What makes selling a documented boat different from a regular boat sale?

A "documented" vessel is registered with the federal government through the U.S. Coast Guard National Vessel Documentation Center (NVDC), not (only) with a state. Documentation is generally available to vessels of at least 5 net tons and is required for some commercial uses. Because ownership is recorded federally, transfer runs through the NVDC using Coast Guard forms rather than a state title assignment. The vessel may also carry a separate state registration where it is principally moored.

What bill of sale do I use to sell a documented vessel?

For a USCG-documented vessel you use Coast Guard Form CG-1340 (Bill of Sale), or, as an alternative, the notarized assignment/transfer-of-ownership section on the reverse of the CG-1270 Certificate of Documentation. The CG-1340 must be notarized and must be signed by every owner listed on the Certificate of Documentation. The form is published by the NVDC and available free from the official Coast Guard site — you do not have to pay a third-party service for it.

Does the CG-1340 bill of sale have to be notarized?

Yes. For documented vessels the bill of sale (Form CG-1340) or the assignment on the back of the Certificate of Documentation must be notarized, and every seller listed on the certificate must sign. The Coast Guard accepts a notarial acknowledgment that substantially complies with the Uniform Law on Notarial Acts (or the state’s own notary statute). An instrument altered after it is signed and acknowledged is ineligible for filing — so complete it fully before notarizing.

What does the buyer need to do to complete the transfer?

The new owner submits the signed, notarized bill of sale to the NVDC together with a transfer application (Form CG-1258, Application for Initial Issue / Exchange / Replacement of Certificate of Documentation) and a Declaration of Citizenship (Maritime Administration Form MA-899) confirming the vessel will remain U.S.-owned. Filing matters: under 46 U.S.C. § 31321, an unrecorded bill of sale is not valid against later purchasers or lienholders — only the parties with actual knowledge of it.

How do I check for liens before selling or buying?

The NVDC maintains an Abstract of Title for every documented vessel, showing the full chain of ownership, every recorded bill of sale, and any mortgages or liens on file. Request it through the NVDC eStorefront before closing. A documented vessel cannot be transferred or removed from documentation while an outstanding mortgage is on record — the lender must file a Satisfaction of Mortgage with the NVDC to clear it first.

Should I transfer the documentation or delete it?

Both are valid depending on the buyer’s plans. If the buyer wants to keep the vessel federally documented, they transfer ownership via CG-1258 and the certificate is re-issued in their name. If the buyer intends to register the boat with a state instead (common for recreational vessels no longer needing documentation), the vessel is removed from documentation using Form CG-4593 (Deletion/Removal), which produces a deletion letter that state registrars require before they will title/register the boat.

Does the documentation have to be current to sell?

No. A Certificate of Documentation does not have to be renewed/current in order to transfer ownership. The transfer is processed on the strength of the notarized bill of sale and the transfer application — though any outstanding mortgage still has to be satisfied first, and the buyer will typically renew or re-issue the certificate as part of taking ownership.

How to Sell a Coast Guard Documented Boat

A U.S. Coast Guard documented vessel is transferred through a federal process — not a state title assignment. This guide walks through the Coast Guard bill of sale (Form CG-1340), notarization, clearing liens, the buyer’s Declaration of Citizenship, and the choice between transferring or deleting the documentation.

The Coast Guard forms below (CG-1340, CG-1258, CG-4593, CG-1270) are published by the National Vessel Documentation Center and are available free — you never have to pay a third-party service to obtain them.

Create a Boat Bill of Sale for Your Records

The federal transfer uses Form CG-1340. A plain boat bill of sale is still useful as your private sale record, for the buyer, and for state registration if the vessel is removed from documentation.

“Documented” vs. state-titled: why the process is different

Most recreational boats are registered (and sometimes titled) by a state. A documented vessel is instead recorded with the federal government through the U.S. Coast Guard’s National Vessel Documentation Center. Documentation is generally available to vessels of at least 5 net tons — roughly 25–30+ feet depending on hull design — and is required for certain commercial operations and often preferred for financing and for cruising in foreign waters.

Because ownership is on a federal record, you cannot simply sign over a state title. The sale is evidenced by a Coast Guard bill of sale and recorded by the NVDC. The vessel may still carry a separate state registration where it is principally moored, so a sale can involve both a federal step and a state step.

The forms involved

CG-1340 — Bill of Sale. The instrument that transfers ownership of a documented vessel. Must be notarized and signed by every owner named on the Certificate of Documentation. (Its authority is 46 U.S.C. Chapters 121, 123, 125 and 313.)
CG-1270 — Certificate of Documentation. The vessel’s federal “title.” Its reverse side has a transfer/assignment section that, when notarized, can be used in place of the CG-1340.
CG-1258 — Application for Initial Issue / Exchange / Replacement. The buyer files this to have the certificate re-issued in their name when keeping the vessel documented.
MA-899 — Declaration of Citizenship. Filed by the new owner to confirm the vessel remains eligible (U.S.-owned) for documentation.
CG-4593 — Deletion / Removal from Documentation. Used when the buyer will register the boat with a state instead; it produces a deletion letter that state registrars require.

Clear the title first: liens and mortgages

Before you sell — and before a buyer pays — pull the vessel’s Abstract of Title from the NVDC eStorefront. It shows the complete chain of ownership, every recorded bill of sale, and any mortgages or liens on file. A documented vessel cannot be transferred or deleted while an outstanding preferred ship mortgage is recorded; the lender must file a Satisfaction of Mortgage with the NVDC to clear it. Recording your sale matters too: under 46 U.S.C. § 31321 an unrecorded bill of sale is not valid against a later good-faith purchaser or lienholder.

Transfer or delete? Choosing the path

If the buyer wants to keep the vessel federally documented — common for larger, financed, or foreign-cruising boats — they transfer ownership with the CG-1258 and the certificate is re-issued in their name. If the buyer just wants a state-registered recreational boat, the vessel is removed from documentation with the CG-4593; the resulting deletion letter is what the state boating agency needs before it will title and register the boat. In that case your boat bill of sale becomes the document the buyer brings to the state.

Step-by-step: selling your documented vessel

Order an Abstract of Title from the NVDC eStorefront and confirm the vessel is free of mortgages or liens. If a mortgage is recorded, have the lender file a Satisfaction of Mortgage before you sell.
Confirm exactly who is listed as owner on the Certificate of Documentation (CG-1270) — every listed owner must sign the bill of sale.
Agree on the sale price and date, and gather the buyer’s legal name and U.S. citizenship/entity details (needed for the Declaration of Citizenship).
Complete Coast Guard Form CG-1340 (Bill of Sale) in full — do not leave blanks to fill in later, since alterations after signing void the form for recording. Include the vessel name, official number, and hull identification number.
Have every seller sign the CG-1340 in front of a notary; the signatures must be notarized. (Alternatively, use and notarize the transfer section on the back of the CG-1270.)
Decide with the buyer whether the vessel stays federally documented (buyer files CG-1258 + MA-899 Declaration of Citizenship) or is removed from documentation (file CG-4593 for a deletion letter to register with a state).
Submit the notarized bill of sale and the applicable transfer or deletion forms to the NVDC for recording, and keep copies of everything for your records.

Frequently asked questions

What makes selling a documented boat different from a regular boat sale?: A "documented" vessel is registered with the federal government through the U.S. Coast Guard National Vessel Documentation Center (NVDC), not (only) with a state. Documentation is generally available to vessels of at least 5 net tons and is required for some commercial uses. Because ownership is recorded federally, transfer runs through the NVDC using Coast Guard forms rather than a state title assignment. The vessel may also carry a separate state registration where it is principally moored.
What bill of sale do I use to sell a documented vessel?: For a USCG-documented vessel you use Coast Guard Form CG-1340 (Bill of Sale), or, as an alternative, the notarized assignment/transfer-of-ownership section on the reverse of the CG-1270 Certificate of Documentation. The CG-1340 must be notarized and must be signed by every owner listed on the Certificate of Documentation. The form is published by the NVDC and available free from the official Coast Guard site — you do not have to pay a third-party service for it.
Does the CG-1340 bill of sale have to be notarized?: Yes. For documented vessels the bill of sale (Form CG-1340) or the assignment on the back of the Certificate of Documentation must be notarized, and every seller listed on the certificate must sign. The Coast Guard accepts a notarial acknowledgment that substantially complies with the Uniform Law on Notarial Acts (or the state’s own notary statute). An instrument altered after it is signed and acknowledged is ineligible for filing — so complete it fully before notarizing.
What does the buyer need to do to complete the transfer?: The new owner submits the signed, notarized bill of sale to the NVDC together with a transfer application (Form CG-1258, Application for Initial Issue / Exchange / Replacement of Certificate of Documentation) and a Declaration of Citizenship (Maritime Administration Form MA-899) confirming the vessel will remain U.S.-owned. Filing matters: under 46 U.S.C. § 31321, an unrecorded bill of sale is not valid against later purchasers or lienholders — only the parties with actual knowledge of it.
How do I check for liens before selling or buying?: The NVDC maintains an Abstract of Title for every documented vessel, showing the full chain of ownership, every recorded bill of sale, and any mortgages or liens on file. Request it through the NVDC eStorefront before closing. A documented vessel cannot be transferred or removed from documentation while an outstanding mortgage is on record — the lender must file a Satisfaction of Mortgage with the NVDC to clear it first.
Should I transfer the documentation or delete it?: Both are valid depending on the buyer’s plans. If the buyer wants to keep the vessel federally documented, they transfer ownership via CG-1258 and the certificate is re-issued in their name. If the buyer intends to register the boat with a state instead (common for recreational vessels no longer needing documentation), the vessel is removed from documentation using Form CG-4593 (Deletion/Removal), which produces a deletion letter that state registrars require before they will title/register the boat.
Does the documentation have to be current to sell?: No. A Certificate of Documentation does not have to be renewed/current in order to transfer ownership. The transfer is processed on the strength of the notarized bill of sale and the transfer application — though any outstanding mortgage still has to be satisfied first, and the buyer will typically renew or re-issue the certificate as part of taking ownership.

Related guides

Create Your Boat Bill of Sale

General information, not legal advice. Coast Guard forms, fees, and processing times change — confirm current requirements directly with the National Vessel Documentation Center before completing a transfer.