Free Minnesota Boat Bill of Sale
Minnesota uses one test for boat titles: length. A boat longer than 16 feet needs a DNR title unless it is exempt, such as a canoe, a kayak or a boat built before August 1, 1979. A title is not a license, though. Every motorboat, and every paddle craft over 10 feet, needs a DNR license at any length. You do not need a DNR office for either one. Any deputy registrar of motor vehicles (where you license your car) handles boat titles and transfers, as does the DNR License Center in St. Paul. A private sale adds no sales tax.
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Minnesota Boat Bill of Sale — What You Need to Know
Sales Tax Details
No sales tax on a boat bought from a private party. A dealer sale is taxed at the 6.875% state rate plus any local tax where the boat is used; if none was paid, use tax is collected at registration.
Exemption: Private-party sales (Minn. Stat. 297A.67, subd. 23) and gifts.
Minnesota Boat Sale — Step-by-Step Checklist
- Record the year, make, model, length, HIN, motor size, MN registration number, sale date and price on the bill of sale.
- Seller prints their name and signs; the buyer signs too.
- Titled boat: the seller signs the title over and hands it to the buyer at the sale.
- Buyer files Form LB014-05 with the title and bill of sale at a deputy registrar or the DNR License Center within 15 days.
- Complete the aquatic invasive species affirmation that comes with the new license, and keep it on board with the signed license.
Common Pitfalls
- Assuming a boat 16 feet or under needs no paperwork. It skips the title, but a motorboat still needs a license, and the bill of sale is your proof.
- Missing the 15-day deadline. If the DNR is not told about the ownership change in time, it ends the license.
- Paying for a titled boat without the signed title. Under Minnesota law, you do not own it until a new title is issued to you.
- Lumping the trailer into the boat price. The trailer falls under motor vehicle rules, not the DNR, so give it its own line and price.
Pro Tip
For a Minnesota boat, measure first. Over 16 feet usually means a title changes hands; 16 feet or less means the bill of sale carries the proof. Either way, the buyer has 15 days to file, and a private sale adds no sales tax.