Registration of Repossessed Boats: A Quick Look

You spend time on land, you live life on water.

Repossessed boats for sale at used boat auctions present a golden opportunity to shoppers to buy boats at wallet-friendly prices. But federal rules and regulations require that boat owners register repossessed boats under the state laws. Not all repo boats, however, require registration. In this blog post, we take a look at some of the vital information pertaining to registration of repossessed boats.

salvage boats for sale

Which boats require registration

  • Motorized boats of any length

  • Sailboats more than 14 feet

  • Sailboats of any size with engines

  • Vessels certified by the U.S. Coast Guard.

Which boats are exempted from registration

  • Commercial vessels engaged in coastal shipping that are certified by the U.S. Coast Guard

  • Vessels belonging to U.S Coast Guard that exceed 115 feet

Boats that owners need not register

Boats bought from salvage boat auctions that don’t require registration at all include all non-motorized canoes, inflatable rafts, rowboats, punts, and kayaks.

Prerequisites for registering used repo boats

The Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD) is entrusted with the responsibility for registering both used and new boats. Registration of used repo boats with this state agency entails the following:

  • Filling out a boat or vessel application known as Form PWD 143

  • Verification of motor serial number in outboard a.k.a. Form PWD 504

  • A boat bill of sale

  • An affidavit of fact or Form PWD 314

  • Boat registration fee

Break-up of registration fees

Depending on the length of the repo boats, registration fees vary. Common boat lengths and their registration fees are given below:

  • Livery boats less than 16 feet: $32

  • 16 feet: $32

  • 16 feet to 26 feet: $53

  • 26 feet to 40 feet: $110

  • 40 feet and above: $150

Wrap-up

The process of registering a repo boat is pretty straightforward. Still many buyers make the mistake of not registering these boats on time as they are discouraged by the costs involved. However, this puts buyers at odds with the law and they end up paying more in penalties than what they bargained for. If you are looking to buy repossessed boats from salvage boats for sale, there are several online auto auction sites that deal in all sorts of used vehicles including boats. Most of these boats are available at a fraction of the cost of brand new of similar models. All you have to do is register the boats without fail after you purchase them. This will keep you out of possible legal hassles.


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