Do I need a special bill of sale for a junk yacht in Arizona?
Arizona requires a bill of sale for all private party vehicle sales. A junk yacht may have additional disclosure requirements around condition, mileage, or title status.
Junk vehicle bill of sale
Selling a junk yacht in Arizona? Junk or scrap vehicle sale — generate the right bill of sale for your transaction.
When selling a junk yacht through a private party sale in Arizona, a bill of sale protects both the buyer and seller by documenting the transaction details and the vehicle's condition at the time of sale.
Arizona does not issue a "junk title" by that name. Vehicles with no resale value except as parts or scrap are issued a Nonrepairable Vehicle Certificate of Title under A.R.S. § 28-2091, or a Dismantle Certificate of Title under A.R.S. § 28-2094. Once a nonrepairable or dismantle certificate is issued, the vehicle can never be re-titled for road use in Arizona. The seller must assign the existing title (or nonrepairable/dismantle certificate) to the buyer and forward it to ADOT MVD with a $4 fee. Notify ADOT MVD of the disposal to avoid future liability.
The bill of sale must clearly state the vehicle is sold as non-operable parts or scrap only, identify the Arizona title type (Nonrepairable Vehicle Certificate of Title or Dismantle Certificate of Title), and note that the vehicle cannot be registered for road use. Under A.R.S. § 28-2091, a nonrepairable vehicle has been designated as having no resale value except as a source of parts or scrap metal.
Arizona requires Form Form 46-4402 (Abandoned Vehicle Application) for junk vehicle transactions. No additional state inspection is required.
A vehicle sold under an Arizona Nonrepairable Vehicle Certificate of Title or Dismantle Certificate of Title can never be registered or driven on public roads in Arizona. Arizona MVD checks NMVTIS for these brands and will not issue a clean title regardless of what the physical paper shows. The vehicle is legally limited to parts or scrap use only.
In Arizona, the title transfer fee is $4 and registration costs $8 - $32 based on vehicle weight. Yacht sales are subject to 5.6% state tax plus county excise tax; private party tax is $20 flat. Arizona does not require notarization for private-party yacht transfers. Emission testing is required in Arizona — verify the yacht passes before completing the sale.
Arizona has a 5.6% state sales tax rate. Dealer sales: 5.6% + county. Private sales: flat $20 VLT instead. Private-party yacht sales in Arizona may be exempt from state sales tax. Private party sales pay a flat $20 vehicle license transfer fee instead of sales tax. The title transfer fee is $4.
The most common yacht makes in private-party sales are Sea Ray, Beneteau, Boston Whaler, Grady-White, Viking. Average private-party yacht prices range from $50,000–$500,000+. Yachts average 1 NHTSA recalls per model across categories including Fuel System, Electrical, Engine.
Before completing a yacht bill of sale in Arizona, verify these safety items:
Yacht insurance is 1–2% of hull value annually. Agreed-value policies are standard. Navigation limits and crew requirements affect premiums. Yachts depreciate 10–15% per year for the first 5 years. Well-maintained vessels from premium builders hold value best. Peak season for private yacht sales is fall/winter boat shows drive buyer interest for spring delivery, with an average of 90 days on market.
Yachts are classified as "USCG-documented vessel (over 5 net tons) or state-registered vessel" for registration purposes. Yachts are classified by length overall (LOA), not weight. Vessels over 65 ft may require a licensed captain. Federal odometer disclosure does not apply to yachts.
Yacht ownership transfer uses a Hull Identification Number (HIN). Yachts over 5 net tons are typically documented with the U.S. Coast Guard rather than state-titled. USCG documentation transfer requires filing with the National Vessel Documentation Center. USCG-documented yachts use a federal Certificate of Documentation and transfer through the National Vessel Documentation Center. State-titled yachts (uncommon for vessels this size) use state title transfer procedures.
When selling a yacht in Arizona, the following disclosures apply:
BillOfSaleNow has generated 2,871 bill of sale documents for Arizona transactions, with 77 generated this month alone. The most popular vehicle type is car.
Generate a Arizona yacht bill of sale with condition details included.
Create Arizona Yacht Bill of SaleArizona requires a bill of sale for all private party vehicle sales. A junk yacht may have additional disclosure requirements around condition, mileage, or title status.
Include buyer and seller details, vehicle identifiers (VIN, year, make, model), sale price, date, signatures, and a clear description of the vehicle condition as junk.
Yes. A properly completed bill of sale is a legal document in Arizona. For junk vehicles, disclosing the condition protects both buyer and seller.
Arizona charges a $4 title transfer fee. Registration costs $8 - $32 based on vehicle weight. Sales tax: 5.6% state tax plus county excise tax; private party tax is $20 flat. Notarization is not required.
Average private-party yacht prices range from $50,000–$500,000+. Junk vehicles typically fall in the lower range. The most common makes are Sea Ray, Beneteau, Boston Whaler, Grady-White, Viking.
Require a professional marine survey before purchase — standard practice for vessels over 26 ft Inspect engine hours, service records, and oil analysis reports
45% faster sale
Vehicles whose listings include a history report spend ~45% less time on site before selling, and report-viewers are 5x more likely to become a lead.
Source: Experian / AutoCheck
$4,000 avg loss
NHTSA estimates 450,000+ vehicles per year are sold with rolled-back odometers — the average victim loses about $4,000 in downstream repair costs.
Source: NHTSA
17.5M private sales/yr
About 17.5 million private-party vehicle transactions happen in the U.S. each year — roughly 47% of the used market.
Source: Cox Automotive 2024
1 in 3 buyers
Roughly 1 in 3 used-car buyers say they suspect private sellers are hiding mechanical problems — documentation closes that trust gap.
Source: JW Surety Bonds (n=3,000)
$60–$85 mobile notary
Mobile notary visit minimums run $60–$85 — higher on weekends, plus per-mile travel fees. State-formatted documents skip the trip.
Source: Thumbtack / NNA