I'm headed to MD to buy a boat that has the Certificate of Documentation and not a regular title. How do I transfer that in Tx and make it a regular title? Or should I leave it documented? Are the fees less this way or what?

If it's USCG documented, keep it. You have to register here with TPWD, but you don't have to display TX (or any) numbers on the boat, just have your CG documented number affixed somewhere in the interior of the boat if the water police stop you. Friend has his displayed inside the motor compartment. You still have to pay sales tax either in MD or here. If you have to pay in MD, be very sure to get a verification of taxes paid to show TWPD and county tax office or they will try to charge you also.

Renewed each year. Fees look somewhat the same or close to TWPD fees.

National Vessel Documentation Center Table of Fees - http://www.uscg.mil/nvdc/instr/fee%20sch.pdf

Might want to get a separate bill of sale for the trailer to be safe. If I remember correctly, TWPD Form 143 only wants bill of sale for boat and motor together (if outboard - Form 144 is also required). Your county may want a separate bill of sale for the trailer. I had to have separate bills of sale when I registered mine 6 yrs ago.

https://tpwd.texas.gov/fishboat/boat...%20Vessels.pdf
Bottom of page 3 (Current USCG Documentation)

Questions about USCG documented vessels. http://www.uscg.mil/nvdc/nvdcfaq.asp

Sorry, didn't mean to be so long.

You will need a trailer title if the trailer gross weight is greater than 5k and it requires annual inspection, that one cooks alot of people that purchase larger boats on trailers outside of texas.its a pita to try to correct issue after the fact

Make sure the USCG doc is current............... my first TG had USCG registration but had lapsed, so I had to turn it into a KS title

You can request a lapsed USCG registration to be reinstated. I just did that this spring. Also changed the hailing port at the same time.

^^^^ agree but doesn't it have to be done by the person it's registered to ??............I had no way to find him in my case.

[QUOTE=Faster Daddy;4328205]I'm headed to MD to buy a boat that has the Certificate of Documentation and not a regular title. How do I transfer that in Tx and make it a regular title? Or should I leave it documented? Are the fees less this way or what?[/QUOTE

Make sure it has no outstanding liens on it. You have to order what's called an abstract title which costs $35.00 they'll send it to your email and it will show the history on it and if any prior lien was satisfied. This is very important don't take the sellers word for it get it on paper from the uscg. You cannot transfer it to title in any state from uscg documentation until all the liens have been satisfied get an abstract title call the uscg and have them walk you through everything to make sure it's all satisfied.

Good info posted in the links above. Most/all of the "savings" loop holes have been closed. Included in that is the TP&W registration sticker. You do have to have it on the bow regardless. You do not have to have "TX numbers" but the sticker is now required.

Damn you guys are great on here!! Tons of good info. Thank you thank you!!! Now let's just hope the boat is all its supposed to be when I get there!!!lol

You are correct. It was not in TWP Code, Sec. 31 where I thought it would/should be. That section stated that registration decals "may" be displayed. I was thinking that decals were not mandatory.

However, it is plainly stated in the Texas Administrative Code §53.90 Display of Registration Validation Sticker

(a) Documented vessels are required to display the registration validation sticker on both sides of the bow and maintain current documentation through the United States Coast Guard or display the state-assigned TX numbering series with the decal. Commercial vessels used in coastal shipping and vessels exceeding 115 feet in length are exempt from registration requirements.

Why in the world would this info be in the Texas Administrative Code and not in the Texas Parks and Wildlife Code?

Good catch Hook'em. I did not know.