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A jet ski bill of sale is a signed receipt for a watercraft. It names the buyer and seller, the price, the date and the hull identification number (HIN). Sellers and buyers of a used jet ski need one, especially when the buyer registers or titles it.
Key facts
A jet ski bill of sale is a written record of a personal watercraft sale, signed by the seller and the buyer on the day the jet ski changes hands. The form is also called a PWC bill of sale or a personal watercraft bill of sale.
The bill of sale protects both sides. The seller holds proof of the date the jet ski left their hands and of the price agreed. The buyer holds proof of where the jet ski came from, which the registering agency often asks to see.
The bill of sale differs from a purchase agreement. A purchase agreement sets the terms before the sale, such as a deposit or an inspection date. The bill of sale confirms the sale once the money is paid.
A signed bill of sale does two jobs:
| Document Name | Jet Ski Bill of Sale Form |
| Other Names | PWC Bill of Sale, Personal Watercraft Bill of Sale |
| Avg. Time to Fill Out | 12 minutes |
| # of Fillable Fields | 63 |
| Available Formats | Adobe PDF, Microsoft Word |
A jet ski bill of sale is asked for by many boat registration agencies, often only in certain cases, such as a boat from a state that does not title. The table lists states where an official source FormsPal checked names a bill of sale for a boat or watercraft sale, with the case it applies to.
| State | When the agency or statute asks for a bill of sale | Source |
|---|---|---|
| California | Before the department issues a certificate of ownership: a statement in writing, signed by the transferee or transferor, showing the date of sale, the seller's and buyer's names and addresses, and the total consideration. | California Vehicle Code section 9903(a) |
| Connecticut | When the buyer applies for the vessel: the bill of sale is evidence of the amount paid. | Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles, Form B-148 (Rev. 4-2022), Application for Vessel Registration, Certificate of Number Decal and/or Title |
| District of Columbia | When no certificate of origin or title applies: a bill of sale or other record that identifies the applicant as owner to the harbor master. | D.C. Code ch. 15B (Uniform Certificate of Title for Vessels), §§ 50-1541.06, 50-1541.16 |
| Delaware | When a vessel is sold: the seller completes a notarized bill of sale with a full description of the vessel. | Delaware DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife, Vessel Registration Application (Revised 08/22), Instructions, Used Vessel |
| Florida | When the buyer titles the vessel: a bill of sale that shows the purchase of the boat, the trailer or both. | Florida vessel bill of sale |
| Georgia | When the buyer registers the vessel: a copy of the bill of sale from the previous owner of record, with vessel, buyer and seller details. | Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division, GA Vessel Registration / Title Application (Rev. 07-01-2026), Required Documents, Transfer of Ownership for a GA Registered Vessel |
| Hawaii | Only if there is no certificate of title and the vessel was not a documented or foreign documented vessel: a certificate of origin, bill of sale or other record that identifies the applicant as the owner. | Haw. Rev. Stat. § 200A-7(d)(2)(C) |
| Idaho | When the buyer applies for a certificate of number: the bill of sale from the dealer or the previous owner; if no listed ownership document exists, an affidavit of ownership may stand in. | Idaho Code § 67-7008(22) |
| Illinois | When the buyer registers the watercraft: the bill of sale or purchase agreement, uploaded with the other documents. | Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Watercraft Frequently Asked Questions |
| Indiana | Only if the boat was exempt from the title requirements before July 1, 2016 or January 1, 2021: the seller provides a bill of sale to the purchaser. | Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles, Titles for Watercraft and Non-Traditional Vehicles |
| Kentucky | When the motorboat is new, or was last registered in another state (then with the previous registration receipt); a motorboat last registered in Kentucky goes with the owner's registration receipt instead. | KRS 235.050(1) (Application for title and registration, accompanying documents) |
| Louisiana | When the buyer titles and registers the boat: a bill of sale with the Louisiana registration number, the HIN and the signatures of seller and purchaser. | Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Boat Registration and Boat/Motor Title Application (Revised 02.2026), Transfer of Ownership instructions |
| Maryland | Only if the purchaser's name, sale date or price is missing from the assignment of title: an original certified or notarized bill of sale. | Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Boat Registration, What documents will I need |
| Missouri | Only if the purchase price is not on the assigned ownership document: a bill of sale showing the full purchase price. | Missouri Department of Revenue, Titling and Registering a Boat, Vessel or Outboard Motor |
| Mississippi | When the boat was bought from an individual who registered or titled it in Mississippi: a witnessed or notarized bill of sale. | Miss. Dept. of Wildlife, Fisheries & Parks, Boat Registration & Renewal |
| North Dakota | When ownership changes: a bill of sale listing the boat, motor and trailer, with name, address, signature and date. | North Dakota Game and Fish Department, NDGF Help Center |
| New Jersey | Only if the boat comes from a state that does not title: the seller's registration with a notarized bill of sale. | New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission, Titling and Registering a Boat |
| New York | When the boat was bought in a private sale, from a store, a yacht broker or a dealer. | New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, Form MV-821B, How to Register and Title a Boat |
| Ohio | Only in a casual sale, for the buyer to operate the watercraft without a certificate of title for a period not exceeding sixty days: a notarized bill of sale. | Ohio Revised Code Section 1548.03 |
| Oklahoma | Only when the boat comes from a state that does not title or register. | Service Oklahoma, Boats & Motors |
| Oregon | Only for an out-of-state boat from a state that does not title boats. | Oregon State Marine Board, Title and Registration FAQs |
| Pennsylvania | When the boat was never registered or titled in Pennsylvania: names and addresses of seller and purchaser, location, date of sale, description and HIN. | Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, Title a Boat |
| Rhode Island | When a used boat is sold: the seller's signature on the bill of sale or gift statement is notarized. | Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, Office of Boat Registration & Licensing, Boat Registration Requirements |
| South Dakota | When the buyer applies for a boat: the bill of sale goes with the title or other ownership document and the fee. | S.D. Codified Laws § 32-3A-21 |
| Tennessee | When the boat was bought from an individual: a complete bill of sale, taken to the county clerk. | Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, Boating: County Clerk Requirements |
| Texas | For every transfer of ownership, unless an invoice is used instead: a signed bill of sale. | Texas vessel bill of sale |
| Virginia | When the watercraft was never registered or titled in Virginia or any other state: a bill of sale signed and dated by the seller(s). | Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, Watercraft Registration, Titling, and Sales Tax Requirements |
| Vermont | When a motorboat is registered in Vermont for the first time: a bill of sale for sales tax purposes. | Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles, Registering Your Motorboat |
| West Virginia | Only if the purchase price is less than 50% of book value: a notarized bill of sale. | West Virginia DMV, Motorboats |
| Wisconsin | The DNR does not ask for a bill of sale, though it may be needed for tax purposes. | Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Checklist for Selling a Used Boat with Wisconsin Registration (r. 5/21) |
For a state not in the table, ask the agency that registers the jet ski which ownership papers it accepts. Everywhere, the bill of sale is the buyer's proof of where the jet ski came from.
Rules differ from place to place. Before you sell, check the requirements of the agency that registers your jet ski.
A jet ski bill of sale lists the parties, the watercraft, the price and the date, and the signatures that tie them together. The form groups these into five parts:
Pennsylvania shows how detailed an agency list can be: for a boat never registered or titled in Pennsylvania, the bill of sale or invoice gives the names and addresses of the seller and purchaser, the location, the date of sale, a description of the boat and its HIN (Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, Title a Boat).
The HIN is the identification number molded into the hull, the jet ski's counterpart to a car's VIN. The bill of sale uses it to match the paper to the craft. In Louisiana, the bill of sale carries the Louisiana registration number, the HIN and the signatures of seller and purchaser (Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Boat Registration and Boat/Motor Title Application (Revised 02.2026), Transfer of Ownership instructions).
Copy the hull identification number (HIN) straight from the jet ski, not from old paperwork. A single wrong digit makes the bill of sale hard to match to the vessel.
One bill of sale can cover the jet ski, its engine and its trailer when they are sold together. List each item with its own serial or identification number and say whether the price covers all of them. In North Dakota, the bill of sale lists the boat, motor and trailer, with name, address, signature and date (North Dakota Game and Fish Department, NDGF Help Center).
A jet ski bill of sale is filled out in seven steps, from the date to the signatures, ideally with both parties and the jet ski present. Use the agency's own form instead when the agency that registers the jet ski publishes one.
The form offers three ways to pay. Pick one:
The form then asks for the payment type (cash, check, cashier's check or money order) and whether the price includes all applicable taxes.
The standard terms confirm the seller's right to sell. The seller states that they own the jet ski, that no liens remain on it, and that the details on the form are true, accurate and complete to the best of their knowledge.
The "as is" clause means the seller gives no warranty and is not liable for repairs after the transfer. The buyer inspects the jet ski before signing, since the clause leaves defects with the buyer.
A jet ski bill of sale needs a notary only where the agency or statute asks for one, and several of those rules apply only in certain cases. The table lists notarizing or witnessing rules for a boat bill of sale in the official sources FormsPal checked.
| State | What is notarized or witnessed | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Delaware | Notarized bill of sale, when a vessel is sold. | Delaware DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife, Vessel Registration Application (Revised 08/22), Instructions, Used Vessel |
| Maryland | Certified or notarized bill of sale, only if the purchaser's name, sale date or price is missing from the title assignment. | Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Boat Registration |
| Mississippi | Witnessed or notarized bill of sale, when bought from an individual who registered or titled the boat in Mississippi. | Miss. Dept. of Wildlife, Fisheries & Parks, Boat Registration & Renewal |
| New Jersey | Notarized bill of sale, only if the boat comes from a state that does not title. | New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission, Titling and Registering a Boat |
| Ohio | Notarized bill of sale in a private sale, when the buyer operates the watercraft for up to 60 days before the title is issued. | Ohio Revised Code Section 1548.03 |
| Rhode Island | Seller's signature notarized on the bill of sale or gift statement, when a used boat is sold. | Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, Office of Boat Registration & Licensing, Boat Registration Requirements |
| West Virginia | Notarized bill of sale, only if the price is less than 50% of book value. | West Virginia DMV Motorboats |
| Georgia | No: a bill of sale does not have to be witnessed or notarized, although either is acceptable. | Ga. DNR Wildlife Resources Division; Boat Registration |
Where no rule applies, a notary stamp still adds proof that the seller signed. The buyer keeps the original bill of sale for the title change, and the seller keeps a signed copy or a second original.
A private jet ski sale runs on the bill of sale, the title and the registration, handed over together when the buyer pays. These steps cover a private sale from listing to handover:
A jet ski with a title needs a title transfer after every sale where the state titles that craft: the seller signs the title over, and the buyer applies for a new one. The bill of sale goes with the application as proof of the price and the date.
The title is the official ownership document that the agency issues, while the bill of sale is the record the two parties make of their sale. Keep both when you sell or buy. A bill of sale alone does not put the jet ski in the buyer's name.
Whether a jet ski needs a title depends on its length, its model year or where it is kept, and each state draws the line in its own place. The table lists each threshold in the official sources FormsPal checked.
| State | Which watercraft need a title | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Only a vessel completed after December 31, 2023, with Alabama as the state of principal use, unless exempted. | Ala. Admin. Code 810-5-75-.01 |
| Iowa | Only a vessel 17 feet or longer, principally used on Iowa waters. | Iowa Code §462A.77(1) |
| Idaho | Every 2000 and newer model year vessel, upon transfer of ownership; older ones only by choice. | Idaho Code § 67-7040(1) |
| Indiana | All watercraft, when the owner is an Indiana resident. | Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles, Titles for Watercraft and Non-Traditional Vehicles (Watercraft Titles) |
| Minnesota | Only if the watercraft is kept in Minnesota for more than 90 consecutive days. | Minn. Stat. § 86B.825 |
| Wisconsin | Not a boat, if it is less than 16 feet in length: it is exempt from the title requirements. | Wis. Stat. § 30.531(3)(b) |
The sale starts two clocks: the seller's notice and the buyer's title application. Each row gives the deadline, who acts and the case it applies to, as the cited source states it. You can count the days with a deadline calculator.
| State | Who acts and by when | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Arizona | Seller: notice within 15 days, when the motorized watercraft is numbered in Arizona. | A.R.S. § 5-321(J) |
| California | Seller: notice within 5 calendar days, when the undocumented vessel is numbered in California. | California Vehicle Code section 9911 |
| District of Columbia | Buyer: title application not later than 20 days after the later of the transfer date or the date the District becomes the state of principal use. | D.C. Code § 50-1541.05(a) |
| Delaware | Seller: notice within 15 days if the vessel is sold. | Delaware DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife, Vessel Registration Application (Revised 08/22), owner certification |
| Florida | Buyer: title application not later than 30 days after the later of the transfer date and the other dates the section lists, when Florida is the state of principal use. | Florida Statutes § 328.03(1) (2026) |
| Hawaii | Buyer: title application no later than 20 days after the later of the transfer date or the date Hawaii becomes the state of principal use. | Haw. Rev. Stat. § 200A-6(b) |
| Idaho | Seller: notice within 15 days if the vessel is sold or transferred. | Idaho Code § 67-7008(5) |
| Idaho | Buyer: title application within 30 calendar days after delivery, in all cases of transfer. | Idaho Code § 49-504(5), applied to vessels by Idaho Code § 67-7039(3) |
| Indiana | Buyer: title application within 45 days after the date of purchase, or an administrative penalty applies. | Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles, Titles for Watercraft and Non-Traditional Vehicles (Watercraft Titles) |
| Kansas | Seller: notice within 15 days, when the vessel is numbered in Kansas. | K.S.A. 32-1111(i) |
| Missouri | Buyer: title application within 60 days after the vessel is acquired or brought into Missouri. | RSMo 306.015.2 |
| Nebraska | Buyer: title application within 30 days after delivery, when the motorboat needs a certificate of title. | Neb. Rev. Stat. § 37-1278 |
| New Hampshire | Seller: written notice within 15 days of the transfer, when the vessel is registered in New Hampshire. | N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 270-E:10 (Notice of Transfer; Destruction or Abandonment) |
| New Mexico | Buyer: title application within 30 days after acquisition, when the boat is subject to titling. | NMSA 1978, § 66-12-5.2(A) |
| North Dakota | Seller: change of ownership reported within 15 days, when the boat is sold. | North Dakota Game and Fish Department, NDGF Help Center |
| Oregon | Seller: notice within 30 days, when the boat has an Oregon identifying number. | ORS 830.710(1) |
| Oregon | Buyer: certificate and fee to the State Marine Board within 10 days after the transfer, when a certificate is held. | ORS 830.750(1) |
| Rhode Island | Seller: notice within 15 days, when the motorboat is numbered in Rhode Island. | R.I. Gen. Laws § 46-22-4(g) |
| Rhode Island | Buyer: title application within 30 days after taking possession, when the vessel is subject to titling. | R.I. Gen. Laws § 46-22.1-3(f) |
| South Carolina | Seller: notice within 30 days, when the watercraft is titled in South Carolina. | South Carolina Code of Laws, Section 50-23-20 |
| South Carolina | Buyer: title application within 30 days after delivery. | South Carolina Code of Laws, Section 50-23-120(b) |
| Texas | Seller: notice not later than the 20th day after the transfer by sale, donation, gift or other means. | Tex. Parks and Wildlife Code Sec. 31.045(e) |
| Texas | Buyer: title application not later than the 45th day after the date of the sale. | Tex. Parks and Wildlife Code Sec. 31.046(a) |
| Virginia | Seller: notice within 15 days, when the motorboat is numbered in Virginia. | Code of Virginia § 29.1-708 |
| Virginia | Buyer: title application not later than 20 days after the later of the transfer date and the other dates the section lists, when Virginia is the state of principal use. | Code of Virginia § 29.1-733.6(A) |
| Washington | Seller: written notice within five business days after the vessel is sold. | RCW 88.02.370(1) |
| Washington | Buyer: new title application within fifteen days of purchase, when the buyer obtains majority ownership. | RCW 88.02.510(2) |
A jet ski with a loan on it changes hands cleanly only after the lienholder releases the lien, so the seller pays off the loan and gets the release before the sale. The bill of sale's lien statement says no liens remain, which is only true once the release is signed.
| State | What the lien rule says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Maryland | An original lien release, if the seller's title shows a recorded lien. | Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Boat Registration |
| Idaho | A lien release from any past lienholder, if that party's name is not on the title application. | Idaho Transportation Department, Titling Vessels in Idaho (fact sheet), Titling Requirements, 3. Release(s) of Interest |
| Texas | A release of lien, when the record shows a recorded lien. | Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Transfer of Boat/Outboard Motor with existing Title and/or Registration through TPWD (PWD LF A0900-1105 (01/26)), Description of Required Documents: Release of Lien |
| Texas | The release form's signature is notarized; forms without a notary are not accepted. | Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Form PWD 231, Release of Lien for Vessel/Outboard Motor (PWD 231 A0900 (5/25)) |
| Missouri | A notarized lien release, if applicable. | Missouri Department of Revenue, Boat/Vessel/Outboard Motor Titling and Registration: Missouri Resident Titling and Registration Requirements |
| Vermont | All liens released, when the motorboat is registered. | Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles, Registering Your Motorboat |
| South Dakota | The lien holder executes a release within twenty days after the final payment, if a lien is discharged. | S.D. Codified Laws ch. 32-3A |
A PWC bill of sale is the same document as a jet ski bill of sale: PWC stands for personal watercraft, the general name for jet skis and similar craft. The form and its fields are the same.
In Ohio, a buyer may take possession of and operate a watercraft for up to 60 days before the title is obtained, if the bill of sale is notarized in a casual (private) sale or dated in a dealer sale (Ohio Revised Code Section 1548.03). Elsewhere, ask the registering agency before the first ride.
Yes, a gift is still a transfer: the form records it with the gift option and no price. In Texas, the recorded owner notifies the department not later than the 20th day after a transfer by sale, donation or gift (Tex. Parks and Wildlife Code Sec. 31.045(e)).
The buyer keeps the original, since the title application uses it. The seller keeps a copy, or both sign two identical originals.
Yes, you can print the blank form and complete it by hand, or fill it in online first and then print the finished copy.
General information, not legal or tax advice.
