Boating  >  Registration & Titling  >  What is Vessel Titling?

  • The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission is legally responsible for Vessel Titling in North Carolina. Vessel Titling is a record-keeping system that provides ownership protection to vessel owners, going beyond the Vessel Registration system. It also protects the interests of financial institutions or individuals that provide loans on vessels. Lenders often require that a vessel be titled as a condition for granting a loan.

  • The Wildlife Commission keeps computerized records on all titled vessels, and issues Title Certificates which document the owner of a vessel and any liens that lenders choose to record on the Title Certificate. Although it is possible to record a vessel lien with a Uniform Commercial Code filing, most lenders choose to record it on the vessel's Title Certificate.

  • A title is available to any North Carolina vessel owner, provided that the vessel is registered in North Carolina; is not simultaneously titled in any other state; and is not Documented with the U.S. Coast Guard. At the time of applying for a North Carolina title, any existing out-of-state title must be surrendered to the Wildlife Service Agent or mailed to the Wildlife Commission.

  • Titling adds the owner's name, address, and vessel description to the records of the Wildlife Commission. It also records the names and addresses of lienholders against the vessel.

  • The Commission issues a Title Certificate which is held by the primary lienholder, if there is one, or otherwise, by the vessel owner.

  • Unlike vessel registration, which has a one-year or three-year term, a Title Certificate remains in force for as long as a person owns a vessel.

  • If a Title is issued showing a lienholder, when the associated loan is paid off the lienholder should sign and notarize the Title Certificate to release the lien, and then mail the Title Certificate to the vessel owner.

  • When an owner desires to sell a titled vessel, the "Assignment of Title" section of the Title Certificate is filled out. The purchaser is named, the owner signs the form and has the signature notarized. The Title Certificate is then given to the purchaser. The purchaser, the boat dealer, or the Wildlife Service Agent must turn in the previous owner's Title Certificate to the Wildlife Commission to apply for transfer of ownership. This must be done even if the title is from another state.