Use our boat bill of sale to record the sale of a boat and protect both the buyer and seller.
Updated July 19, 2024
Written by Sara Hostelley | Reviewed by Brooke Davis
A boat bill of sale is a legal document recording the sale of a boat between two parties: a seller and a buyer. Within this document, the seller agrees to transfer boat ownership to the buyer for a certain fee.
You need this form when buying or selling a boat because it outlines the terms of the sale, prevents disputes, and serves as proof of ownership for the buyer so they can register their new boat.
If the boat has an accompanying trailer, you can record the sale of multiple items (for example, a boat, motor, and trailer) on a single form or an accompanying trailer bill of sale form.
Download: PDF or Word.
Explore our different forms to get the right template for your boat setup:
Use this template if you’re selling a motorless boat or a boat with an internal motor.
Examples include canoes, sailboats, houseboats, and jet skis.
Use this template for a motorless or inboard-motor boat and its trailer.
Use this template to sell a boat with an outboard motor and its trailer.
Outboard motors aren’t permanent parts of the boat, so they must be listed separately on the bill of sale form, even if a trailer isn’t included in the transaction.
If your boat is federally documented (registered with the U.S. Coast Guard), you need an official Coast Guard bill of sale to complete the transfer.
Firstly, you’ll need to decide what you’re selling. Will you sell just a boat or include a motor and/or trailer?
Whatever it is you’re selling, make sure you include everything in the final value of the sales price.
You may sell or buy one of the following types of boats or water vessels using a boat bill of sale:
You need to take a few steps to prepare your boat for sale. You’ll need to:
To determine your boat’s value, you’ll need to:
A vessel’s average sales price may not accurately represent how much your boat is worth. If you’ve made extensive modifications, they could affect the value. Ensure you consider everything when calculating the sales price.
Decide on an asking price and the lowest offer you’ll consider before you list.
Several websites help private boat sellers reach buyers. To reach a wider audience, create multiple listings across sites like Boat Trader, The Hull Truth, BoatCrazy, boats.com, Craigslist, and eBay . For high-end and specialty boats like yachts and sailboats, try YachtWorld.
In addition to several clear photos of your boat, provide a detailed description of its condition and features and any accompanying motor, trailer, or accessories.
Make sure you include the following information in your post:
If you want to offer a warranty on the boat, mention it here. Otherwise, include terms like “as-is” or “sale final” in the listing description.
Now that you’ve listed your boat for sale online, you can show it to potential buyers. For ease of access, you’ll want your boat stationed at a dock so buyers can understand what it is like on the water. You could also consider parking your boat on land, in a trailer, or on a stand.
Before meeting potential buyers, ensure the following:
Once you’ve found a buyer, you can fill out a bill of sale template to finalize the transaction. Distribute a copy to the buyer so they can review it.
Also, gather the following documents:
Once you agree on a price with the buyer, you can finalize the boat sale. The buyer must pay you before signing the document.
Don’t hand over the keys or ownership documents until the buyer’s funds have cleared.
It would be best to negotiate which party will be subject to the sales tax; typically, both parties split it. To close the sale:
After completing the bill of sale form and receiving payment in full, you and the buyer can sign the document according to your state’s requirements.
Some states require the buyer and seller to sign in the presence of a notary public for the form to be valid. If your state doesn’t require boat bills of sale to be notarized, it’s still a good idea to have a notary witness the deal in case a dispute arises.
After the sale is complete, make a copy of the signed form for your records. The buyer should keep the original copy for registration purposes.
A valid bill of sale for a boat, jet ski, or other watercraft vessels should include the following components:
You can also specify if the boat comes with a warranty. If it doesn’t, you may include an “as-is” clause, meaning the buyer agrees to purchase the vessel in its current condition.
Once the buyer and seller agree on all the transaction details, arrange to meet in person to complete the sale. It’s a good idea to have both parties show ID to verify their personal information is correct and prevent fraud.
You must include both parties’ names, addresses, and contact details.
Fill out the boat details, including year, make, model, HIN (hull identification number), dimensions, etc. You can usually find your boat’s hull ID number on the right side of the transom (rear of the boat).
Include outboard motor information like serial number, model, and horsepower, which you can often find on the plate attached to the motor.
Trailer details, such as the vehicle identification number (VIN) and weight, are usually on a sticker or plaque attached to the frame.
The buyer and seller should agree on a purchase price and payment method.
The buyer must pay sales tax when registering their new boat, but you might split or cover the sales tax cost by deducting the applicable taxes from the selling price.
Payment methods can include the following:
If the boat is a gift, fill out your relationship to the recipient and the boat’s total value and other items included in the transfer.
Once the buyer pays, you can sign the form to finalize the transaction. Some states require boat bills of sale to be notarized.
Where to include signatures in our boat bill of sale form." width="964" height="337" />
Download a boat bill of sale template below in PDF or Word format.
