Free Boat Contract Templates

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:
  1. The buyer typically fills in the Purchase & Sale Agreement to make a written offer; the seller signs to accept.
  2. Both sides keep a signed copy. The deposit goes to a neutral escrow — never directly to the seller.
  3. 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: .

  1. 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.
  2. 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).
  3. 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.
  4. 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).
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. 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.
  9. 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.
  10. 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.
  11. 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.
  12. 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.
  13. 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).
  14. Risk of Loss & Insurance. Risk of loss remains with Seller until Closing. Each party maintains its own insurance until then.
  15. 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.

Questions about the process? Read the complete selling & buying guide →