An Oklahoma boat bill of sale is a written, notarized record of the sale that identifies the buyer, the seller, the vessel, the price, and the date, and it is one of the documents Service Oklahoma will ask for when you transfer the title. The seller’s signature has to be notarized, and the buyer has 30 days from the purchase date to bring the paperwork to a tag agent and pay the 3.25 percent excise tax.1Legal Information Institute. Oklahoma Administrative Code 260:135-7-14 – Title Transfers; Time Limitation2Justia. Oklahoma Code 63-4103 – Excise Tax
What to Put on the Bill of Sale
At a minimum, the bill of sale should show the full legal names and current addresses of the buyer and seller, the agreed purchase price, and the date of sale. It also needs the vessel’s Hull Identification Number, make, model year, and overall length so Service Oklahoma can match it to the existing title record.
The Hull Identification Number is a 12-character code stamped into the transom or on a plate near the stern. Before any money changes hands, compare the HIN on the hull to the HIN on the seller’s title. A mismatch will stall your title application and can be a sign of a stolen vessel.
Service Oklahoma will accept a notarized bill of sale, a sales contract with lien filing, or a canceled check made out to the former owner as proof of ownership, provided the document shows the HIN or serial number of the boat or motor.3Legal Information Institute. Oklahoma Code 670:20-7-8 – Application for Transfers of Title
The Seller’s Signature Has to Be Notarized
Since June 2000, Oklahoma has required the seller to provide a notarized statement confirming that the HIN or serial number on the vessel matches the ownership documents being transferred.4Service Oklahoma. Boats and Motors A notary public will check the seller’s government-issued ID before applying the seal. Without a proper notary stamp, Service Oklahoma will refuse the transfer.
The buyer should also sign the bill of sale, but the notarization requirement centers on the seller as the party giving up ownership.
The BM-10 Is a Separate Form You Still Need
Form BM-10 is titled “Boat or Outboard Motor Serial Number Confirmation.” It is not the bill of sale. It is a short state form the seller completes to confirm that the HIN or motor serial number physically on the vessel matches the ownership documents. Service Oklahoma requires a completed BM-10 for every original or transfer title, and a separate BM-10 for each boat and each outboard motor involved in the sale.5Service Oklahoma. Boat or Outboard Motor Serial Number Confirmation
The BM-10 has a built-in notary block for the seller, so one trip to the notary can cover both the bill of sale and the BM-10.
Outboard Motors and Trailers Need Their Own Transfers
Oklahoma titles boats and outboard motors separately. Any outboard motor over 10 horsepower must be titled and registered independently of the hull it powers.4Service Oklahoma. Boats and Motors If a motor comes with the boat, your bill of sale should list the motor’s serial number, horsepower, and year as separate line items, and the seller needs to complete a second BM-10 for the motor.5Service Oklahoma. Boat or Outboard Motor Serial Number Confirmation
A trailer sold with the boat is a separately titled vehicle under Oklahoma law. The seller has to sign over the trailer’s certificate of title, and you have to transfer it into your name at the tag agency. If one bill of sale covers both, list the trailer’s VIN, make, and year on their own lines so the agent can process both transfers in the same visit.
Check for Liens Before You Pay
A bill of sale does not erase existing liens. If the seller still owes money on the boat and a lender is recorded on the title, that debt follows the vessel to you. Ask to see the physical title and look for a lienholder listed on it. A clean title shows no lien information.
Filing the Transfer and Paying the Tax
With the notarized bill of sale, the completed BM-10, and the title signed over by the seller, go to a Service Oklahoma office or a licensed Oklahoma tag agent. You have 30 days from the purchase date to transfer the title, and missing that window triggers a late penalty.1Legal Information Institute. Oklahoma Administrative Code 260:135-7-14 – Title Transfers; Time Limitation
At filing, you pay excise tax of 3.25 percent on the value of the vessel, plus the title fee and the registration fee.2Justia. Oklahoma Code 63-4103 – Excise Tax Because boats and outboard motors over 10 horsepower are titled separately, excise tax applies to each item on its own. Service Oklahoma then issues a new certificate of title in your name and registration decals for the hull.
Federally Documented Vessels
If the vessel is documented with the U.S. Coast Guard rather than state-titled, the Coast Guard uses its own bill of sale form (CG-1340), and a bill of sale that is not filed with the National Vessel Documentation Center is invalid against anyone except the seller or someone who already knew about the sale.6U.S. Coast Guard. Bill of Sale Federal documentation does not exempt you from state registration: Oklahoma still requires the vessel to be registered with the state for use on Oklahoma waters.7Legal Information Institute. Oklahoma Administrative Code 670:20-1-7 – Registration Generally Required