District of Columbia Code
Chapter 15B - Uniform Certificate of Title for Vessels
§ 50–1541.06. Application for certificate of title

(a) Except as otherwise provided in §§ 50-1541.09, 50-1541.14, 50-1541.18, 50-1541.19, 50-1541.20, and 50-1541.21, only an owner may apply for a certificate of title.
(b) An application for a certificate of title must be signed by the applicant and contain:
(1) The applicant’s name, the street address of the applicant’s principal residence, and, if different, the applicant’s mailing address;
(2) The name and mailing address of each other owner of the vessel;
(3) The social security number or taxpayer identification number of each owner;
(4) The hull identification number for the vessel or, if none, an application for the issuance of a hull identification number for the vessel;
(5) The vessel number for the vessel or, if none issued by the Harbor Master, an application for a vessel number;
(6) A description of the vessel as required by the Harbor Master, which must include:
(A) The official number for the vessel, if any, assigned by the United States Coast Guard;
(B) The name of the manufacturer, builder, or maker;
(C) The model year or the year in which the manufacture or build of the vessel was completed;
(D) The overall length of the vessel;
(E) The vessel type;
(F) The hull material;
(G) The propulsion type;
(H) The engine drive type, if any; and
(I) The fuel type, if any;
(7) An indication of all security interests in the vessel known to the applicant and the name and mailing address of each secured party;
(8) A statement that the vessel is not a documented vessel or a foreign- documented vessel;
(9) Any title brand known to the applicant and, if known, the jurisdiction under whose law the title brand was created;
(10) If the applicant knows that the vessel is hull damaged, a statement that the vessel is hull damaged;
(11) If the application is made in connection with a transfer of ownership, the transferor’s name, street address, and, if different from the street address, the mailing address, the sales price, if any, and the date of the transfer; and
(12) If the vessel previously was registered or titled in another jurisdiction, a statement identifying each jurisdiction known to the applicant in which the vessel was registered or titled.
(c) In addition to the information required by subsection (b) of this section, an application for a certificate of title may contain an electronic communication address of the owner, transferor, or secured party.
(d) Except as otherwise provided in § 50-1541.18, § 50-1541.19, § 50-1541.20, or § 50-1541.21, an application for a certificate of title must be accompanied by:
(1) A certificate of title signed by the owner shown on the certificate of title that:
(A) Identifies the applicant as the owner of the vessel; or
(B) Is accompanied by a record that identifies the applicant as the owner; or
(2) If there is no certificate of title:
(A) If the vessel was at one time a documented vessel, a record issued by the United States Coast Guard that shows the vessel is no longer a documented vessel and identifies the applicant as the owner;
(B) If the vessel was at one time a foreign-documented vessel, a record issued by the foreign country that shows the vessel is no longer a foreign-documented vessel and identifies the applicant as the owner; or
(C) In all other cases, a certificate of origin, bill of sale, or other record that, to the satisfaction of the Harbor Master, identifies the applicant as the owner.
(e) A record submitted in connection with an application is part of the application. The Harbor Master shall maintain the record in its files.
(f) The Harbor Master may require that an application for a certificate of title be accompanied by payment or evidence of payment of all fees and taxes payable by the applicant under law of the District other than this chapter in connection with the application or the acquisition or use of the vessel.
(Mar. 11, 2015, D.C. Law 20-215, § 7, 61 DCR 13083.)
Applicability of D.C. Law 20-215: Section 32 of D.C. Law 20-215 provided that the act shall apply as of January 1, 2016.