Louisiana Boat Bill of Sale: Notarization, LDWF Form, and Trailers

A Louisiana boat bill of sale is the document a private buyer and seller use to transfer a vessel, and the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) will not update ownership records without it. At a minimum it has to identify the boat by hull identification number and Louisiana registration number, list the manufacturer, model year, type, and length, state the purchase price and date, and carry both signatures. In most private sales those signatures must be made in front of a notary.¹

When a Bill of Sale Is Required

Any time a used boat changes hands between individuals in Louisiana, the buyer needs a bill of sale to register or title the vessel. LDWF requires original documentation showing a chain of ownership back to the applicant, and for private sales that documentation is the bill of sale.² A brand-new boat bought from a dealer is different: the dealer supplies a manufacturer’s statement of origin, so a separate bill of sale is not needed in that scenario.

The document matters even more for older boats that were never titled. Louisiana did not always require titles for every vessel, and many boats on the secondary market have only a registration history. For those boats the bill of sale is the single most important ownership record. Without it, LDWF can refuse to issue registration or validation decals, and operating on public waterways without valid registration is a violation under Louisiana law.²

What the Document Must Contain

LDWF needs enough detail to tie the paperwork to a specific vessel and confirm both parties agreed to the transaction. Every bill of sale should include:

The hull identification number (HIN), a 12-character combination of letters and numbers found on the outside of the transom. It is the boat’s equivalent of a VIN on a car.³
The Louisiana registration number from the boat’s current or most recent registration.⁴
Vessel details: manufacturer, model year, vessel type, and overall length in feet and inches.
Purchase price and date of sale. The state uses the price to calculate sales tax obligations.
Signatures of both the buyer and the seller.

Fill in every field. LDWF clerks regularly reject forms with blank spaces, and a rejection means starting over.

Notarization and the Lender Exception

Louisiana Revised Statute 34:852.6 generally requires the bill of sale to be signed in the presence of a notary public for a title transfer to go through. There is one exception. If the buyer finances the boat through a federally insured bank or credit union that takes a security interest in the vessel, the seller may sign in front of an authorized loan officer instead of a notary. That officer verifies the seller’s identity and signs as a witness.¹ For most cash transactions between private parties, plan on visiting a notary. Louisiana notaries are common and the fee is modest, generally in the range of $10 to $25.

Using the LDWF Form

LDWF publishes two versions of its bill of sale: a notarized version and a simplified version. Both are on the department’s forms page.⁵ Using one of the pre-approved forms is the easiest way to make sure no required field gets missed.

Outboard Motors and Trailers

A bill of sale for the boat does not automatically cover everything that comes with it. If an outboard motor is included in the sale, document it separately on the bill of sale with its own identifying information. Louisiana treats outboard motors of 25 horsepower or more as independently titled property when they are financed or already titled.²

Trailers sit outside LDWF entirely. A boat trailer is registered through the Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles, and the OMV will need its own proof of ownership to transfer the trailer registration into your name. LDWF and OMV have partnered to let customers handle both at one location in some cases, but the trailer paperwork and fees stay distinct from the boat paperwork.⁶ Ask the seller for a separate bill of sale for the trailer.

Submitting the Bill of Sale

Once the document is notarized, submit it with a completed Boat Registration/Boat and Motor Title Application. You can apply in person at LDWF Headquarters at 2000 Quail Drive in Baton Rouge, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., or mail everything to:²

LDWF
Attn: Boat Registration/Boat and Motor Title Application
PO Box 14796
Baton Rouge, LA 70898

If you mail the application, include a check, cashier’s check, or money order for all applicable fees. LDWF does not currently accept online submissions for initial registrations or title transfers. Online services are limited to registration renewals.² Keep a copy of the signed, notarized bill of sale for your own records before anything leaves your hands.

1
Justia. Louisiana Code 34:852.6 – Prohibition of Vessel or Outboard Motor Sale, Assignment, or Transfer Without Certificate of Title or Documentation
2
Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. Title or Register Your Boat
3
Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. Required Boating Equipment
4
Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. Boat Registration and Boat/Motor Title Application
5
Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. Boat Registration, License, and Permit Forms
6
Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. LDWF, OMV Resume Partnership to Make Boat Trailer Registration More Convenient