Free Boat Bill of Sale Template

A boat bill of sale is a written record of a vessel changing hands. It names the buyer and the seller, describes the boat, and confirms the price and the date of the sale.

Think of it as the receipt for the whole transaction. The seller shows they no longer own the vessel, while the buyer shows they now do.

It is not a title, and it is not a registration. Instead, it supports both. Agencies, insurers, and lenders usually want proof of how a boat was transferred, so a clear written record saves you back-and-forth later.

The same document works across many kinds of vessels. For example, people use one for a fishing boat, a sailboat, a pontoon, a personal watercraft, or a trailer sold alongside the boat.

Buyers tend to get the most out of it over time. Years later, it still answers the basic questions quickly: what was bought, from whom, on what date, and for how much.

Use a boat bill of sale any time a vessel changes owners, even between people who know each other well. Common situations include:

• Private sales between two individuals — by far the most common reason people need one.
• Dealer or broker sales, where the buyer wants a plain-language copy of their own.
• Gifts or transfers within a family, recorded at a nominal or zero price.
• Trades, where two owners swap vessels outright.
• Estate sales, where someone sells a boat on behalf of a relative.

Private sales are where the document earns its keep. No dealership paperwork sits behind you, so this form is often the only record either side keeps.

Handshake deals cause the most trouble. Memories fade, phone numbers change, and a buyer who needs proof of purchase a year later has nothing to point to.

A complete boat bill of sale covers four things: the people, the vessel, the money, and the signatures. Work through them in that order.

Buyer and Seller Details

Full legal names, mailing addresses, and phone numbers for everyone involved. List every owner if the boat is co-owned, since each one signs.

Vessel Description

The make, model, year, length, and hull identification number. Also add the color and any current registration number, so the boat stays easy to identify later.

Engine and Trailer

Note the motor make, model, horsepower, and serial number. If a trailer is part of the deal, describe it as well, including its own identification number.

Included Equipment

Spell out what travels with the boat and what stays behind. Electronics, safety gear, covers, anchors, and spare props are all worth naming. Otherwise the buyer may turn up expecting the fish finder that the seller planned to keep.

Sale Price and Payment

The agreed amount, the payment method, and the date the money changes hands. For a gift, write in a nominal amount and say plainly that the vessel is a gift.

Condition and As-Is Language

Most private sales happen as-is, meaning the buyer accepts the boat in its current condition. Say so directly if that is the deal. Also write down anything the seller has promised to fix before handover.

Signatures and Date

Both parties sign and date the finished form. Leave room for a notary block in case either side needs one.

Requirements depend on where you live and on who is asking for the document. Some offices accept a signed form as-is, while others want notarized signatures or their own layout.

Check your state’s official website before you sign anything. Then confirm with the office that handles vessel registration, plus your insurer or lender if one is involved. Those two steps answer almost every question people have about this form.

Some sales carry more moving parts than others. When a boat is tied up in an estate, a divorce, or a business asset list, a short conversation with a local attorney is money well spent.

Keep the scope of the document in mind, too. It records a transfer between two parties; on its own, it does not prove clear ownership, and it does not release a loan tied to the boat.

Sign in person whenever you can, with both parties present and the boat in front of you. Follow these steps:

1. Review every detail together, and compare the hull identification number against the boat itself.
2. Confirm the payment has cleared before anyone picks up a pen.
3. Sign and date two copies, so each party keeps an original.
4. Hand over the keys, the title or registration papers, and any manuals.
5. File your copy with the rest of your vessel records.

Both sides should walk away with a signed copy in hand. Digital copies work too, so save a scan or a photo somewhere you will actually find it again.

Good records pay off at renewal time, at resale, and any time an insurer asks a question. Keep the signed form alongside the registration papers, service receipts, and warranty documents, so everything sits in one folder.

Start your boat bill of sale form now, and have a signed, ready-to-download copy in minutes.