Free Alabama Boat Bill of Sale

An Alabama boat bill of sale is written proof that a vessel changed hands, and the state asks for one on every boat purchase. It names the buyer and seller, describes the boat, and records the price and date.

Alabama does not run boat registration through a central motor vehicle office. Instead you register at the county probate office or the license commissioner’s office, in person.

That makes the paperwork you carry to the counter matter more than usual. Without a bill of sale, a buyer generally needs a court order to establish ownership — a slow detour around a document that takes minutes to sign.

Build your Alabama boat bill of sale around the details the counter will check against the boat itself.

• Hull identification number — the 12-digit HIN, usually on the outside stern
• Year, make, and model — as they appear on the hull and any prior registration
• Motor details — make, model, serial number, and horsepower
• Length — measured overall
• Sale price and date of sale
• Full names for every buyer and seller, with signatures

Tip: Watch the wording when two people buy together. If the names on the bill of sale are not joined by the word OR, offices generally expect both buyers to appear in person to register. One word decides whether your co-owner needs to take the morning off.

Registration happens at your county probate office or license commissioner, and Alabama added a titling requirement for certain vessels beginning January 1, 2024.

Whether a particular boat must be titled depends on when it was built and how long it is. Ask your probate office about your specific vessel rather than assuming, since they process these daily.

Older boats need attention too. Vessels built from 1973 onward carry a manufacturer-applied HIN, but an earlier boat may need a state-assigned hull number through the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency’s Marine Patrol Division before it can be registered at all.

Sales tax is generally paid in the county where you live or where the boat is kept. A marina or storage facility is not accepted as that address, so use a residential one.

A little preparation turns a boat sale into a short errand rather than a repeat trip.

Photograph the hull number before you pay, then check it character by character against every document. Counters compare them.

Ask for the most recent registration certificate in the seller’s name. Pairing it with your bill of sale gives you an unbroken record of who owned the boat.

Also confirm whether any lender ever financed the vessel, because an unreleased lien is far easier to sort out before money changes hands. Start your Alabama boat bill of sale now and arrive at the probate office with everything in hand.