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Boat Donation — North Carolina - NC — Donate A Boat
Boat Registration and Title Information

Help a child with a boat, sail boat, trailer, yacht, watercraft, jet ski or wave runner donation to charity. Yacht salvage and personal watercraft salvage information.

 

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North Carolina - NC - boat registration and title information.

 

1. What vessels must be registered?

2. What vessels do not have to be registered?

3. What vessels must be titled in North Carolina?

4. What is vessel titling?

 

 

 

 

1. What vessels must be Registered?

  • All motorized vessels used on public waters must be registered, including jet skis.
  • All sailboats used on public waters must be registered if longer than 14 feet at the load waterline.
  • If a vessel registered in another state is brought into North Carolina for over 90 consecutive days, the registration must be transferred to North Carolina.
  • If you choose to title your vessel, it must be registered as well.

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2. What vessels do not have to be registered?

  • Vessels that are unused and kept on dry land do not need registration in North Carolina.
  • Rowboats, canoes, and rafts moved only by oars, paddles, or the current do not need registration in North Carolina.
  • A vessel used only on a private pond does not need registration in North Carolina.
  • Vessels Documented with the U.S. Coast Guard do not need to be registered in North Carolina.
  • Ship 's lifeboats or dinghies do not need to be registered if they are used only for emergency lifeboat purposes. However, if they are motorized and used for non-emergency purposes, they do require registration.

 

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3. What vessels must be titled in North Carolina?

  1. the vessel is equal to or great than 14 feet
  2. the type of vessel is a personal watercraft (jet ski)
  3. there is a lien on the vessel

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4. What is vessel titling?

  • The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission is legally responsible for Vessel Titling in North Carolina. Vessel Titling is a record-keeping system that provides ownership protection to vessel owners, going beyond the Vessel Registration system. It also protects the interests of financial institutions or individuals that provide loans on vessels. Lenders often require that a vessel be titled as a condition for granting a loan.
  • The Wildlife Commission keeps computerized records on all titled vessels, and issues Title Certificates which document the owner of a vessel and any liens that lenders choose to record on the Title Certificate. Although it is possible to record a vessel lien with a Uniform Commercial Code filing, most lenders choose to record it on the vessel 's Title Certificate.
  • A title is available to any North Carolina vessel owner, provided that the vessel is registered in North Carolina; is not simultaneously titled in any other state; and is not Documented with the U.S. Coast Guard. At the time of applying for a North Carolina title, any existing out-of-state title must be surrendered to the Wildlife Service Agent or mailed to the Wildlife Commission.
  • Titling adds the owner 's name, address, and vessel description to the records of the Wildlife Commission. It also records the names and addresses of lienholders against the vessel.
  • The Commission issues a Title Certificate which is held by the primary lienholder, if there is one, or otherwise, by the vessel owner.
  • Unlike vessel registration, which has a one-year or three-year term, a Title Certificate remains in force for as long as a person owns a vessel.
  • If a Title is issued showing a lienholder, when the associated loan is paid off the lienholder should sign and notarize the Title Certificate to release the lien, and then mail the Title Certificate to the vessel owner.
  • When an owner desires to sell a titled vessel, the "Assignment of Title" section of the Title Certificate is filled out. The purchaser is named, the owner signs the form and has the signature notarized. The Title Certificate is then given to the purchaser. The purchaser, the boat dealer, or the Wildlife Service Agent must turn in the previous owner 's Title Certificate to the Wildlife Commission to apply for transfer of ownership. This must be done even if the title is from another state.