{"data":{"id":"us/33-cfr-187.306","jurisdiction":"us","citation":"33 CFR 187.306","heading":"Certificate of title required.","body":"(a) Except as otherwise provided in paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section, the owner of a vessel must deliver to the office of the State in which the vessel is principally used an application for a certificate of title for the vessel, with the applicable fee, not later than 20 days after the later of—\n(1) The date of a transfer of ownership; or\n(2) The date the State becomes the State of principal use.\n(b) An application for a certificate of title is not required for—\n(1) A documented vessel;\n(2) A foreign-documented vessel;\n(3) A barge;\n(4) A vessel before delivery if the vessel is under construction or completed pursuant to contract; or\n(5) A vessel held by a dealer for sale or lease.\n(c) The office may not issue, transfer, or renew a certificate of number for a vessel issued pursuant to 46 U.S.C. 12301 unless it has created a certificate of title for the vessel or an application for a certificate for the vessel and the applicable fee have been delivered to the office.","path":["Title 33—Navigation and Navigable Waters","CHAPTER I—COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY","SUBCHAPTER S—BOATING SAFETY","PART 187—VESSEL IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM","Subpart D—State Vessel Titling Systems [Docket No. USCG-2018-0160, 87 FR 34192, June 6, 2022]"],"source_url":"https://www.ecfr.gov/api/versioner/v1/full/2026-08-25/title-33.xml","current_through":"2026-08-25","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-08-27T02:25:35Z","sha256":"6af54cbc00e22ca7622b71a323a2f9df44d4c5e9f742c4eb152107c841f0887b","source_id":"us-cfr","stale":true,"prev":"us/33-cfr-187.305","next":"us/33-cfr-187.307"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}