A Minnesota boat bill of sale is a written document that records the sale of a boat from a seller to a buyer. It names both parties, describes the boat, and states the price, the date and how the buyer pays. It gives both sides written proof of the deal. For a titled boat, the buyer acquires no right in it until a certificate of title is issued.[1]
Last Updated: October 2026. This guide is reviewed and updated regularly to reflect current Minnesota law. If you notice an error or outdated information, please contact us.
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Minnesota has no statute that requires a bill of sale for a boat sale, and no statute that sets what a boat bill of sale must contain. The legislation that matters here concerns ownership documentation, which means the certificate of title. A person may not acquire a watercraft that needs a certificate of title without getting a certificate of title for it in the person's name.[1]
Minn. Stat. § 86B.825 and § 86B.870 add these rules for titled watercraft:
A watercraft used on the waters of the state must have a certificate of title if it is kept in the state for more than 90 consecutive days.
The owner of a device used or designed for navigation on water may obtain a certificate of title for it, even if the statute does not define it as a watercraft.[1]
If a lienholder has a security interest noted on a certificate of title, that interest needs a subsequent release or satisfaction.[2]
The statute states the seller's duty in these words:
A person may not sell or otherwise transfer a titled watercraft without delivering to the person acquiring the watercraft a certificate of title with an assignment on it to show title in the person acquiring the watercraft.
In plain words, when a boat has a certificate of title, the seller must sign the title over to the buyer and deliver it. A signed bill of sale documents the transaction alongside the title.
Buyers, note this. For a boat that must have a certificate of title, you do not acquire a right, title, claim, or interest in it. That changes only when a certificate of title is issued to you or you receive a manufacturer's or importer's certificate.[1]
Hand the buyer the signed original and keep a copy for yourself. Both sides then hold the same record of the sale.
Minnesota charges a fee to issue a watercraft certificate of title and a fee to transfer one to a new owner, plus a filing fee on every title application. Check the current amounts when you apply.[2]
Download a Free Minnesota Boat Bill of Sale Form
The FormsPal template covers the date, the seller and buyer, the boat, any trailer and motors, the price, how it is paid, taxes and signatures. Create it online with the builder above, or download the PDF and fill it in with our online PDF editor. Print two copies so each side keeps one.
Create a free high-quality Minnesota Boat Bill of Sale online now!
What the Minnesota Boat Bill of Sale Template Covers
The FormsPal template is a four-page PDF. It collects the information that a written record of a boat transaction usually requires, and it leaves room for a trailer and two motors. Here is what each part asks for before you begin completing it.
Seller and buyer: name, street address, city, state and zip code, telephone number and email address.
The boat: make, year, color, title number, hull identification number, hours and value.
A trailer, if one is sold: make, license plate number, color, VIN, year and value.
Up to two motors: make, horsepower, serial number and value.
The price: one payment, or a deposit with a balance due later, or a gift, plus the payment method.
Taxes: a box that states whether taxes are included in the price.
Signatures: seller, buyer and a witness line, followed by an acknowledgment page.
The template also records that the seller owns the boat and that no liens or encumbrances are listed on it. It states that the sale is made as is, with no express or implied warranties.
How to Fill Out the Minnesota Boat Bill of Sale
Fill out the template from top to bottom, in the order of its parts. Pages 1 to 3 hold the bill of sale, and page 4 holds the acknowledgment block for a notary or other officer. Each step below matches one part of the form.
The screenshots under each step show the FormsPal Minnesota 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.
Date of the bill of sale: Write the date of the bill of sale on the DATE line at the top of page 1.Step 1: sample entries, not a real document.
1. Seller's Information: Enter the seller's name, street address, city, state and zip code, telephone number and email address.Step 2: sample entries, not a real document.
2. Buyer's Information: Enter the buyer's name, street address, city, state and zip code, telephone number and email address.Step 3: sample entries, not a real document.
3. Boat or Watercraft Description: names: Repeat the seller's name and the buyer's name on the two lines of the sentence that starts Section 3.Step 4: sample entries, not a real document.
Boat: make, title number, year, color and HIN: Tick the Boat box, then fill in the make, title number, year, color and Hull Identification Number (HIN).Step 5: sample entries, not a real document.
Boat: odometer hours and value: Enter the odometer reading in hours and the boat's value in U.S. dollars.Step 6: sample entries, not a real document.
Trailer and motors: If the trailer is part of the sale, tick Trailer and enter make, license plate number, color, VIN, year and value. For each motor sold, tick a Motor box and enter make, horsepower, serial number and value. The form has room for two.Step 7: sample entries, not a real document.
4. Purchase Date, Purchase Price and Method: Write the purchase date and the total purchase price in U.S. dollars.Step 8: sample entries, not a real document.
How the price is to be paid: Tick one option: all at once on the purchase date, a deposit with the balance due later, or a gift with no consideration paid. For a deposit, enter the deposit amount, the deposit date and the date the balance is due.Step 9: sample entries, not a real document.
Payment method (select one): Select Cash, Check, Cashier's check or Money Order. If you pick Check, write the check number in the space provided.Step 10: sample entries, not a real document.
Taxes: Tick whether the applicable taxes are included in the purchase price or are not included.Step 11: sample entries, not a real document.
6. Signatures: Read Section 5 on the same page, then have the seller and the buyer each sign, print their name and date their line. The form also has a Witness line with a printed name and date for anyone who watches the signing.Step 12: sample entries, not a real document.
Acknowledgment: county, date and names: Page 4 is the acknowledgment, which is signed before a notary or other officer. Fill in the county, the date, the officer's name and title, and the name of the person who appeared before the officer.Step 13: sample entries, not a real document.
Notary signature and seal: The notary or officer signs on the Signature line and adds the seal where the form shows (seal).Step 14: sample entries, not a real document.
Tips for a Smooth Boat Sale
These are general habits, not legal requirements. They help both sides agree on exactly what is changing hands in the state of Minnesota. That keeps the bill of sale accurate and the handover calm for the seller, the buyer and anyone who watches the signing.
Check that the hull identification number on the vessel matches the identification written on the form.
List the trailer and each motor separately, so the form shows what was sold with the boat.
Agree on the price and the payment method before the day of the sale.
Sign in the same place, then make copies so each side leaves with the same record.
Take dated photos of the vessel, trailer and motors on the day of the sale, so the description on the form matches what changes hands.
Keep the signed original and every receipt with the other papers for the boat, such as the certificate of title if the boat has one.
A bill of sale does not replace the other steps in a boat sale. Because a state can change its statutes, read the current text of the statutes linked in the Sources before you rely on this page.
Frequently Asked Questions
These answers cover how a boat changes hands in Minnesota and which papers the title law calls for. Both questions come down to the certificate of title, so the answers lean on the same statute.
How do I transfer ownership of a boat in Minnesota?
For a boat that has a certificate of title, the seller must deliver the title to the buyer with an assignment on it to show title in the buyer. The buyer does not acquire a right, title, claim, or interest in the boat until a certificate of title is issued to the buyer.[1]
What paperwork do I need to sell my boat in Minnesota?
If the boat has a certificate of title, you need that title, with an assignment on it to show title in the person acquiring the boat. A person may not sell or transfer a titled watercraft without delivering it.[1] A bill of sale records the sale, and the template above produces one.
General information, not legal or tax advice.
Sources
Unless noted otherwise, the sources below are from the Minn. Stat..
Mara has been practicing estate planning and trust law in California since 2003, taking pride in helping clients of all backgrounds and asset profiles form a complete and customized estate plan. Her specialties are: estate planning, wills and trusts, trust and probate administration.
