New York Safe Boating - 2020 - 12

REGISTRATION OF BOATS

When you register your boat or renew a registration,
you will receive validation stickers. Like the registration
certificate, the stickers are valid for three years. They are
color coded by year and similar to your vehicle inspection
sticker, the month of expiration is punched out. This allows
a police officer to know at a glance if the boat is currently
registered. Place the decal toward the stern of the
registration numbers on both sides of the boat.

WHEN BUYING A BOAT BEWARE OF DEALS
THAT ARE 'TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE.' CHECK ALL
PAPERWORK AND BE SURE THAT THE SELLER
ACTUALLY HOLDS LEGAL TITLE TO THE BOAT.

US Coast Guard Boat
Documentation

Getting a Title for Your Boat
New York, like many states, issues titles to boats. Not all
boats get a title: only boats 14 feet and longer, that were
manufactured in model year 1987 and later, will be issued
a title. Keep in mind that there is a big difference between
a boat registration and a title. A boat registration shows
only that a fee has been paid to secure and register the
boat's identification number. A registration is not proof of
ownership, so it does not protect the purchaser from buying
a stolen boat or a boat that has a lien on its title.

US Coast Guard boat documentation is a national form of
registration that provides conclusive evidence of nationality
for international
purposes. Less
than one percent
of boats in the
United States
are documented
with the US
Coast Guard.
Originally,
only large
commercial
boats needed
US Coast Guard
documentation,
but it is now
being used
for yachts and
other smaller,
but expensive,
pleasure boats. If you are financing your
boat purchase, some lenders may require you to document
your boat because US Coast Guard documentation
provides added security.

The title will show the name of the owner, give a description
of the boat and list any liens or lenders that have an interest
in the boat. The seller signs the title over to the purchaser
when selling a boat. The purchaser will receive a title in his/
her name after they register the boat.
The seller must provide a signed bill of sale. The boat's
registration becomes invalid upon the sale of the boat, so
the seller should remove the registration validation sticker
before turning over the boat to the new owner. This will
force the new owner to register the boat before it can be
used.

There are two types of federal documentation: commercial
and recreational. If your boat is commercially documented,
you need not get a New York State registration. If your boat
has US Coast Guard documentation as a recreational boat,
you must register your boat with DMV. US Coast Guard
documented recreational boats need not display New York
State registration numbers, but must display the validation
sticker.
Compared to registration, the US Coast Guard
documentation procedure is a complicated process and
requires numerous forms and documents. You can get
more information from the National Vessel Documentation
Center in Falling Rivers, West Virginia. You can visit their
website at www.uscg.mil/nvdc.

Do not keep the title in your boat, rather put it in a safe
place at home or a safe deposit box.

12
http://www.uscg.mil/nvdc
New York Safe Boating - 2020

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