To issue a Florida Certificate of Title for a new or used vessel purchased in or outside of Florida, the owner of the vessel or their appointed Power of Attorney (POA) Form 82053, must bring the following documents into the Tax Collector’s Office:

1. Proof of Identification:
• A Florida driver license or identification card
• An out of state driver license or identification card or passport
• A US passport
• A Canadian driver license, identification card or passport
• A driver license or identification card from any U.S. territory (American Samoa, Marianas, Puerto Rico and US Virgin Islands)
• An out of country passport
2. Proof of ownership:
• MCO (Manufacturer’s Certificate of Origin) – initial ownership documentation on a new vessel
• Out of state title on a used vessel. If the vessel was not required to be titled, then proof of ownership is a dealer’s bill of sale or the original registration from that state and a bill of sale from the seller to the purchaser.
3. A Bill of Sale showing the purchase price, trade in allowance and sales tax paid is needed. Payment of sales tax is due at the time of application unless there is a reason for sales tax exemption. Leon County collects 6% sales tax on the total price and an additional 1.5% on the first $5,000.
4. Title Fees:
• Original New Vessel Title Fee - $12.25
• Original Used Out of State Vessel - $8.25
• Lien Fee for a Vessel - $1.00
• Penalty Fee - $20.00 - is assessed on a title not transferred within 30 days of the date of purchase
• Fast Title Fee for a Vessel - $2.50
• Shipping and Handling Fee - $2.50 - for each paper title printed and mailed