A Georgia boat bill of sale is a contract between two parties buying and selling a boat in Georgia. It documents the transfer of ownership and other information about the vessel.
Sellers must report the sale of their boat to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources within 15 days of the sale. This can be done either online or by phone.
Georgia Boat Bill of Sale Requirements
A boat bill of sale is required in Georgia but does not have to be notarized or witnessed. Each vessel bill of sale must contain the following:
- The sellers’ and buyers’ names, contact information, and signatures
- The year built or model year, make, and model
- The vessel length
- The date of sale
- The construction materials
- The colors, primary and trim
- The hull identification number, or HIN
While some DOR and WRD forms concerning vehicle and vessel sales and registration contain a penalty of perjury statement, the bill of sale form does not. However, per O.C.G.A. Section 16-10-72, perjuring oneself can incur a fine of up to $1000 and imprisonment of between 1 and 10 years.
Does a Boat Bill of Sale Have to be Notarized in Georgia?
A notary is optional to verify the legitimacy of a bill of sale for a boat in Georgia.
After Purchasing a Vessel
Dealership Sales
For sellers:
- You must give the buyer a bill of sale as proof of ownership, and it must contain enough information to identify the intended vessel positively. Other documents that adequately provide proof of ownership include a dealer’s invoice, a transferred title to the buyer’s name, legal documents, lottery winner notifications, statements of gift, divorce decrees, spousal transfer papers, wills, lienholder papers, insurance claims, and pawnshop receipts.
- If you cannot find any listed examples to prove ownership, you may complete, sign, and give the buyer an Affidavit of Vessel Ownership Form.
- You must provide the buyer with the Georgia boat registration card. If you are not the last owner listed on the registration card, you must provide the buyer with bills of sale indicating the chain of ownership back to the listed owner.
For buyers:
- In Georgia, registration is required for all mechanically propelled vessels and all sailboats over 12 feet long. Canoes, kayaks, rowboats, rafts, and any vessels that exclusively operate on private ponds or lakes are not required to be registered. Registrations extend for a period of 3 years.
- To register a vessel in Georgia, you are required to provide proof of ownership to do so. A bill of sale is usually sufficient, containing the criteria listed above.
- You will also need to fill out a Georgia Vessel Registration Application and retain the original registration card until your new registration card is received.
- You must acquire a copy of the manufacturer’s statement of origin for new vessels. If the vessel is out of state, you will need the title from the issuing state or the registration card if a title is not required in the former state. Once they conduct an inspection, homemade vessels will need to obtain a hull identification number, or HIN, from the DNR.
- Submit all documents to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the applicable fees. Registration fees are dependent on the length of a vessel. Boats under 16 feet are $35 to register, while 16 to 26 feet are $70, 26 to 40 feet are $140, and those over 40 feet are $210.
Georgia Boat Bill of Sale Sample
Below, you can download our free Georgia boat bill of sale template in PDF or Word format:
