Ensuring that you have a valid bill of sale for your boat or water vessel is required to register it in Maryland with the Department of Natural Resources. Before you submit your bill of sale to be registered, you must ensure you have all required signatures, including a notary, in certain situations.
Maryland Boat Bill of Sale Requirements
Maryland requires all commercial and recreational vessels to be registered if it has any primary or auxiliary propulsion and it is used in the state most of the calendar year. The vessel is considered “in use” whenever it is in the water or “kept in any structure in readiness for use.”
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Licensing and Registration Services requires the original title and completed DNR form B-240 to be submitted to its office to register a vessel.
Additionally, an original certified/notarized boat bill of sale must be submitted if a vessel is used or currently titled in another state and the original title doesn’t include the purchaser’s name, seller’s signature and date, and sale price and the vessel is:
- New
- Used
- Currently titled in another state
- Greater than 12’ in length and purchased via the Internet and shipped with a manufacturer’s certificate of origin (MCO) that contains no signature or a preprinted signature
A certified bill of sale contains the following statement: “I declare and affirm under penalty of perjury that the facts in this bill of sale are true and correct.”
Information to Include in a Vessel Bill of Sale
Personalized documents must contain the following:
- Vessel hull identification number and manufacturer
- Motor serial number and manufacturer
- A description of the vessel, including length, horsepower, model, and year
- Vessel registration number or USCG Documentation Number
- Sale date
- Gross sales price, including motor, vessel, and accessories
- Vessel type
- Hull material, propulsion, and fuel type
- Full names, mailing addresses, and signatures of the buyer and seller
Additionally, if the vessel was not previously numbered or documented, the previous owner’s name, the date the vessel was acquired, and the reason why are required.
Maryland Boat Bill of Sale Template
Below, you can download a Maryland boat bill of sale in PDF or Word format:
Does a Boat Bill of Sale Have to be Notarized in Maryland?
If the original certificate of origin or boat title is missing crucial information, you must have the bill of sale notarized. If all required information is available on the bill of sale, it does not need to be notarized.
