California bill of sale — watercraft · sold as-is

California Bill of Sale of Watercraft (Sold “As-Is” — No Warranty of Condition)

Download the California as-is boat bill of sale — no condition warranty, with the seller’s ownership warranties intact — with hull, motor, and trailer fields, plus the California Instructions & Rider with title or registration steps, tax rules, and official-form links.

Attorney-drafted fillable Word form
California Instructions & Rider included
Completed sample available
Instant secure download

Looking for a different bill of sale? This page is the California watercraft kit (sold as-is).

California — warranty version California — Personal Property bill of sale California — Motor Vehicle bill of sale All states — As-Is Boat Bill of Sale

What’s in your California kit

Every file below is included in your download: two editable Word documents you can complete on your own device — the bill of sale and the state-specific Instructions & Rider researched for California.

Included documents

California Bill of Sale of Watercraft (Sold “As-Is” — No Warranty of Condition) Core sale document — fillable and printable Word (.docx)
California Instructions & Rider State transfer steps, tax and gift rules, notary guidance, and how a seller-financed lien is noted or filed Word (.docx)

The California Instructions & Rider covers

1. What's in your kit
2. Official forms
3. After the sale: title & registration
4. Taxes and gifts
5. Recording a lien
6. Signing and notarizing
7. Warranty notes
8. Special wrinkles
9. Legal notes & citations
10. Related PublicLegal forms

Official California resources

Linked from your rider with step-by-step context — the agency forms and pages this sale actually uses.

dmv.ca.gov/portal/uploads/2020/06/reg135.pdf

About this form

This California form documents a private-party sale of a vessel sold “as is,” with no warranties of condition — the buyer accepts the vessel in its current condition after the opportunity to inspect, while the seller still confirms ownership and the right to sell.

Your download includes the fillable Word document and the California Instructions & Rider.
The rider walks through the transfer with the California DMV (California titles undocumented vessels).
Transfer: the seller’s 5-day REG 138 notice — required by law (§ 9911) — and the buyer’s timely registration (a 10% use-tax penalty accrues if registration and use-tax fees are unpaid within 30 days).
Tax: the use tax the buyer remits to DMV at transfer, at the rate for the vessel’s mooring or principal-use location (RTC §§ 6292, 6294).
Lien: recording the seller-lender as legal owner on the DMV vessel title record (§ 9920) — a UCC-1 is not a substitute (the narrow § 9873 untitled-craft class excepted).
Plus links to official California resources.
The DMV’s free REG 135 also covers vessels — the rider links it; this form adds the as-is treatment, payment terms, and financing stack it does not carry.

For a seller-financed sale, pair this bill of sale with our Promissory Note (Secured) and Security Agreement; the rider explains the lien-recording steps. Fillable fields work best in Microsoft Word.

Preview the actual form

The real document text — not a mockup. Fill-in blanks show as highlighted fields.

Get This Kit — $9.99

California Bill of Sale of Watercraft
(Sold “As-Is” — No Warranty of Condition)

STATE OF CALIFORNIA,  COUNTY OF
BOAT LOCATED IN COUNTY OF ,  STATE OF CALIFORNIA
1. DATE OF SALE AND PARTIES.  This Bill of Sale is made and takes effect on  (the “Date of Sale”), by and between:
The Date of Sale matters — the title-application, registration, and tax deadlines in your state instructions run from this date.
SELLER — FULL LEGAL NAME   STREET ADDRESS   CITY, STATE, ZIP   COUNTY OF RESIDENCE   DRIVER’S LICENSE / ID NO. (OPTIONAL)    |   BUYER — FULL LEGAL NAME   STREET ADDRESS   CITY, STATE, ZIP   COUNTY OF RESIDENCE   DRIVER’S LICENSE / ID NO. (OPTIONAL)
Seller and Buyer are each referred to as a “Party” and together as the “Parties.”
2. BOAT / VESSEL, MOTOR, AND TRAILER SOLD.  Seller sells, transfers, and conveys to Buyer the following boat or vessel (the “Boat”), together with any outboard motor(s), trailer, and equipment described in this Bill of Sale as included in this sale (collectively with the Boat, the “Sold Assets”):
YEAR    MAKE    MODEL    LENGTH (FT.)    HULL ID NO. (HIN)    GENERAL BOAT TYPE    REG. / DOC. NO.    TITLE NO. (IF ANY)
The HIN is the 12-character hull identification number on the transom. If the vessel is documented with the U.S. Coast Guard, also complete U.S. Coast Guard Form CG-1340 (Bill of Sale) for recording at the National Vessel Documentation Center — this Bill of Sale is the parties’ sale contract and does not replace the federal recording form. See the included instructions.
☐ Outboard motor(s) included in this sale (check one):  ☐ None    ☐ As described below:
MOTOR MAKE    MODEL / YEAR    SERIAL NO.    HORSEPOWER / HOURS
Many states title or register outboard motors separately from the hull — see your state instructions.
☐ Trailer (check one):  ☐ None    ☐ Included in this sale
TRAILER MAKE    MODEL / YEAR    TRAILER VIN / SERIAL    LICENSE PLATE NO.
Trailers are usually titled and registered by the motor-vehicle agency, not the boating agency — see your state instructions. To sell a trailer apart from the boat, use a motor-vehicle bill of sale for the trailer.
3. ENGINE AND EQUIPMENT DESCRIPTION (OPTIONAL).  Engine(s) (inboard): describe make, model, year, type, hours, and serial numbers, if any:

Equipment included in this sale (deck equipment, electronics, navigation equipment, safety equipment, sails and rigging):

4. PURCHASE PRICE AND PAYMENT.  The Parties agree to the following consideration (check ONE):
☐ Paid in full. Seller acknowledges receipt of the total purchase price of $ (the “Purchase Price”) from Buyer on or before the Date of Sale.
☐ Down payment and promissory note (seller financing). Seller acknowledges receipt of a down payment of $, and Buyer agrees to pay the remaining balance of $ (together, the “Purchase Price”) according to a separate promissory note signed by Buyer and dated .
☐ Gift. The Sold Assets are transferred as a gift for no monetary consideration. Relationship of Buyer to Seller (if any): .
Gift transfers can change tax and title paperwork — see your state instructions before choosing the gift lane.
Optional price allocation (some states tax, title, or register the boat, motor, and trailer separately — see your state instructions):
BOAT $    MOTOR(S) $    TRAILER $
Seller’s lien (seller financing only). If the seller-financing option is selected, Buyer grants Seller a purchase-money security interest in the Sold Assets to secure payment of the unpaid balance evidenced by the promissory note described above; when Buyer signs this Bill of Sale, it also serves as the security agreement for that security interest under the Uniform Commercial Code (the Parties may also sign a separate security agreement with additional terms). Title to the Boat (or, where the Boat is not titled, ownership of the Sold Assets) transfers to Buyer at delivery. Seller’s lien will be recorded by the method described in the included state instructions — for a titled boat, motor, or trailer, by noting Seller as lienholder on the certificate of title. When the note is paid off, Seller will sign any required lien release and deliver it to Buyer promptly.
5. TRANSFER.  For the consideration stated above (or, if the gift option is selected, for no monetary consideration), Seller sells, transfers, and conveys the Sold Assets to Buyer and Buyer’s successors and assigns.
Seller will deliver to Buyer, on the Date of Sale (or on the following date, if the Parties agree: ): (a) possession of the Sold Assets; (b) the certificate(s) of title for the Boat, motor, and trailer, each signed to transfer ownership to Buyer (for any of the Sold Assets that are titled); and (c) all keys, fobs, and registration documents for the Sold Assets in Seller’s possession.
6. WARRANTY OF TITLE.  Seller warrants that Seller is the true and lawful owner of the Sold Assets and has the right to sell them; that, except as disclosed in this Bill of Sale, the Sold Assets are free and clear of all liens, security interests, encumbrances, claims, and demands of every kind; and that Seller will warrant and defend title to the Sold Assets to Buyer against every person lawfully claiming them.
☐ Existing liens or encumbrances held by third parties and disclosed by Seller (check one):   ☐ None   ☐ As follows:
Disclose any existing third-party lien above and pay it off at or before delivery (your state instructions describe the payoff-and-release procedure). Selling the Sold Assets with an undisclosed lien breaches the warranty in this section. A seller-financing lien created by the payment section above is not a defect in title.
7. CONDITION — SOLD “AS IS”.  Known defects. Seller discloses the following known defects, if any, in the Sold Assets (list all known defects; write “None” if none; attach another page if needed):

AS-IS DISCLAIMER. EXCEPT FOR THE WARRANTY OF TITLE STATED ABOVE, THE SOLD ASSETS ARE SOLD “AS IS” AND “WITH ALL FAULTS.” SELLER MAKES NO OTHER WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING ANY IMPLIED WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY OR ANY IMPLIED WARRANTY OF FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. BUYER ACKNOWLEDGES THAT BUYER HAS INSPECTED THE SOLD ASSETS (OR HAS HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO INSPECT THEM) AND ACCEPTS THEM IN THEIR PRESENT CONDITION.
8. ADDITIONAL TERMS (OPTIONAL).  The Parties agree to the following additional terms, if any:

9. GOVERNING LAW.  This Bill of Sale is governed by the laws of the State of California, without regard to conflict-of-laws rules.
10. SIGNATURES.  The Parties are signing this Bill of Sale on the Date of Sale first written above (or on the date written next to each signature). Every owner listed on the current title or ownership records must sign — additional sellers or buyers sign in the Additional Terms section or on a duplicate original.
Each party should sign two identical originals and keep one. The buyer will need this Bill of Sale — and, where the boat, motor, or trailer is titled, the signed title assignment(s) — to register or title the Sold Assets. See your state instructions.
SIGNATURE OF SELLER   PRINTED NAME OF SELLER   DATE SIGNED   |   SIGNATURE OF BUYER   PRINTED NAME OF BUYER   DATE SIGNED
11. NOTARY ACKNOWLEDGMENT (OPTIONAL UNLESS REQUIRED).
Most states do not require a bill of sale to be notarized. A few require notarization of the title-assignment paperwork instead — see your state instructions before skipping this section.
STATE OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF .
On , before me, the undersigned notary public, personally appeared , known to me (or proved to me on satisfactory evidence) to be the person whose name is signed above as Seller, and acknowledged to me that they signed this Bill of Sale for the purposes stated in it.
WITNESS my hand and official seal.
NOTARY PUBLIC SIGNATURE   |   My commission expires:  [ Notarial seal ]

Fillable fields work best in Microsoft Word; the document also prints cleanly for pen completion.

100% satisfaction guarantee

ILRG provides self-help legal forms and download support. Attorney-drafted PublicLegal bill of sale forms are provided for you to complete with your own transaction information. Agency title, registration, tax, and recording requirements vary by state and transaction — your state Instructions & Rider lists the steps and official forms. If you are not 100 percent satisfied after purchasing from us, contact us for a refund.

Frequently Asked Questions About California Watercraft Bills of Sale

Do I need a bill of sale to register a boat in California?

Most states ask for a bill of sale when registering or titling a boat — but boat paperwork splits three ways: state-titled, registration-only, and USCG-documented (which uses federal form CG-1340). Your California Instructions & Rider tells you which lane your boat is in and links the right agency forms.

Does “as-is” remove all seller warranties?

No. The as-is form drops the condition warranty — the buyer accepts the item as it stands — but the seller’s ownership warranties remain: the seller still warrants they own the item, have the right to sell it, and that it is free of undisclosed liens. A few states limit as-is clauses for consumer goods; your California rider flags it where that applies.

What does this boat bill of sale record?

The hull identification number (HIN), year, make, model, length, and boat type; any included outboard motor and trailer with their own identification; registration, documentation, or title numbers; the price with an optional allocation between boat, motor, and trailer; the date of sale; warranties; and both parties’ signatures.

Who handles the title or registration and the taxes?

The buyer completes the title or registration with the California agency named in your rider and generally pays any tax due at that time. The rider gives the California rule, including gift treatment and the deadline that runs from the date of sale.

Can I use this kit when the seller finances the boat?

Yes. The instrument records the seller’s security interest in the boat, motor, trailer, and included equipment and can serve as the security agreement. Pair it with our Promissory Note (regular or balloon); a separate Security Agreement is optional if you want terms beyond this bill of sale. How the lien is recorded depends on your lane — title notation for titled vessels, a UCC-1 in registration-only states, or a preferred ship mortgage for documented vessels — and your California rider gives the steps for your lane.

Does this bill of sale complete the transfer by itself?

No — it is the parties’ sale contract and proof of the deal. The agency’s title or registration process (or the Coast Guard recording process for documented vessels) completes the transfer. Your California rider lists the forms, offices, fees, and deadlines.

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