Vessel Purchases

• New Vessel Title

  To register a new vessel, never before titled, you must bring the following to any Tax Collector’s office:

  1. A Manufacturer’s Statement of Origin properly completed, signed and either notarized or the perjury clause statement must be signed by the selling dealer/store. If the vessel was purchased in a state or country which does not require the issuance of a manufacturer’s certificate of origin, the original copy of the executed bill of sale or dealer’s invoice with a complete description of the vessel will serve as proof of ownership. If recording a lien, the lien holder’s name, address and the date of lien are required.
  2. Bill of sale or invoice listing the vessel purchase price, sales tax paid and any trade-in allowance. Additional taxes equivalent to Florida’s sales tax and local sales tax may be due.
  3. Each applicant, or their appointed power of attorney, must be present to sign a new application for title. Bring personal identification in the form of a driver license or identification card issued by the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, a passport or a U.S. Military I.D. card. If you are the appointed power of attorney, the original or certified copy of the original signed appointment must be presented at time of application. Applicant’s date of birth and Florida driver license number are recorded as part of the application.

  Title and registration fees are due upon application.

• Duplicate Vessel Title

  Only the registered owner or lien holder on record may make application for duplicate Florida title. If there is an outstanding lien, only the lien holder can apply for a duplicate title. If the lien has been satisfied, a lien satisfaction form must be submitted with the duplicate application.

  Duplicate title fees start at $6.50.

  An application for duplicate Florida title is available online or you can send us an email with your complete name and mailing address.

• Used Vessel Purchase - Florida Title

  To transfer ownership of a vessel previously titled in Florida, purchased from a dealer or individual you must bring the following to any Tax Collector’s office:

  1. The Florida title properly completed by both the buyer and seller, including signatures, purchase price and date of sale. If the used vessel is purchased through a dealer, the dealer reassignment must be completed. If recording a lien, the lien holder’s name, address and the date of lien are required.
  2. Bill of sale or invoice listing the vessel purchase price, sales tax paid and any trade-in allowance. Additional taxes equivalent to Florida’s sales tax and local sales tax may be due.
  3. Each applicant, or their appointed power of attorney, must be present to sign a new application for title. Bring personal identification in the form of a driver license or identification card issued by the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, a passport or a U.S. Military I.D. card. If you are the appointed power of attorney, the original or a certified copy of the original signed appointment must be presented at time of application. Applicant’s date of birth and Florida driver license number are recorded as part of the application

  Title and registration fees are due upon application.

• Used Vessel Purchase - Out of State

  To transfer ownership of a used vessel not previously titled in Florida, you must present the following to any Tax Collector’s office:

  1. The out-of-state certificate of title, if a title state, or the original registration if not a title state, a bill of sale, or other evidence of ownership required by the law of the state or country from which the vessel was brought into this state. If recording a lien, the lien holder’s name, address and the date of lien are required.
  2. Bill of sale or invoice listing the vessel purchase price, sales tax paid and any trade-in allowance. Additional taxes equivalent to Florida’s sales tax and local sales tax may be due.
  3. Each applicant, or their appointed power of attorney, must be present to sign a new application for title. Bring personal identification in the form of a driver license or identification card issued by the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, a passport or a U.S. Military I.D. card. If you are the appointed power of attorney, the original or certified copy of the original signed appointment must be presented at time of application. Applicant’s date of birth and Florida driver license number are recorded as part of the application.

  Title and registration fees are due upon application.

• Vessel Title Exemptions

  The following vessels are exempt from titling:

  • Non-motor-powered vessels less than 16 feet in length
  • Vessels owned by the United States Government
  • Federally documented vessels
  • Vessels used exclusively on private lakes and ponds
  • Vessels used solely for demonstration, testing or sales promotional purposes by a dealer or manufacturer
  • Vessels owned and operated by the state or its political subdivisions
  • Vessels from a country other than the U.S., temporarily using the waters of this state for not more than 90 days
  • Vessels already covered by registration numbers awarded according to a federally approved numbering system of another state or by the US Coast Guard in a state without a federally approved numbering system, provided that the vessels are not operated in Florida waters more than 90 consecutive days.