Selling a Jet Ski ?

billhurley · 07-14-2009, 10:36 AM

I was wondering how people usually handle the paperwork when selling a Jet ski. I would think you would give the buyer a bill of sale and a copy of the current registration. How do you make sure the buyer changes or updates the registration to their name?

Thanks in advance Bill

wifi · 07-14-2009, 10:56 AM

FWIW, I make a duplicate of the BOS, make them sign, date and put the time of day with their address and keep that for my records as proof of who bought it and when.

billhurley · 07-14-2009, 11:00 AM

Thanks Wifi.

I was also wondering about the trailer. It was so long ago when I registered it for the first time. Is a bill of sale and the old registration good enough for the new owner to register it? It shouldn't need a title, but I don't remember if it had a certificate of origin.

Thanks Bill

codeman671 · 07-14-2009, 12:56 PM

NH is pretty lax on this, however other states are not. I had a buyer last year walk away on a deal because I did not have the certificate of origin for the PWC, even though in NH it is a useless piece of paper. A proper bill of sale is all that is needed, you dont even need the registration if it is not currently registered. Make sure it has complete buyer and seller name and address, price, model, color, HIN#, date and both signatures are on it. The trailer is similar, except you would need info from the tag on it such as the gvw and the vin# instead of hin#.

Many other states require titling of both in which case the certificate of origin would be needed in order to do a title app.

billhurley · 07-14-2009, 02:54 PM

Thanks Codeman671

That will help.

meredith weekender · 07-14-2009, 03:04 PM

In NH you only need a title for the trailer if the total weight of the trailer and its cargo exceeds 3,000 lbs. Just found this out yesterday as I was registering a car trailer that I had just purchased. Hope this helps.

LIforrelaxin · 07-14-2009, 03:18 PM

Codeman brings the biggest most important point to the table. NH is kind of relaxed when it comes to boats, Jet ski, etc. other states are not. So you should always try and keep as much of the paper work as possible.

Now as for the registration and make sure the new owner registrars it.... humm that is an interesting one......... If the machine has current stickers and the new owner doesn't cause any trouble no one would ever know..... However if they are caught.... you what to make sure you have copies of everything so you can show you handed ownership over to them.......

meredith weekender · 07-15-2009, 06:29 AM

If you sell your boat or jet ski (pwc) and it is currently registered. The easiest way to remove yourself from liability is to physically remove the current validation stickers from the boat or watercraft. This way the boat is not registered and therefore you are not liable.

billhurley · 07-15-2009, 07:49 AM

Thanks meredith weekender. That is a good idea.

07-14-2009, 10:36 AM	#1
billhurley Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: St. Augustine FL. Posts: 86 Thanks: 2 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Selling a Jet Ski ? I was wondering how people usually handle the paperwork when selling a Jet ski. I would think you would give the buyer a bill of sale and a copy of the current registration. How do you make sure the buyer changes or updates the registration to their name? Thanks in advance Bill

07-14-2009, 03:04 PM	#6
meredith weekender Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Meredith / Manchester Posts: 373 Thanks: 87 Thanked 83 Times in 56 Posts	trailer title In NH you only need a title for the trailer if the total weight of the trailer and its cargo exceeds 3,000 lbs. Just found this out yesterday as I was registering a car trailer that I had just purchased. Hope this helps.

07-14-2009, 03:18 PM	#7
LIforrelaxin Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Long Island, not that one, the one on Winnipesaukee Posts: 2,821 Thanks: 1,014 Thanked 880 Times in 514 Posts	Codeman brings the biggest most important point to the table. NH is kind of relaxed when it comes to boats, Jet ski, etc. other states are not. So you should always try and keep as much of the paper work as possible. Now as for the registration and make sure the new owner registrars it.... humm that is an interesting one......... If the machine has current stickers and the new owner doesn't cause any trouble no one would ever know..... However if they are caught.... you what to make sure you have copies of everything so you can show you handed ownership over to them....... __________________ Life is about how much time you can spend relaxing... I do it on an island that isn't really an island.....

07-14-2009, 10:56 AM	#2
wifi Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Lakes Region Posts: 1,321 Thanks: 282 Thanked 287 Times in 169 Posts	FWIW, I make a duplicate of the BOS, make them sign, date and put the time of day with their address and keep that for my records as proof of who bought it and when.

07-14-2009, 11:00 AM	#3
billhurley Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: St. Augustine FL. Posts: 86 Thanks: 2 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Thanks Wifi. I was also wondering about the trailer. It was so long ago when I registered it for the first time. Is a bill of sale and the old registration good enough for the new owner to register it? It shouldn't need a title, but I don't remember if it had a certificate of origin. Thanks Bill

07-14-2009, 12:56 PM	#4
codeman671 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 3,360 Thanks: 210 Thanked 764 Times in 448 Posts	NH is pretty lax on this, however other states are not. I had a buyer last year walk away on a deal because I did not have the certificate of origin for the PWC, even though in NH it is a useless piece of paper. A proper bill of sale is all that is needed, you dont even need the registration if it is not currently registered. Make sure it has complete buyer and seller name and address, price, model, color, HIN#, date and both signatures are on it. The trailer is similar, except you would need info from the tag on it such as the gvw and the vin# instead of hin#. Many other states require titling of both in which case the certificate of origin would be needed in order to do a title app.

07-14-2009, 02:54 PM	#5
billhurley Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: St. Augustine FL. Posts: 86 Thanks: 2 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Thanks Codeman671 That will help.

07-15-2009, 06:29 AM	#8
meredith weekender Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Meredith / Manchester Posts: 373 Thanks: 87 Thanked 83 Times in 56 Posts	If you sell your boat or jet ski (pwc) and it is currently registered. The easiest way to remove yourself from liability is to physically remove the current validation stickers from the boat or watercraft. This way the boat is not registered and therefore you are not liable.

07-15-2009, 07:49 AM	#9
billhurley Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: St. Augustine FL. Posts: 86 Thanks: 2 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Thanks meredith weekender. That is a good idea.