South Carolina titles boats and outboard motors separately through its Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR). A boat with two outboards changes hands on three titles.
What has a title
SCDNR titles all motorized boats, except exempted vessels and sailboats, and all outboard motors of 5 horsepower and greater. Outboards under 5 hp aren't titled, and neither are inboard engines, which sit inside the hull.
What the buyer needs
Buying from a South Carolina owner whose titles are in order:
- The original titles, completed and signed: one for the boat and one for each outboard.
- The Watercraft/Outboard Motor Application, completed and signed.
- A paid property tax receipt in the buyer's name for the coming year, from the county of residence.
- The fees.
Every purchaser must be listed on the title. If there's a lien on record, the lien satisfaction has to be completed on the title or on a separate Lien Satisfaction Form.
When the bill of sale needs a notary
Original SC titles don't have to be notarized. An altered title is a different matter: scratching out or white-out makes it invalid, and SCDNR then requires a signed, notarized bill of sale on its application. Fill the title in once, in ink, with no corrections.
Tax and fees
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Title and registration, boat | $20 |
| Title, outboard motor | $10 |
| Late fee, more than 30 days after purchase | $15 |
| Late fee, more than 60 days after purchase | $30 |
| Casual excise tax, boat or boat and motor | 5% of the price, capped at $500 |
Sales between immediate family (parent, child, sibling, grandparent, grandchild, spouse) are exempt from the excise tax with the exemption form on the application. Applications go by mail to SCDNR in Columbia.
Before you sign
Check that each serial number on the titles matches the boat and the engines, and read the HIN with our HIN decoder. Have the boat surveyed before the price is fixed: see the pre-purchase survey. Our free boat bill of sale template gives each outboard and the trailer its own line.