Free Colorado Boat Bill of Sale
Colorado inverts its own strictness on the water: the state that titles every single trailer issues NO boat titles at all — vessels are registration-only through Colorado Parks and Wildlife, with the registration card and bill of sale forming the complete ownership record. That asymmetry shapes a boat-and-trailer purchase here: the hull transfers on CPW registration plus your carefully-written bill of sale, while the trailer underneath goes through the county clerk with a full title, sales tax at your address-based rate, and the annual Specific Ownership Tax. Document the HIN meticulously — in a no-title system it's the boat's only permanent identity.
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Colorado Boat Bill of Sale — What You Need to Know
Sales Tax Details
Sales or use tax may be owed on a boat purchase. CPW handles registration only; confirm what tax applies with the Colorado Department of Revenue.
Colorado Boat Sale — Step-by-Step Checklist
- Include HIN, make, model, year, hull material, length, engine HP, sale price on the bill of sale.
- Buyer applies for new registration by mail or at a CPW office with the bill of sale; the bill of sale works as a temporary registration for 30 days.
- Buyer pays the CPW registration fee and ANS stamp; check with the Colorado Department of Revenue whether sales or use tax is owed.
- No title to sign — the signed bill of sale is the buyer's proof of ownership for CPW.
Common Pitfalls
- Expecting a title — Colorado boats have no title; the signed bill of sale is the key ownership document.
- Not recording the HIN correctly — a mismatch blocks registration.
- Forgetting about tax — CPW registration does not cover any sales or use tax that may be owed; check with the Colorado Department of Revenue.
Pro Tip
CO boat: CPW registration (no title) + HIN + a signed bill of sale; check whether sales or use tax applies.