Title 50, Fish, Game and Watercraft

Section effective until January 1, 2027. See, also, section 50-23-12 effective January 1, 2027. A permitted marine dealer that accepts any watercraft or outboard motor as a trade-in must obtain from the owner a completed change in status form indicating the trade-in. The dealer m…

Section effective until January 1, 2027. See, also, section 50-23-120 effective January 1, 2027. (a) The owner at the time of delivery of the watercraft or outboard motor shall execute the assignment and warranty of title to the transferee in the space provided on the back of the…

Section effective until January 1, 2027. See, also, section 50-23-125 effective January 1, 2027. (A) In lieu of paper documents, the department is authorized to transmit and receive the following information through secure electronic means for a certificate of title: (1) the titl…

Section effective until January 1, 2027. See, also, section 50-23-130 effective January 1, 2027. (a) If the ownership of a watercraft or outboard motor is transferred by operation of law, such as by inheritance, Transfer on Death, devise or bequest, order in bankruptcy, insolvenc…

Editor's Note Former SECTION 50-23-135 was entitled "Notice of possession of abandoned, junked, or similar watercraft" and was derived from 1989 Act No. 190, SECTION 10; 1993 Act No. 181, SECTION 1270.

Section effective until January 1, 2027. See, also, section 50-23-140 effective January 1, 2027. (a) If a lien or encumbrance is first created at the time of transfer, the certificate of title must be retained by or delivered to the lienholder or retained electronically or delive…

Editor's Note Former SECTION 50-23-15 was entitled "Review when dealer fails to meet minimum requirements for permit; renewal for good cause" and was derived from 1993 Act No. 128, SECTION 19.

Section effective January 1, 2027. See, also, section 50-23-150 effective until January 1, 2027. (A) If a certificate of title is lost, stolen, mutilated or destroyed or becomes illegible, the first lienholder or, if none, the owner or legal representative of the owner named in t…

Editor's Note Former SECTION 50-23-160 was entitled "Cancellation of certificate when watercraft or outboard motor is destroyed" and was derived from 1962 Code SECTION 70-295.116; 1971 (57) 915; 1993 Act No. 181, SECTION 1270.

Section effective until January 1, 2027. See, also, section 50-23-170 effective January 1, 2027. (A) If a watercraft contains a permanent identification number placed on it by the manufacturer, the manufacturer's serial number must be used as the builder's hull number. If there i…

Section effective until January 1, 2027. See, also, section 50-23-180 effective January 1, 2027. (a) Every law enforcement agency, peace officer, owner, or insurer in the State, having knowledge of a stolen or converted watercraft or outboard motor, immediately shall furnish the …

Section effective until January 1, 2027. See, also, section 50-23-185 effective January 1, 2027. Any law enforcement officer may inspect a junkyard, scrap metal processing facility, salvage yard, marina, repair shop, boat yard, dry dock, licensed business buying, selling, display…

Section effective until January 1, 2027. See, also, section 50-23-190 effective January 1, 2027. No person may: (1) be in possession of or operate on the waters of this State a watercraft or an outboard motor for which a certificate of title is required unless a certificate of ti…

Section effective until January 1, 2027. See, also, section 50-23-20 effective January 1, 2027. Any watercraft or outboard motor, or both, held or principally used in this State must be titled by the department. An owner of a watercraft or outboard motor titled in this State must…

Section effective until January 1, 2027. See, also, section 50-23-200 effective January 1, 2027. No person may: (1) alter, forge, or counterfeit a certificate of title or manufacturer's or importer's statement of origin for a watercraft or for an outboard motor; (2) alter or fals…

Section effective until January 1, 2027. See, also, section 50-23-201 effective January 1, 2027. (A) Any person or entity that attempts to obtain a certificate of title, certificate of number or decals by fraud or misrepresentation or who obtains a certificate of title or certifi…

Section effective January 1, 2027. See, also, section 50-23-210 effective until January 1, 2027. (A) The department shall have the authority to suspend or revoke a certificate of title to a watercraft, or registration of an outboard motor, upon reasonable notice and hearing, when…

Section effective January 1, 2027. See, also, section 50-23-220 effective until January 1, 2027. (A) Except as provided in subsection (B), all fees received and money collected under the provisions of this chapter must be deposited in the State Treasury and set apart in a special…

Section effective until January 1, 2027. See, also, section 50-23-230 effective January 1, 2027. The department is authorized and empowered to make, adopt, promulgate, amend, and repeal all rules and regulations necessary, or convenient for the carrying out of the duties and obli…

Section effective until January 1, 2027. See, also, section 50-23-24 effective January 1, 2027. Neither the owner of a boat livery nor his agent or employees may permit any of his vessels to depart from his premises unless it is registered properly, numbered, and titled.

Section effective until January 1, 2027. See, also, section 50-23-240 effective January 1, 2027. A copy of the regulations adopted pursuant to this chapter, and of any amendments thereto, shall be filed in the office of the board and in the office of the official State record-kee…

Section effective until January 1, 2027. See, also, section 50-23-250 effective January 1, 2027. The director, for the purpose of more effectively carrying out the provisions of this chapter, shall have the power to employ and appoint the necessary enforcement officers for enforc…

The department shall annually, between January first and January thirty-first, furnish to each county auditor a list of motors and watercraft registered and titled pursuant to this chapter in the previous year to residents of such auditor's county, which list shall include the na…

Section effective until January 1, 2027. See, also, section 50-23-270 effective January 1, 2027. A transfer of a watercraft or outboard motor is subject to this chapter. A person making a false statement in a document or other submission to the department is guilty of a misdemean…

A watercraft not previously required to be titled for which a title is required by this chapter must be titled at the time of renewal of the registration of the watercraft or transfer of the watercraft whichever occurs first. An owner of such a watercraft must secure a title for …

Section effective until January 1, 2027. See, also, section 50-23-280 effective January 1, 2027. (A) Unless otherwise specified, a person violating this chapter is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be fined not less than twenty-five nor more than five hundred dol…

Section effective January 1, 2027. See, also, section 50-23-290 effective until January 1, 2027. Any person coming into possession of a watercraft or outboard motor without proper proof of ownership must apply to the department for a title, or outboard motor registration, as appl…

Section effective January 1, 2027. See, also, section 50-23-295 effective until January 1, 2027. (A) A certificate of title to watercraft or an outboard motor registration may not be transferred if the department has notice that property taxes for property tax years beginning aft…

Section effective January 1, 2027. See, also, section 50-23-30 effective until January 1, 2027. The following are not required to be titled: (1) watercraft documented by the United States Coast Guard or its predecessor or successor agency; (2) outboard motors for watercraft; (3) …

Every vessel using the waters of this State shall be numbered except those exempt by Section 50-23-320. No person shall operate or give permission for the operation of any such vessel on such waters unless the vessel is numbered in accordance with this chapter or in accordance wi…

(A) A vessel is not required to be numbered under this chapter if it is: (1) covered by a certificate of number in effect which has been issued to it pursuant to federal law; Text of (A)(2) effective until January 1, 2027. (2) a federally approved numbering system of another stat…

In the event that an agency of the United States Government shall have in force an overall system of identification (numbering) for vessels within the United States, the numbering system employed pursuant to this chapter by the department shall be in conformity therewith.

The owner of each motorboat requiring numbering by this chapter shall file an application for a number with the department on forms approved by it. The application shall be signed by the owner of the motorboat and shall be accompanied by a fee of ten dollars. Upon receipt of the …

Text of (A) effective until January 1, 2027. (A) A transferee shall utilize the temporary certificate of number on the department's application form as a temporary certificate of number to permit the use of watercraft while applications for certificates of number are processed. T…

Section effective until January 1, 2027. See, also, section 50-23-35 effective January 1, 2027. (A) No title for a watercraft or outboard motor may be issued by the department if currently titled in this State or titled or registered in another state unless it is accompanied by a…

The department may issue any certificate of number directly or may authorize any person to act as agent for the issuing thereof. In the event that a person accepts such authorization, he may be allotted a block of numbers and certificates therefor which upon assignment and issue …

The owner shall paint on or attach to each side of the forward half of the vessel the identification number in such a manner as may be prescribed by rules and regulations of the department; in order that it may be clearly visible the number shall be maintained in legible conditio…

(A) Except as otherwise provided, a certificate of number awarded pursuant to this chapter continues in effect for one year unless sooner terminated or discontinued in accordance with this chapter. A certificate of number may be renewed by the owner as provided in subsection (B).…

Section effective January 1, 2027. See, also, section 50-23-375 effective until January 1, 2027. It is unlawful to display a registration number or a validation decal or sailboat title decal on any watercraft except on the watercraft for which it was issued. It is unlawful to dis…

(A) Upon the transfer of ownership of a watercraft, the purchaser shall file an application for transfer of a registration at a cost of six dollars. The application for transfer must be made by the purchaser within thirty days from date of purchase. The purchaser may operate the …

Houseboats used for habitation may be indefinitely moored at a private dock as long as the houseboat has a waste-holding tank. Waste pump-out must be done at an approved pump-out facility. A person violating the provisions of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conv…

Any holder of a certificate of number shall notify the department in writing within thirty days if his address no longer conforms to the address appearing on the certificate and, as part of the notification, shall furnish the department with his new address.

No vessel constructed after November 1, 1972, shall be offered for sale in this State unless the hull identification number is permanently displayed and affixed in accordance with United States Coast Guard rules and regulations.

Section effective January 1, 2027. See, also, section 50-23-425 effective until January 1, 2027. A registration of watercraft or outboard motor may not be renewed pursuant to this chapter if the department has notice that property taxes are owed on the watercraft or outboard moto…

Section effective January 1, 2027. Any outboard motor of at least five horsepower, or its equivalent, used on the waters of this State must be registered with the department. An owner of an outboard motor registered in this State must notify the department within thirty days if o…

Section effective January 1, 2027. (A) An outboard motor is not required to be registered under this chapter if the vessel it is attached to is: (1) covered by a federally approved watercraft numbering system of another state. However, this vessel must not be held or used in this…