Title XXIV, Vessels

(1) The law of the state under which a vessel’s certificate of title is covered governs all issues relating to the certificate from the time the vessel becomes covered by the certificate until the vessel becomes covered by another certificate or becomes a documented vessel, even …

(1) Except as otherwise provided in subsections (2) and (3), each vessel that is operated, used, or stored on the waters of this state must be titled by this state pursuant to this part, and the owner of a vessel for which this state is the state of principal use shall deliver to…

(1) A certificate of title must contain:(a) The date the certificate was created;(b) The name of the owner of record and, if not all owners are listed, an indication that there are additional owners indicated in the files of the department;(c) The mailing address of the owner of …

(1) Unless subsection (3) applies, at or before the time the owner of record transfers an ownership interest in a hull-damaged vessel that is covered by a certificate of title created by the department, if the damage occurred while that person was an owner of the vessel and the p…

(1) It is unlawful for any person to procure or attempt to procure a certificate of title or duplicate certificate of title to a vessel, or to pass or attempt to pass a certificate of title or duplicate certificate of title to a vessel or any assignment thereof, if such person kn…

(1) For each record relating to a certificate of title submitted to the department, the department shall:(a) Ascertain or assign the hull identification number for the vessel;(b) Maintain the hull identification number and all the information submitted with the application pursua…

(1) On creation of a written certificate of title, the department shall promptly send the certificate to the secured party of record or, if none, to the owner of record at the address indicated for that person in the files of the department. On creation of an electronic certifica…

Possession of a certificate of title does not by itself provide a right to obtain possession of a vessel. Garnishment, attachment, levy, replevin, or other judicial process against the certificate is not effective to determine possessory rights to the vessel. This part does not p…

(1) No person shall operate, use, or store on the waters of this state a vessel the construction of which began after October 31, 1972, for which the department has issued a certificate of title or which is required by law to be registered, unless the vessel displays the assigned…

(1) Unless an application for a certificate of title is rejected under subsection (3) or subsection (4), the department shall create a certificate for the vessel in accordance with subsection (2) not later than 30 days after delivery to the department of an application that compl…

Except as otherwise provided in s. 679.337, a certificate of title or other record required or authorized by this part is effective even if it contains unintended scrivener’s errors or does not contain certain required information if such missing information is determined by the …

(1) If a written certificate of title is lost, stolen, mutilated, destroyed, or otherwise becomes unavailable or illegible, the secured party of record or, if no secured party is indicated in the files of the department, the owner of record may apply for and, by furnishing inform…

(1) Except as otherwise provided in this section, a security interest in a vessel may be perfected only by delivery to the department of an application for a certificate of title that identifies the secured party and otherwise complies with s. 328.01. The security interest is per…

(1) A secured party indicated in the files of the department as having a security interest in a vessel shall deliver a termination statement to the department and, on the debtor’s request, to the debtor, by the earlier of:(a) Twenty days after the secured party receives a signed …

(1) Any person selling a new vessel in this state shall furnish a manufacturer’s statement of origin to the purchaser of the vessel. The statement shall be signed and dated by an authorized representative of the manufacturer and shall indicate the complete name and address of the…

(1) A buyer in ordinary course of business has the protections afforded by ss. 672.403(2) and 679.320(1) even if an existing certificate of title was not signed and delivered to the buyer or a new certificate listing the buyer as owner of record was not created.(2) Except as othe…

(1) Subject to subsection (2), the effect of perfection and nonperfection of a security interest and the priority of a perfected or unperfected security interest with respect to the rights of a purchaser or creditor, including a lien creditor, is governed by the Uniform Commercia…

(1) Upon the payment of a lien, the debtor or the registered owner of the motorboat shall be entitled to demand and receive from the lienholder a satisfaction of the lien which shall likewise be filed with the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.(2) The Department of …

(1) The department shall assign a number to each certificate of title and shall issue each certificate of title and each corrected certificate in duplicate. The database record shall serve as the duplicate title certificate.(2) An authorized person must sign the original certific…

(1) If it appears that a certificate of title has been improperly issued, the department shall cancel the certificate. Upon cancellation of any certificate of title, the department shall notify the person to whom the certificate of title was issued, and any lienholders or secured…

(1) It is the intent of the Legislature that any nonjudicial sale of any vessel held for unpaid costs, storage charges, or dockage fees, or any vessel held for failure to pay removal costs pursuant to s. 327.53(7), be disposed of pursuant to the provisions of this section.(2) The…

The Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles or any other law enforcement agency may make any investigation necessary to secure information required to carry out and enforce the provisions of this chapter.History.—s. 10, ch. 84-184; s. 62, ch. 95-333.

Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, any person convicted of violating any of the provisions of this chapter is guilty of a misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.History.—s. 4, ch. 67-586; s. 305, ch. 71-136; s. 8, ch. 80-26…

It is declared to be the legislative intent that if any section, subsection, sentence, clause or provision of this chapter is held invalid the remainder of this chapter and chapter 327 shall not be affected.History.—s. 4, ch. 67-586.Note.—Former s. 371.83.

The Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles shall deposit all funds collected by it pursuant to the provisions of this chapter in the Marine Resources Conservation Trust Fund.History.—s. 18, ch. 84-184; s. 161, ch. 94-356; s. 63, ch. 95-333; s. 21, ch. 96-321.

A person who:(1) Except as otherwise provided for in this chapter, purports to sell or transfer a vessel for which a certificate of title is required without delivering to the purchaser or transferee thereof a certificate of title thereto which is duly assigned to the purchaser a…

(1) Except as otherwise provided in s. 328.23 or s. 328.24, if the department receives, unaccompanied by a signed certificate of title, an application for a new certificate that includes an indication of a transfer of ownership or a termination statement, the department may creat…

(1) On voluntary transfer of an ownership interest in a vessel covered by a certificate of title, the following requirements apply:(a) If the certificate is a written certificate of title and the transferor’s interest is noted on the certificate, the transferor shall promptly sig…

(1) In this section, “secured party’s transfer statement” means a record signed by the secured party of record stating:(a) That there has been a default on an obligation secured by the vessel;(b) That the secured party of record is exercising or has exercised post-default remedie…

(1) In this section, “by operation of law” means pursuant to a law or judicial order affecting ownership of a vessel:(a) Because of death, divorce, or other family law proceeding, merger, consolidation, dissolution, or bankruptcy;(b) Through the exercise of the rights of a lien c…

Unless displaced by a provision of this part, the principles of law and equity supplement its provisions.History.—s. 26, ch. 2019-76.

(1) The department may accept any application provided for under this chapter by electronic or telephonic means.(2) The department may issue an electronic certificate of title in lieu of printing a paper title.(3) The department may collect e-mail addresses and use e-mail in lieu…

The department may adopt rules pursuant to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 to implement this part.History.—s. 27, ch. 2019-76.

(1) The rights, duties, and interests flowing from a transaction, certificate of title, or record relating to a vessel which was validly entered into or created before the effective date of this act and would be subject to this act if it had been entered into or created on or aft…

Subject to s. 328.37, this act applies to any transaction, certificate of title, or record relating to a vessel, even if the transaction, certificate of title, or record was entered into or created before the effective date of this act.History.—s. 32, ch. 2019-76.

(1) The administration of vessel registration and titling as set forth in this chapter is under the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, which shall provide for issuing, handling, and recording of all vessel registration and titling applications and certificates, incl…

(1) The department shall work cooperatively with the Department of Revenue to establish an automated method for periodically disclosing information relating to current owners of registered vessels to the Department of Revenue, the state’s Title IV-D agency. The purpose of this su…

(1) Every vessel that is required to be registered and that is being operated, used, or stored on the waters of this state shall be registered and numbered within 30 days after purchase by the owner except as specifically exempt. During this 30-day period, the operator is require…

(1)(a) The owner of each vessel required by this law to pay a registration fee and secure an identification number shall file an application with the county tax collector. The application must provide the owner’s name and physical residential or business address; residency status…

(1) The description of a vessel used for demonstration, sales promotional, or testing purposes by a manufacturer or dealer shall be omitted from the certificate of registration. In lieu of the description, the word “manufacturer” or “dealer,” as appropriate, shall be plainly mark…

(1) The vessel registration number issued shall be of the pattern prescribed by regulations of the United States Coast Guard and shall be divided into parts. The first part shall consist of the symbols identifying the state followed by a combination of numerals and letters which …

Each vessel that is operated, used, or stored on the waters of this state must display a commercial or recreational Florida registration number, unless it is:(1) A vessel operated, used, and stored exclusively on private lakes and ponds;(2) A vessel owned by the United States Gov…

The owner of any vessel already covered by a registration number in full force and effect which has been awarded by:(1) Another state pursuant to a federally approved numbering system of another state;(2) The United States Coast Guard in a state without a federally approved numbe…

Any military personnel on active duty in this state operating, using, or storing a vessel on the waters of this state that has a registration number in full force and effect which has been awarded to it pursuant to a federally approved numbering system of another state or by the …

No number other than the number awarded to a vessel or granted reciprocity pursuant to this chapter shall be painted, attached, or otherwise displayed on either side of the bow of such vessel.History.—s. 1, ch. 59-399; s. 1, ch. 65-361; s. 6, ch. 84-184; s. 18, ch. 99-289.Note.—F…

(1) The owner shall furnish the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles notice of the transfer of all or any part of his or her interest in a vessel registered or titled in this state pursuant to this chapter or of the destruction or abandonment of such vessel, within 30 …