Title 50, Fish, Game and Watercraft

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 must submit the form to the department within thirty days in the manner prescribed.

(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 certificate of title. If the title is voided, due to a change, cancellation of an assignment on …

(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 title for a watercraft or outboard motor with any liens or security interests; (2) to the first lienh…

(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, insolvency, replevin, or execution sale, or satisfaction of mechanic's lien, or repossession upon default …

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.

(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 delivered to the lienholder electronically. All liens, mortgages, and encumbrances noted upon a certifi…

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.

(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 the certificate, as shown by the records of the department, may obtain a duplicate by application …

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.

(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 is no manufacturer's serial number, if the manufacturer's serial number has been removed or oblite…

(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 department with full information concerning the theft or conversion. (b) The department, whenever…

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, displaying, trading watercraft or outboard motors, new and used or parts of watercraft and outboard moto…

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 title has been issued to the owner; (2) be in possession of or operate on the waters of this State …

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 notify the department within thirty days if ownership is transferred to another person, entity,…

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 falsify an assignment of a certificate of title, or an assignment or cancellation of a security inter…

(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 certificate of number or decals by fraud or misrepresentation is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon convi…

(a) The department shall have the authority to suspend or revoke a certificate of title to a watercraft, or to an outboard motor, upon reasonable notice and hearing, when authorized by any other provision of law or if he finds: (1) The certificate of title was fraudulently procur…

(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 fund. Appropriations from this fund must be used for the expenses of the department in administe…

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 obligations and powers conferred on the department by this chapter.

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.

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-keeping agency. Rules and regulations shall be published by the department in a convenient form.

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 enforcement of this chapter. The duties of such enforcement officers shall include but not be limited t…

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…

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 misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be fined not less than fifty nor more than five hundred dollars or …

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 …

(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 dollars or imprisoned not more than thirty days, or both. (B) A dealer violating this chapter is gui…

Any person coming into possession of a watercraft or outboard motor without proper proof of ownership must apply to the department for a title using the form prescribed by the department. The application must be supported by an affidavit setting forth the circumstances under whic…

(A) A certificate of title to watercraft or an outboard motor may not be transferred if the department has notice that property taxes for property tax years beginning after 1999, are owed on the watercraft or outboard motor. If transfer of title has been denied pursuant to this s…

Watercraft documented by the United States Coast Guard or its predecessor or successor agency and water skis, aquaplanes, surfboards, windsurfers, and similar devices, and those watercraft propelled exclusively by human power are not required to be titled.

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; (2) a federally approved numbering system of another state. However, this vessel must not be held or used…

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 …

(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. Temporary certificates of number apply to new …

(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 receipt from the applicant's appropriate county official stating payment of ad valorem taxes du…

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).…

It is unlawful to display a registration number or a validation decal or an outboard motor title decal or sailboat title decal on any watercraft or outboard motor except on the watercraft or outboard motor for which it was issued.

(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.

A registration of watercraft may not be renewed pursuant to this chapter if the department has notice that property taxes are owed on the watercraft. If renewal of registration has been denied pursuant to this section, a tax receipt from the person officially charged with the col…

(A) A certificate of title to a watercraft or outboard motor is prima facie evidence of ownership of a watercraft or outboard motor. All watercraft and outboard motors subject to the titling requirements of this chapter must be titled. (B) No person may acquire a watercraft or ou…

(A) Every person who acquires a watercraft or outboard motor required to be titled under this chapter shall apply to the department within thirty days of the date of acquisition for a certificate of title for the watercraft or outboard motor accompanied by the required fee and on…