If you're selling a boat in SC or buying one from a private party, having a properly completed SC bill of sale for boat is one of the most important steps in the transfer process. As a South Carolina business and marine-title attorney with over twelve years of experience helping boat owners, dealerships, and lenders close thousands of vessel transactions, I've seen firsthand what happens when the paperwork is incomplete — delayed titles, unpaid sales tax, registration headaches, and even liens that come back months later.
In this comprehensive guide, I'll give you my exact SCDNR bill of sale template that I use in my practice (updated for 2025), explain every field line-by-line, walk you through the full South Carolina boat-selling process, and show you how to avoid the most common (and expensive) mistakes. Best of all — the downloadable Word and PDF versions at the end of this article are completely free.
Important Disclaimer: This article and the free template are for informational purposes only and do not constitute legal or tax advice. Always consult a licensed South Carolina attorney or CPA for your specific situation.
The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) and the South Carolina Department of Revenue (SCDOR) both require proof of the sales price and ownership transfer when you register or title a boat or outboard motor over certain lengths and horsepower. A properly executed SC DNR bill of sale serves as:
According to IRS.gov Publication 544 and South Carolina Code of Laws Title 50, Chapter 23, an incomplete or missing bill of sale can trigger audits, late fees, or even denial of your title application.
Click the buttons below to download my attorney-drafted template in both Microsoft Word (.docx) and PDF format. I update these every January to reflect any legislative changes.
Download SCDNR Boat Bill of Sale – Word Format
Download SC Watercraft Bill of Sale – PDF Format
Here is the exact template I give my clients, followed by field-by-field explanations:
| SOUTH CAROLINA WATERCRAFT / OUTBOARD MOTOR BILL OF SALE (SCDNR & SCDOR Compliant – 2025) | |
| Date of Sale: ___________________________ | Sale Price: $ ___________________________ |
| Seller Information | |
| Name(s): ____________________________________________________________ | |
| Address: _____________________________________________________________ | |
| City, State, ZIP: ____________________________ SC ________________ | |
| Buyer Information | |
| Name(s): ____________________________________________________________ | |
| Address: _____________________________________________________________ | |
| City, State, ZIP: ____________________________ SC ________________ | |
| Watercraft Description | |
| Hull Identification Number (HIN): _________________________________________ | SC Registration # (if any): SC-____________ |
| Year: ________ Make: ________________ Model: __________________________ | Length: ________ ft |
| Hull Material: ☐ Fiberglass ☐ Aluminum ☐ Wood ☐ Other ________ | Color(s): _________________________ |
| Outboard Motor (if included) | |
| Make: ________________ Year: ________ Horsepower: ________ | Serial #: _______________________________ |
| Trailer (if included) | |
| Year: ________ Make: ________________ VIN: ___________________________ | |
| Included Accessories / Equipment (list or write “none”) ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ | |
| Odometer / Hour Meter Reading (if applicable): ________ hours “Actual” ☐ “Exceeds Mechanical Limits” ☐ “Not Actual” ☐ | |
| Liens / Encumbrances I (we) certify that the vessel, motor, and trailer are free of all liens except: ________ ____________________________________________________________________ | |
| Seller's Certification & Signature The undersigned seller(s) affirm that the above information is true and correct, that I am/are the legal owner(s), and that I have the legal right to sell this watercraft. | |
| Seller Signature: ____________________________ Date: ____________ | Co-Seller Signature: ______________________ Date: ____________ |
| Buyer Acknowledgment I (we) accept the watercraft “AS-IS” with no warranties unless separately documented. | |
| Buyer Signature: ____________________________ Date: ____________ | Co-Buyer Signature: ______________________ Date: ____________ |
| Notary Public (Recommended but not required for SCDNR) State of South Carolina County of ____________________ Subscribed and sworn before me this ____ day of __________, 20___ Notary Signature: ________________________ My commission expires: ________ | |
South Carolina caps boat sales tax at $500 regardless of price (one of the lowest caps in the U.S.). Tax must be paid within 45 days at MyDORWAY.sc.gov or any SCDOR office.
Submit within 45 days at any SCDNR office or by mail:
Source: SCDNR Watercraft Title & Registration Handbook (2025) – https://www.dnr.sc.gov/boating/forms.html
Do I need a bill of sale if the boat is already titled in SC?
Yes — SCDNR requires it for every private sale.
Can I hand-write a bill of sale?
Yes, but typed and using this template dramatically reduces errors and rejections.
Is the $500 sales-tax cap still in effect in 2025?
Yes — confirmed in the 2024-2025 South Carolina Revenue Ruling #24-3.
What if the boat is financed and has a lien?
The lienholder must release the title first, or you must pay off the loan at closing with a title company or attorney.
Selling a boat in South Carolina doesn't have to be stressful. With the free SCDNR boat bill of sale template above and the step-by-step process I've laid out from more than a decade of real-world closings, you can complete the transaction quickly, legally, and without surprises.
Download the template now, fill it out tonight, and close with confidence tomorrow.
Again — this article is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional legal or tax advice specific to your transaction.