Uniform Titling For Boats

If you're in the market for a used car, there's an easy way to find out if the car was ever involved in a serious accident or the insurance company considered it a total loss. State titles "brand" salvage vehicles so buyers know that the car was severely damaged (and may or may not have been repaired properly). Once a car has a salvage title, the brand remains with it, even if the car is reregistered in a different state. It's a valuable tool for consumers.

But prospective boat buyers have no such tool. In fact, 10 states don't even issue titles for boats, eliminating the possibility of a paper trail for a boat's history. That also makes it much easier to sell stolen boats to unsuspecting buyers. A thief can steal a boat in say, Florida, transport it and register it in a no-title state, such as Arkansas. With no paperwork, a buyer won't know his new boat was stolen.

The BoatUS Government Affairs team believes that boaters should have the same advantages as car owners when it comes to titling, and we support legislation called the Uniform Certificate of Title for Vessels Act (UCOTVA). The regulations would standardize titling laws in all states, just as boat numbering is standardized now.

The BoatUS manager of Government Affairs, David Kennedy, says, "This legislation institutionalizes several consumer protection mechanisms that are already commonplace for motor vehicles. These include clear labeling of significant structural damage on vessel titles, creating a uniform system to identify legitimate vessel owners/lienholders, and better ways to prevent the sale of stolen boats." Added Kennedy, "By 'branding' the titles of vessels that suffer significant damage, buyers will be made aware of material information that could affect a vessel's condition. It's designed to give buyers the true condition of the vessel and helps them make smart purchases."

There are a couple of other benefits that come as part of UCOTVA. One is that lenders may be able to offer the same lower "preferred mortgage" rates that federally documented boats are eligible for, without being documented. A robust titling system, recognized nationwide as well by the U.S. Coast Guard, also makes transfer of ownership easier and more secure. For consumers, the biggest advantages are that boats that suffer significant damage and are repaired, then later put up for sale, will now have titles clearly labeled as such.

If you're in the market for a used car, there's an easy way to find out if the car was ever involved in a serious accident or the insurance company considered it a total loss. State titles "brand" salvage vehicles so buyers know that the car was severely damaged (and may or may not have been repaired properly). Once a car has a salvage title, the brand remains with it, even if the car is reregistered in a different state. It's a valuable tool for consumers.

But prospective boat buyers have no such tool. In fact, 10 states don't even issue titles for boats, eliminating the possibility of a paper trail for a boat's history. That also makes it much easier to sell stolen boats to unsuspecting buyers. A thief can steal a boat in say, Florida, transport it and register it in a no-title state, such as Arkansas. With no paperwork, a buyer won't know his new boat was stolen.

The BoatUS Government Affairs team believes that boaters should have the same advantages as car owners when it comes to titling, and we support legislation called the Uniform Certificate of Title for Vessels Act (UCOTVA). The regulations would standardize titling laws in all states, just as boat numbering is standardized now.

The BoatUS manager of Government Affairs, David Kennedy, says, "This legislation institutionalizes several consumer protection mechanisms that are already commonplace for motor vehicles. These include clear labeling of significant structural damage on vessel titles, creating a uniform system to identify legitimate vessel owners/lienholders, and better ways to prevent the sale of stolen boats." Added Kennedy, "By 'branding' the titles of vessels that suffer significant damage, buyers will be made aware of material information that could affect a vessel's condition. It's designed to give buyers the true condition of the vessel and helps them make smart purchases."

There are a couple of other benefits that come as part of UCOTVA. One is that lenders may be able to offer the same lower "preferred mortgage" rates that federally documented boats are eligible for, without being documented. A robust titling system, recognized nationwide as well by the U.S. Coast Guard, also makes transfer of ownership easier and more secure. For consumers, the biggest advantages are that boats that suffer significant damage and are repaired, then later put up for sale, will now have titles clearly labeled as such.