Florida Boat Bill of Sale (FL)
A free blank Florida bill of sale template for selling a boat, as a fillable PDF or a Word file, with what Florida government sources say about the sale.
After the sale in Florida: what the sources say happens next
Forms for a Florida sale
The template is created in your browser, and nothing you type is sent to us.
We couldn't confirm what the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles accepts as a bill of sale. If that matters for your sale, confirm it with the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.
We could not confirm in a Florida government source whether a bill of sale is required to transfer a boat title, or whether it has to be notarized. That does not mean the answer is no.
Last checked against the sources below on September 28, 2026. Rules can change, so confirm with the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles before you file.
This page covers selling a boat in Florida. Other items have national templates, which don't cover state rules, and the Florida overview lists this site's other Florida pages.
After the sale in Florida
What the sources say happens after the sale. A step is marked Seller or Buyer where its source names that party, and each step links to its source.
- The owner of a vessel which is required to be titled applies to the county tax collector for a certificate of title within 30 days of the transfer of ownership or, if later, Florida becoming its state of principal use. The fee is $5.25, with additional fees in some cases. Source: leg.state.fl.us: 0328.03 (opens in a new tab), leg.state.fl.us: 0328.01 (opens in a new tab)
- Unless the transfer is exempt, the title application carries sales tax at the 6 percent rate Fla. Stat. 212.05 sets on the selling price of the complete vessel rig, and no title is issued until that tax is paid. The tax on a boat's sale may not exceed $18,000. Source: leg.state.fl.us: 0328.01 (opens in a new tab), leg.state.fl.us: 0212.05 (opens in a new tab), leg.state.fl.us: 0212.06 (opens in a new tab)
- Buyer The new owner files for transfer of the vessel's registration with the county tax collector within 30 days. The fee is $3.25. Source: leg.state.fl.us: 0328.72 (opens in a new tab)
- Florida law says the owner shall furnish the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles notice of the transfer within 30 days, on a form prescribed by the department. Source: leg.state.fl.us: 0328.64 (opens in a new tab)
What's different in Florida
Florida's boat rules on this page come from the Florida Statutes, and Fla. Stat. 328.0015 defines the department as the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Under Fla. Stat. 328.01, the owner of a vessel which is required to be titled shall apply to the county tax collector for a certificate of title. Section 328.03 gives 30 days to deliver that application, counted from whichever is later: the transfer of ownership, or the date Florida becomes the vessel's state of principal use. The department charges $5.25 for issuing each certificate of title, and 328.03 adds fees in some cases, such as $10 for a title transfer application filed after the 30-day period. Tax travels with the same application. For a title transfer between individuals that is not exempt, 328.01 has the application include the sales tax on the selling price of the complete vessel rig, meaning the vessel and its motor, trailer, and accessories, if any. Fla. Stat. 212.05 sets the rate at 6 percent and says the tax on each sale of a boat may not exceed $18,000.
Registration is a filing of its own. Under 328.72, the new owner of a registered vessel applies to the county tax collector for transfer of registration within 30 days, and the fee is $3.25. Fla. Stat. 328.64 also has the owner furnish the department notice of the transfer of all or any part of his or her interest in the vessel within 30 days, on a form prescribed by the department; the statute does not name the form. A blank boat bill of sale is on this page as well.
Florida rules at a glance
| Topic | What the source says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Title transfer | Title transfers in Florida are handled by the county tax collector. The fee is $5.25 for issuing each certificate of title, and Fla. Stat. 328.03 lists additional fees in some cases, including $10 for a title transfer application filed after the 30-day period. The deadline is 30 days. The 30 days run from the later of the date of a transfer of ownership or the date this state becomes the vessel's state of principal use. | leg.state.fl.us: 0328.03 (opens in a new tab) leg.state.fl.us: 0328.01 (opens in a new tab) |
| Sales tax | An application for a title transfer between individuals, which transfer is not exempt from the payment of sales tax, shall include payment of the sales tax, at the rate Fla. Stat. 212.05 sets, 6 percent, on the selling price for the complete vessel rig, and where the tax is payable, no title can be issued until it is paid. The tax on the sale of a boat may not exceed $18,000. If the applicant submits with his or her application an itemized, properly executed bill of sale which separately describes and itemizes the prices paid for each component of the rig, only the vessel and trailer will be subject to the sales tax. | leg.state.fl.us: 0328.01 (opens in a new tab) leg.state.fl.us: 0212.05 (opens in a new tab) leg.state.fl.us: 0212.06 (opens in a new tab) |
| Registration | When the ownership of a registered vessel changes, an application for transfer of registration shall be filed with the county tax collector by the new owner within 30 days with a fee of $3.25. | leg.state.fl.us: 0328.72 (opens in a new tab) |
| Notice of sale | The Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles must be notified of the sale within 30 days. Under Fla. Stat. 328.64, the notice is for a vessel registered or titled in this state pursuant to this chapter. | leg.state.fl.us: 0328.64 (opens in a new tab) |
What the template looks like
Boat Bill of Sale
This document records the sale of the boat described below.
Seller
Seller's full name:
Seller's address:
Seller's phone or email:
Second seller's full name, if there is one:
Buyer
Buyer's full name:
Buyer's address:
Buyer's phone or email:
Second buyer's full name, if there is one:
Show the whole template
Boat
Year, make and model:
Vessel name, if the boat has one:
Hull identification number (HIN), if the boat has one:
Length and hull material:
State registration number, if the boat has one:
Coast Guard documentation number, if the boat is documented:
Title number, if the boat is titled:
Engine included: make, model and serial number:
Trailer included: year, make, and VIN or serial number:
Other equipment included:
Share of the boat each seller sells and each buyer receives (for example, 100%):
Condition as described by the seller:
Price of the boat:
Price of the engine, if one is sold with the boat:
Price of the trailer, if one is sold with the boat:
Price of the other equipment, if any is sold with the boat:
The sale price below is the price of everything listed above.
Sale
Sale price:
Date of sale:
Method of payment:
The seller sells the boat, with any engine, trailer and equipment listed above, to the buyer for the price above.
Anything else the parties agree on:
Place and date of signing:
Seller's signature and printed name
Second seller's signature and printed name, if there is one
Buyer's signature and printed name
Second buyer's signature and printed name, if there is one
Florida boat bill of sale questions
Where is a boat title application filed in Florida?
With the county tax collector. Fla. Stat. 328.01 says the owner of a vessel which is required to be titled shall apply to the county tax collector for a certificate of title, and under 328.03 the department charges $5.25 for issuing each certificate of title, with additional fees in some cases.
How long is there to apply for a boat title in Florida?
Thirty days. Fla. Stat. 328.03 counts them from the later of the date of a transfer of ownership or the date Florida becomes the vessel's state of principal use.
Is Florida sales tax charged on a boat's motor and trailer too?
Fla. Stat. 328.01 puts the sales tax on a title transfer between individuals that is not exempt from the payment of sales tax on the selling price for the complete vessel rig, which includes the vessel and its motor, trailer, and accessories, if any. If the applicant submits an itemized, properly executed bill of sale that gives the price paid for each component of the rig, only the vessel and trailer are subject to the tax.
Who files the registration transfer when a Florida boat changes hands?
The new owner. Fla. Stat. 328.72 says that when the ownership of a registered vessel changes, the application for transfer of registration is filed with the county tax collector by the new owner within 30 days, with a fee of $3.25.
Sources
Last checked against the sources below on September 28, 2026. Rules can change, so confirm with the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles before you file.