A purchase & sale agreement and a bill of sale for private, by-owner boat sales.
Free template · Last updated June 2026 · Educational only — not legal advice
Two ready-to-use documents for a for-sale-by-owner deal: a Purchase & Sale Agreement
(the offer/contract that runs the deal) and a Bill of Sale (the document that transfers ownership at closing).
Fill in the blanks, then print or download. New to all this? Read the full selling & buying guide first.
How to use these:
The buyer typically fills in the Purchase & Sale Agreement to make a written offer; the seller signs to accept.
Both sides keep a signed copy. The deposit goes to a neutral escrow — never directly to the seller.
After a satisfactory survey/sea trial and confirmed clear title, you close: the Bill of Sale is signed and ownership + guaranteed funds change hands at the same time.
Please read: These are free, general-purpose templates, not legal
advice, and are not the copyrighted IYBA/YBAA broker forms. Boat-sale, lien, notarization, and tax rules
vary by state and for U.S. Coast Guard-documented vessels. For a high-value, financed, foreign-flag, or documented vessel — or any
deal you're unsure about — have a maritime attorney review or prepare your documents. Florida private transfers also use FLHSMV
forms (Bill of Sale HSMV 82050, title application HSMV 82040-VS); this template can accompany them.
✏️ Fill it out right here. Type into the blanks below
— your entries are saved in this browser as you go — then download a clean, filled-in PDF ready to print and sign.
✎ Editing the wording. Click anywhere in a clause
to reword or add terms; your changes are saved in this browser and flow into the PDF/print/.txt.
Reset to the original wording · Done editing
BOAT / YACHT PURCHASE & SALE AGREEMENT
Private (for-sale-by-owner) sale
This Purchase & Sale Agreement ("Agreement") is made on
(date) between
Seller:
(name), of
(address),
and Buyer:
(name), of
(address).
Seller represents that Seller is the lawful owner of the Vessel described below. This is a private sale; no broker is involved
unless named here:
.
The Vessel. Year
, Make
,
Model
, Length (LOA)
ft,
Hull ID Number (HIN)
, State Title/Reg. No. or USCG Documentation No.
, Engine(s) make/model/HP/hours
,
present location
, together with the equipment listed in the Inventory (clause 13) and
excluding the items listed there as excluded.
Purchase Price. The total purchase price is $
(
dollars), in U.S. funds, exclusive of sales/use tax, title, registration, and
documentation fees (allocated in clause 11).
Deposit. Buyer will pay a good-faith deposit of $
(industry norm about 10% of price) within
business days of signing. The balance is due in
immediately available funds at Closing.
Escrow. The deposit and all funds will be held by a neutral escrow agent —
(escrow/title company, documentation service, or attorney trust account) —
not paid directly to Seller. Escrow releases funds only when the conditions of this Agreement are met.
Escrow fees are paid by
(commonly split).
Survey & Sea Trial. Buyer may, at Buyer's expense, have the Vessel inspected by a marine surveyor of
Buyer's choosing and conduct a sea trial and (if applicable) a short haul-out, on or before the Acceptance Date. Seller will
make the Vessel reasonably available and provide access to maintenance records. Seller bears the operational risk during the
sea trial; Buyer pays survey, haul-out, and sea-trial fuel/lift costs.
Acceptance / Rejection. On or before
(the "Acceptance Date"), Buyer
will deliver written notice that Buyer (a) accepts the Vessel; (b) conditionally
accepts subject to itemized repairs or a price adjustment; or (c) rejects the Vessel. If Buyer
rejects, or gives no written notice by the Acceptance Date, this Agreement terminates and the deposit is refunded in full.
Financing Contingency (if applicable). This sale [ ] is / [ ] is not contingent on Buyer obtaining a marine
loan by
(date). If financing is not obtained by that date, Buyer may terminate and the
deposit is refunded.
As-Is, Where-Is. Except for the title warranty in clause 9, the Vessel is sold strictly AS-IS,
WHERE-IS, with all faults. Seller makes no warranty of condition, merchantability, or fitness for any purpose.
Buyer acknowledges it is relying solely on its own inspection and survey, and not on any statement by Seller.
Seller's Title Warranty. At Closing, Seller will convey good, marketable title, free and clear of
all liens, mortgages, security interests, claims, and encumbrances, by a signed Bill of Sale (notarized where used)
and the assigned title or, for a documented vessel, a recordable Bill of Sale. Seller warrants there are no undisclosed liens
or unpaid maritime claims (dockage, fuel, repairs, crew wages, taxes). Seller will pay off and obtain a release of any existing
loan/lien at or before Closing.
Closing. Closing will occur on or before
(date) at
(place / via escrow). Closing occurs when Buyer's documents are signed, Seller delivers the
Bill of Sale, assigned title/abstract, and any lien releases, and the escrow agent confirms receipt of the full balance.
Possession of the Vessel passes to Buyer at Closing.
Costs & Taxes. Buyer pays the survey, haul-out, sea-trial costs, its own financing and insurance, and
all sales/use tax, title, registration, and documentation fees. Seller pays to discharge existing liens/loans and delivers
clear title. Escrow/closing costs are split equally unless stated otherwise.
Default & Remedies. If Buyer defaults after acceptance (or fails to fund the deposit when due), Seller
may retain the deposit as liquidated damages as Seller's sole remedy. If Seller defaults or cannot deliver clear title, the
deposit is refunded to Buyer in full, and Buyer keeps any other remedies available at law.
Inventory — Included & Excluded. Included with the Vessel:
. Excluded (does not convey):
(e.g., personal effects,
named electronics, dinghy/tender & motor, fishing gear, spare props, tools).
Risk of Loss & Insurance. Risk of loss remains with Seller until Closing. Each party maintains its own
insurance until then.
Governing Law & Entire Agreement. This Agreement is governed by the laws of the State of
. It is the entire agreement between the parties, supersedes prior discussions, and may be
amended only in writing signed by both. Notices must be in writing. If any provision is unenforceable, the rest remains in
effect.
Seller signature / date
Seller printed name
Buyer signature / date
Buyer printed name
Free template provided by YachtBazar.com for educational use. Not legal advice and not the IYBA/YBAA broker
forms. Confirm your state's requirements (and, in Florida, FLHSMV forms HSMV 82050 / 82040-VS) before relying on it.
BOAT / YACHT BILL OF SALE
Transfer of ownership — private sale
For valuable consideration of $
(
dollars), the receipt of
which is acknowledged, the undersigned Seller,
(name), of
(address), hereby sells, transfers, and delivers to Buyer,
(name), of
(address), all right, title, and interest in the
following vessel, on this
day of
, 20
.
Vessel
Year
· Make
· Model
·
Length
ft · Color
·
Hull ID Number (HIN)
·
State Title/Reg. No. or USCG Documentation No.
·
Engine(s) & serial no(s).
·
Trailer (if included) VIN
.
Seller's Warranty
Seller warrants that Seller is the lawful owner of the Vessel and has the right to sell it, and that it is sold free and
clear of all liens, mortgages, and encumbrances except as follows:
(state "none" if none).
Except for this warranty of title, the Vessel is sold AS-IS, WHERE-IS, with all faults and without any warranty of
condition, merchantability, or fitness. Buyer has inspected the Vessel (or waived inspection) and accepts it in its present condition.
Seller signature / date
Seller printed name
Buyer signature / date
Buyer printed name
Notary (where required / for documented vessels)
State of , County of . Subscribed and sworn before me on (date) by the above-named Seller, who is personally known to me or produced as identification. (This section is completed and signed by the notary in person.)
Notary Public signature / commission expires
Free template provided by YachtBazar.com for educational use. For U.S. Coast Guard-documented vessels, a
bill of sale must be recorded with the National Vessel Documentation Center (USCG Bill of Sale form CG-1340 is commonly used).
In Florida, a private transfer also uses FLHSMV form HSMV 82050. Not legal advice.