I'm looking at a boat in NC, owner says NC only titles the trailer and thats how ownership of the boat is transfered, I find that very hard to believe. Boat is 1979. Anybody know anything about NC boat sales that can advise, I'm in NY. Thanks Chris.

I believe this to be correct. We had a boat that had registration only and was able to be sold and retitled here in MD. The trailer was from Texas but was registration only also. You can contact NC vehicle registration online to confirm this

OR wait for some people from NC to respond.

Sounds like Louisiana. No title on the boat, just on trailer. For the boat, a bill of sale is used to register it with the W&F.

I've bought a boat w/o a title.....can't remember which one or which state. Alabama maybe??? Brought it to VA but I register my boats in Delaware.....didn't have any problems with that crazy senario.

older boats only used bill of sales. They just started titling boats here unless they were finaniced. You just need the bill of sale with the hin # and the engine serial #

Thanks for the replies guys !! Much appreciated. Sounds like it's legit. In NY we have transferable trailer registrations and boat titles. Thanks again.

Make sure he has current registration for the boat. It will make it much easier when you transfer the reg to your state. His registration should have a place on it to sign over to you similar to how a normal title would.

If you are using Bill of Sale, make sure you get their signature notarized on the bill of sale - that is the biggest snag I have run into. Boat title in NC was optional, until recently. Also, for sales/transfer from an individual, you don't pay any sales tax on the boat - just like buying a lawn mower from your neighbor! Dep't of taxation called it an incident, one-time (or something like that) sale - I called and asked them one time when I bought one of my boats while living in NC. If you buy it from a dealer or broker, you do pay sales tax. If you buy from out of state at a dealer or broker, you are supposed to self-report the sale and include a check for the amount of sales tax due. You will pay property tax on it, though. Regarding the trailer, those are titled through DMV, and you do pay sales tax on purchase price. Boats in NC are titled through Dep't of Wildlife, not DMV, when they do have a title. When we moved from NC to OH, I had no issues converting either the boat or trailer titles to OH titles.

You still do not get a title with a boat in NC if you pay cash unless you want one. However, if you finance a boat, it will have a title. At least it should have a registration card which on the back can be signed and transfered. You should have one or the other.

notary public signature / stamp would be a key idea.