New York Boat Registration and Title Search
New York boat registration and title database with record search lookups.
Introduction
New York boat registration and title records are maintained in a searchable database administered by the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). Boat and vehicle data are integrated into the same system. Access to such data is available for owners, qualified parties and the general public. The following guidelines will provide some insights on how to lookup boat registration information and obtain current or historical records in the State of New York.
Online Access
New York facilitates a online database search lookup for boats which is available to the general public. Although basically designed for vehicles, it can also be used for boats. However, it can only be searched by a hull identification number. This can be entered in the "Find in this dataset" field in the right hand upper corner. Simply hit the enter button after inserting the hull number. The entire boat registration dataset can also be downloaded but this is an extremely large file and provides raw data only in delimited format. Data provided by this search does not contain the owner's name, but does indicate the city in which located. In addition to some basic boat information, it will show the registration status. The New York DMV also provides some optional boat registration and title database access options. Visit the Referrals for further information and instructions.
Telephone Access
The New York DMV may confirm the presence of a hull identification number in their system and verify a title or registration certificate in hand by telephone. However, it will not likely provide any further details, especially as related to ownership data. DMV contact information is available in the Referrals.
Boat Record Request
Complete boat registration and title records are accessible in New York by submitting a boat record request form. Although designed for vehicles, it also applies to boats. However, ownership information is only accessible to an owner, owner authorized party and certain other privileged parties as listed on the form. Submission contact information is also shown on the form itself. Visit the referrals for more information about owner privacy restrictions and an owner's record release authorization form.
Historical Records
Historical or archived boat registration records are available from the DMV by submitting a boat record request form. Such data is not, however, maintained indefinitely.
Bulk Records
A complete boat registration dataset is available from the New York DMV download portal. However, this is a very large file as it includes both boats and vehicles. There is no charge for this service. Contact the DMV for additional information about bulk records access or subscriptions.
Nationwide System
New York subscribes to the Vessel Identification System which is administered by the U.S. Coast Guard. This is a nationwide database wherein most states contribute boat registration data in real-time. Access is only available, however, to law enforcement agencies and other governmental institutions. Anyone concerned about a boat that may have been stolen, abandoned, involved in an incident or is being utilized for illicit activities in state jurisdictional areas should contact a local enforcement agency or boat registration office.
This information is subject to change and should be confirmed with the respective agency.
References and Referrals
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