Ohio Boat Registration Summary
Ohio boat registration summary is a free resource designed to inform the boating public about registration requirements, recording methods, and title search guidelines for the State of Ohio. The data is maintained as an open wiki forum where readers are encouraged to participate by sharing knowledge and experiences with this particular state. Simply click on the "Wiki-Share" link to contribute further details or suggest a revision.
This information is subject to change and should be confirmed with the respective agency.
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State of Ohio
Department of Natural Resources
Division of
Parks & Watercraft
Boat Registration Website
Registration Overview
Ohio issues registrations and titles for all non-exempt boats operating within its jurisdiction. These are administered by the Division of Parks and Watercraft in Columbus. Titling is required on outboard motors with 10hp or more. Boat trailer registration is also required in Ohio and titles are issued with the exception of those under 4,000 lbs. which are used for non-commercial purposes. Sales or use tax applies to boat transactions in Ohio There are approximately 593,422 boats registered in the State of Ohio. This accounts for 5.0% of all nationwide registrations.Registration Requirements
Ohio requires registration on all non-exempt boats over 13' in length. Coast Guard documented vessels are also subject to registration. A complete list of requirements and exemptions may be found by visiting their website. This state does have provisions for bonded registrations when there is insufficient proof of ownership. Ohio also has procedures for registering abandoned boats if the value is less than $10,000 and it has been left for six months without permission on private property.Marking Requirements
Ohio boat registration numbers begin with an "OH" 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. State assigned hull numbers prefixed with the letters "AKZ" are available for home made boats and those without factory designations. Boats must be inspected by a law enforcement official if there is a discrepancy with the hull identification number.Ownership and Liens
Ownership on boats registered in Ohio is evidenced by a certificate of title unless documented with the U.S. Coast Guard. In this case the owner is issued a certificate of documentation which serves as proof of ownership. Security interests in state titled boats are recorded with the Department of Parks and Wildlife. These will be shown on both the registration and title certificates when applicable. All titles with active security interests are sent directly to the secured party. Security interests in boats that are neither titled or USCG documented are recorded with the Secretary of State as Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) filings. Tax liens may be flagged on boat registration records, recorded as UCC 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 state titled boats. If the vessel is USCG documented, a lender's security interest must be perfected by filing a preferred vessel mortgage. These are recorded with the National Vessel Documentation Center and priority is attained according to the date filed. Other maritime liens can be filed in the same manner although they function as notifications only. All mortgage and lien filings are indexed on the vessel's underlying abstract of title.Boat Title Searches
Boat title and registration records in Ohio are maintained by the Department of Parks and Wildlife. This agency facilitates online boat and outboard motor searches but they are limited in scope. Full record printouts may be obtained by an owner or otherwise qualified party by submitting a boat record request form. It is also reported that the registration office will provide telephone verifications on information shown on boat title or registration certificates in hand. Uniform Commercial Code searches are available online from the Secretary of State. However, if there are any suspected state or federal tax liens, it may be advisable to use a public record vendor as they have a much broader access to such filings nationwide. 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. However, these are encoded and can be difficult to interpret, especially on older vessels with numerous recordings. It may be worthwhile to contact a professional vessel title company for assistance in this regard. Non-recorded maritime liens may also be a factor when conducting boat title research in Ohio. These include liabilities for items such as services, equipment, fuel, storage, parts, supplies, and damages which can become attached to the boat itself regardless of ownership. One of the most useful tools for doing this kind of research is our premier boat history search database. It offers a gathering of eight nationwide databases into a single interface which can be searched by numerous criteria. These include records for stolen boats, marine lien claims, boating accidents, pollution incidents, auctioned boats, factory recalls, and documented vessels. Yacht brokers, documentation companies, and attorneys do not warrant or guarantee titles. It is therefore incumbent on the owner to stand behind any such representations. Of course it will be of no consolation if a guarantor is insolvent, non-cooperative, or can not be located. This calls for a thorough background check to ensure the owner's wherewithal for making good on any hidden liens or title deficiencies.Advertisement
