Georgia Boat Registration Overview
All you should know about registering and titling a boat in Georgia.
Georgia boat registration and titling overview is a public service designed to inform boaters about operational requirements, recording methods, and record search lookups for the State of Georgia. This includes essential references for the most detailed and accurate information currently available.
Registration and Titling
• Georgia issues both registrations and titles for non-exempt boats operating within
its jurisdiction. These are administered by the Department of Natural Resources in Atlanta.
• Titling and registration is not required in Georgia for outboard boat motors.
• Boat trailers are
registered in Georgia but not titled.
• Registration in Georgia is required on all watercraft except sailboats under
12 feet in length, canoes, kayaks, rowboats and rubber rafts
that have no mechanical propulsion (i.e., are paddled, poled,
oared or windblown), boats operated exclusively on private ponds
or lake.
• Registration is required for Coast Guard documented vessels.
• Georgia has
provisions for removal of abandoned boats, however there are no
specific procedures for registration.
• Georgia has adopted the Uniform Certificate of Title for Vessels Act (UCOTVA)
which sets the same basic nationwide standards for boat titling as those for vehicles. Boat
registration applicants are accordingly required to declare whether there has been any
damages with respect to the integrity of a hull by a collision, submersion, lightning
strike, fire, explosion, running aground, or similar occurrences. This state also
participates in the Vessel Identification System (VIS) where boat
registration data is shared among government agencies throughout the nation.
• There are approximately 330,270 boats registered in the State of Georgia. This
accounts for 2.8% of all nationwide registrations.
Numbering and Marking
• Boat registration numbers in Georgia begin with a "GA" designation
which is followed by four numbers and
then two letters. These must be displayed on all non-documented boats along with
registration sticker tabs.
•
Coast Guard documented vessels
may not display the state registration numbers. However they must display the state registration tabs, an owner designated vessel name,
and a hailing port. An
official documentation number must also be affixed to a visible interior location in the hull itself or an integral part of
the hull.
•
All vessels manufactured after 1972 are required to have a 12 digit hull
identification number affixed to the vessel by the manufacturer. Owners with older
boats may apply with the Department of Natural Resources for a hull
number assignment. State assigned hull numbers prefixed with
the letters "GAZ" are available for home made boats and those without factory
designations. Hull number inspections are required from a local law enforcement
agency whenever there is a discrepancy.
Recording Methods
• Georgia issues titles for all registered boats which are not Coast
Guard documented. Security interests are accordingly recorded on the title
certificate itself when applicable. If a boat is non-titled and non-documented,
security interests are recorded as Uniform Commercial Code filings.
• Tax liens are sometimes flagged in the state's registration
database, recorded as Uniform Commercial Code filings, shown on state revenue records,
or filed with a county clerk's office.
•There are no provisions for recording mechanic's
liens or other non-secured claims against registered boats which are not documented.
• If the vessel is USCG documented, a security interest may be perfected by filing a
preferred vessel mortgage. These are recorded through the National Vessel
Documentation Center with the earliest submissions taking priority. Other lien claims can be
filed in the same manner although these function as notifications only. All such filings
are indexed on the vessel's underlying abstract of title.
Record Searches
• Georgia boat title, registration, and lien records are
maintained in a database administered by the Department of Natural Resources.
Detailed information on how to go about record search lookups can be found
in the Referrals.
• Security interests on non-titled and non-documented boats are filed with the
Superior Court Clerk's Office as Uniform Commercial Code filings. UCC record searches are
available online or from a public record vendor.
• State and Federal tax liens
on boats are not always recorded in a consistent manner and are therefore difficult
to identify. They may show up as a red flag on state registration records, as UCC
filings, in state revenue records, in a county clerks records, or on a vessel's
abstract of title for documented boats. Ownership, mortgage, and lien search
recordings for USCG documented vessels can be obtained by ordering an abstract of title and a
copy of the certificate of documentation from the National Vessel Documentation Center.
Taxes and Insurance
• Sales tax applies on boat transactions and there is a yearly personal property tax.
•
Liability insurance is not required for boats in the State of Georgia.
Operating and Safety
• Anyone born on or after January 1, 1998 who operates any motorized vessel on the waters of the state must complete a boater education course.
• The transfer, abandonment, theft, or destruction of a Georgia registered boat must
be reported to the Wildlife Resources Division within 15 days.
Conclusion
The information contained herein is subject to change without notice and may contain errors or omissions. Be sure to check with the respective government agency before taking action on any such data.
References and Referrals
Comments - Suggestions - Corrections