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An Arkansas boat bill of sale is a written record that a boat changed hands from a seller to a buyer. It names both parties, describes the boat and states the price. The buyer still has to apply for a new certificate of title after the sale.[1.2] Use the free template below to build one online or download the PDF.
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A boat bill of sale is signed by the buyer and the seller when a boat changes owners, and it also works as a receipt for both sides. The Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration says it must describe the boat, state the amount of sale, be dated and be signed by the buyer and seller.[2] The table shows each item and where it sits on the FormsPal template. For other kinds of sales, see our boat bill of sale guide.
| Item | What Arkansas says | Where it is on the template |
| Boat description | Hull identification number, year, make and horsepower | Section 3, Boat or Watercraft Description |
| Amount of sale | The amount of sale | Section 4, Purchase Date, Purchase Price and Method |
| Date | The bill of sale is dated | The date line on page 1 and the purchase date in section 4 |
| Signatures | Signed by the buyer and seller | Section 6, Signatures |
Build the Arkansas boat bill of sale template online, or download the printable PDF and fill it in by hand. More options are in our Arkansas bill of sale forms. For a general overview, read this article on how a bill of sale works.
Buying a boat in Arkansas leaves the new owner with two jobs, registering the boat and getting a title in the owner's name. Each job has its own deadline, so the buyer should plan for both from the day of the sale. Boats propelled by sail or motor, including trolling motors, must be registered when they are operated on public waters. The only exceptions are vessels not propelled by an engine or by sail, vessels properly registered in another state and used on Arkansas waters for 90 or fewer consecutive days, and vessels documented by the U.S. Coast Guard. After a boat sale, the buyer must apply for the boat's registration within 30 days of the date of purchase, at any state revenue office.[2] The registration application needs proof of ownership, which is the current registration or a bill of sale, and proof that the personal property taxes due by the previous October 10th have been paid.[2.1] Registration also needs proof of liability insurance for all personal watercraft and for motorboats powered by engines of more than 50 horsepower. The policy must be issued by an insurance company authorized to do business in Arkansas and must provide at least $50,000 of liability coverage per occurrence.[2]
The buyer must also apply for a certificate of title. That application is due within 30 days after the date of the transfer when no lien exists.[1.1] You can count the days with our deadline calculator.
To get the new title, the buyer does these things at the same time:[1.2]
To fill out an Arkansas boat bill of sale, work through the 14 parts of the FormsPal template from top to bottom. Use the online builder above, or download the PDF and complete it in the PDF editor before you print and sign it. Each step names the part of the template and shows where the answer goes.
The screenshots under each step show the FormsPal Arkansas boat bill of sale template filled with sample entries in blue, so you can see where each answer goes. The names, addresses, dates and amounts are examples only.
Arkansas sets a 30-day deadline to apply for a boat's registration, counted from the date of purchase. The state's motor boat registration page also lists what a bill of sale must contain: the boat description, the amount of sale, the date and both signatures.[2]
The Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration says a boat bill of sale must be signed by the buyer and seller. It must also describe the boat, state the amount of sale and be dated.[2]
Arkansas has no statute that requires a bill of sale for a boat sale.
The owner of a motorboat that requires registration must apply for the registration within 30 days of the date of purchase.[2]
General information, not legal or tax advice.
