How To Register A Boat And Trailer In Georgia

Boats are not issued titles in Georgia, however all watercraft must be properly registered in the state.

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The state of Georgia does not require boats to have titles. However, all watercraft operated on public waterways in the state must have a electric current registration from the Georgia Section of Natural Resources (DNR). Some vessels, like small sailboats and boats with no motorized propulsion, are exempt. When applying for a Georgia gunkhole registration, the state requires title as proof of ownership if the vessel comes from a championship state.

Vessels and Waterways in Georgia

Georgia requires vessels with motorized propulsion and sailboats over 12 feet long to have current registration when used on the "waters of this land." This term describes bodies of water within state boundaries, the waters next to Georgia, and on the body of water when traveling to or from Georgia.

A "vessel" is every type of watercraft used every bit transportation in Georgia, including inflatable rafts and bootleg watercraft. Seaplanes and sailboards are exempt from this definition. Not all vessels need a registration; certain watercraft are exempt:

Sailboats shorter than 12 anxiety long with no mechanical propulsion.
Vessels operated by paddling, poles or air current with no mechanical propulsion, such equally canoes, kayaks, rowboats and rubber rafts.
Boats used only on private lakes or ponds.

Types of Watercraft Registration in Georgia

In Georgia, there are three types of gunkhole registrations:

New Registration: A boat or watercraft that has never been registered with the Georgia Section of Natural Resources.
Renewal Registration: Renewal of Georgia registered boats with the same registration number and owner.
Transfer Registration: Occurs when a vessel changes easily. The current owner transfers the existing registration to the new owner'due south name.

Georgia Vessel Registration Dates

The new owner will get a new registration date, which is the terminal mean solar day of their month of birth during the terminal twelvemonth of the vessel's registration. New boat owners with unexpired registrations must employ to transfer the state registration into their proper noun, equally they cannot utilize the previous possessor'due south registration.

Vessel registrations final for 3 years in Georgia. They expire on the final 24-hour interval of the owner's nativity month in the final registration yr. When renewing a boat registration with a service centre operator, owners should signal whatsoever changes to their contact data. They can also annotation contact changes on their mailed renewal class.

Marine Toilets and Registration Fees

Owners of boats with marine toilets can send their Vessel Registration Application with the fee included to the address on the form or phone call 800-366-2661 and pay using a credit card. The state bases registration fees on boat length.

Boats greater than 16 anxiety long: $35.
Boats from 16 to under 26 feet long: $lxx.
Boats from 26 to nether twoscore anxiety long: $140.
Boats that are 40 feet in length and over: $210.
Duplicate Vessel Registration: $11.
Marine Toilet Certificate (with registration): $five.
Marine Toilet Certificate (without registration): $15.
Expired registration late fee for renewal: $ten.
All registration applications have transaction fees: $10 for filing applications via post, phone or online and $eight for renewals online.

A vessel with a marine toilet must accept a allow as well as a registration card. The DNR gives boat owners a decal to evidence they have a Marine Toilet Certificate, which must be affixed to the hull of their boat side by side to the registration number. The certificate is transferable to subsequent owners of the vessel.

Documents Needed to Annals a Vessel in Georgia

When registering a vessel or watercraft in Georgia, owners must prove that the boat is indeed theirs. All documents should include information almost the watercraft, such as its registration number, a hull ID number (HIN), length, make, yr and structure materials. These documents include:

Beak of sale.
Dealer's invoice.
Transferred championship to the new order, if the vessel comes from a title state.
Proof of a lottery prize, raffle, gift or donation, such as a argument of gift, a winner'south notification or other legal documents.
Divorce decree or proof of spousal transfer, such as a bill of sale or court society showing the vessel'due south transfer.
Legal documents showing the transfer from a deceased owner or an inheritance.
If the vessel is from a lien holder, repossession, or defalcation, the possessor must show a court order or other legal document giving the seller the authority to sell the vessel.
Insurance claim (proof can include the seller's bill of sale with a theft or loss report).
Pawn shop merits (proof can include the seller'south bill of sale with a pawn shop affidavit or ticket).

Submitting a Vessel Registration Application

When someone registers a boat online, the awarding does not require a signature. Instead, applicants check an electronic agreement box. If they register by phone, they can use their online business relationship to electronically verify the application or go a pre-printed awarding to sign. They tin also ask the DNR service desk for a concrete application.

When applying using their online customer business relationship, gunkhole owners can upload a photo or scanned epitome of their application to GoOutdoorsGeorgia.com. They can also email the application to: documents@GaBoat.com. The DNR allows owners to fax their documents to 678-515-9470 or mail them to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, PO Box 934943 Atlanta, GA 31193-4943.

Documents Requirements for Special Circumstances

Depending on the circumstances, the DNR may require boosted proof of ownership. For example, if a watercraft has a paper title, the one-time owner must transfer the original to the new possessor and go on a copy for themselves. If they cannot complete a transfer of the paper championship, they must file an Affidavit of Vessel Ownership.

An possessor of a new boat that has never had a registration must include the Manufacturer'due south Statement of Origin with their awarding and go on a re-create for themselves. An owner registering an out-of-state vessel must submit its title if it came from a title state, or registration card copy if it came from a non-title state.

Homemade watercraft that has never had a registration certificate requires an HIN number. If the vessel doesn't accept one, the DNR will physically inspect information technology before issuing a number. Owners tin request the inspection later applying and paying the registration fee, but they must be the vessel'south builder and continue it only for their their own use. Georgia does non allow for the transfer or sale of homemade watercraft to another owner.