An Ohio boat bill of sale is a legally binding document that outlines property transfer between the buyer and the seller. Specific information is required on these documents, which include the buyer and seller’s signatures and other details describing the boat.

Understanding which details must be documented on the Ohio vote bill of sale is essential to ensure it’s legally binding. Using a boat bill of sale template is the best way to ensure the document is clear and provides all the details necessary to facilitate property transfer.

Table of Contents

Ohio Boat Bill of Sale Requirements
- After Purchasing a Vessel
Ohio Boat Bill of Sale Template

Ohio Boat Bill of Sale Requirements

You will find that no official bill of sale form is available from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (DNR); however, you may create your boat bill of sale. A boat bill of sale can prove vessel ownership in some circumstances (see below). As such, bills of sale must contain all of the following:

The names, addresses, driver’s license numbers, and signatures of the buyer and seller
The make, model, and year
The length of the vessel
The hull identification number, or HIN
Indication if there is an outboard motor
The purchase price
The sales date
A general boat description

While some BMV and DNR forms contain an official penalty of perjury statement, most do not. Since there are no official bill of sale forms, you can add a statement if you wish, but it is not required.

However, the state does take perjury seriously, as indicated by ORC Section 2921.11 (A), which states, “(n)o person, in any official proceeding, shall knowingly make a false statement under oath or affirmation, or knowingly swear or affirm the truth of a false statement previously made, when either statement is material.”

Does a Boat Bill of Sale Have to be Notarized in Ohio?

In Ohio, the seller’s signature must be notarized on the Ohio boat bill of sale.

After Purchasing a Vessel

For sellers:

You must provide the buyer with sufficient proof of ownership. This can include the manufacturer’s certificate of origin, a bill of sale (see requirements above), a notarized receipt, or a previous registration form.

For buyers:

All sailboats and recreational boats, including inflatable boats and paddle crafts, must be registered through the Ohio Department of Natural Resources’s Division of Watercraft (DNR). However, any vessel owned by a non-resident using it in the state for less than 60 days will be exempt, as are commercial crafts.
Fill out an application for new vessel registration or Form DNR 8460R. Please submit it to the DNR for registration along with legally recognized proof of ownership and evidence of the HIN provided by the seller. You can register the boat in person, through a registration agent, or by mail. An Ohio vessel registration lasts for three years.
Vessel registration fees are entirely dependent on boat length and propulsion type.
- Motorized canoes or boats less than 16 feet long – $33
- Boats less than 16 feet propelled by sail – $38
- Boats at least 16 feet, but less than 26 feet long if motorized – $48
- Boats at least 16 feet but less than 26 feet long if propelled by sail – $53
- Boats at least 26 feet, but less than 40 feet long if motorized – $63
- Boats at least 26 feet but less than 40 feet long if propelled by sail – $68
- Boats at least 40 feet, but less than 65 feet long if motorized – $78
- Boats at least 40 feet but less than 65 feet long if propelled by sail – $83
- Boats 65 feet or longer if motorized – $93
- Boats 65 feet or longer if propelled by sail – $98
If you own a hand-propelled vessel, such as a canoe or rowboat, you may opt for an Alternative Registration, which means you will only require a single registration decal instead of one for each side. The fee is $20.