Other Facts About Titling and Registering Your Boat

Here are some facts about titling and registering your boat.

• A Certificate of Number is valid for two years unless issued in an odd-numbered year, when it is valid for one year.
• The Certificate of Ownership is your evidence of title to the vessel and should, therefore, be kept in a safe place. The reverse side of the Certificate of Ownership is an application for transfer of ownership.
• Upon registration, your vessel may be subject to a use tax based on the purchase price, if acquired out-of-state or from a private party.
• You are required to notify the DMV whenever any of the following takes place.
  • The vessel is destroyed or abandoned. Notice must be given within 15 days and be accompanied by the Certificate of Number and Certificate of Ownership.
  • The owner’s address has changed. Notice must be given within 15 days.
  • The vessel is sold. Notice must be provided within five calendar days and include the date of sale, a description of the vessel, and the name and address of the new owner.
• Larger recreational vessels, owned by U.S. citizens, may (at the option of the owner) be documented with the USCG. Call the USCG’s Documentation Center at 1-800-799-8362 for more information. Documented vessels must have the vessel’s name and hailing port displayed on the stern above the waterline.