was put in place.
All I needed was the signed registration card and a bill of sale.
Boat is now titled.

Re: US States that do NOT use a boat title.

The rules in New York:
The DMV issues title certificates for boats that are:

- model year 1987 and newer,
- at least 14 ft. long, and
- registered in New York State.

Re: US States that do NOT use a boat title.

Just because a state doesn't require a title, doesn't make it easy to buy/sell a boat without a title.

I can only speak for Delaware, but unless you are buying from the last registered owner, you will need to show a DOCUMENTED chain of custody back to the last registered owner.

Let's say I'm selling you an old Mako that I have restored. I never got around to registering it. The guy I bought it from never registered it because he bought it from his neighbor as a project boat he never got around to.

You would need not only a bill of sale from me to you, but also the bill of sale I got from the guy I bought it from as well as the bill of sale he got from the neighbor (the last registered owner).

In a non-title state, the registration card is basically your proof of ownership.

In the above scenario, if I was selling you the boat, and couldn't find any of the previous paperwork, you'd probably be out of luck.
If you get lucky and find the expired registration card while cleaning the planter you just bought and get in touch with the original owner and he's willing to help you out, then you just got lucky.

I just went around this with my old boat, which I was giving to my daughter's boyfriend. I couldn't find the old registration card, or the bill of sale I got when I bought it.
Luckily, I found a helpful clerk at a Delaware registration agent who was able to look up my DL number and make me up a replacement registration card.

Re: US States that do NOT use a boat title.

It's true the natural state doesn't require boat titles. They do, however, require trailer titles. Welcome to Arkansas.

Re: US States that do NOT use a boat title.

lncoop said:

It's true the natural state doesn't require boat titles. They do, however, require trailer titles. Welcome to Arkansas.

Click to expand...

This applies to Mississippi as well.

Re: US States that do NOT use a boat title.

This is far too generic. Simply stated, refer to the state regulations for the state you want to buy/sell in. Search for "Register a Boat in <State>" and you will typically hit the state governement entity (DNR/DMV, Fish and Game or whatever) and all of their relevant regulations, forms and fees. It varies too widely to make blanket statements. As does a guy form NY trying to tell a guy form SC how to title his boat.

Re: US States that do NOT use a boat title.

http://www.michigan.gov/sos/0,4670,7-127-1585_15242-34638--,00.html

Link to Michigan regulations