Boat Bill of Sale Template (Gibraltar)

Updated on 13 August 2026

Gibraltar operates its own British-flag yacht registry, administered by the Gibraltar Maritime Administration, and a transfer of a registered vessel is proved by a bill of sale, not by the certificate of registry itself. For a vessel previously registered elsewhere, the GMA specifically asks for a bill of sale showing the transfer to the new owner, authenticated by a consul or notary public who can confirm the seller's identity and nationality — and for an older vessel, a chain of bills of sale tracing ownership back through the builder's certificate or across the preceding five years.

A US-style bill of sale, or even a plain UK one, does not anticipate that authentication requirement. This template is built around what the GMA actually asks a buyer and seller to produce.

0 of 12 blanks filled

Tap any highlighted blank in the document below and type straight into it.Free — no sign-up, no watermark

Boat Bill of Sale

Date of sale:
Seller:
Buyer:

For the sum of , receipt of which is acknowledged, the Seller sells and transfers to the Buyer all right, title and interest in the vessel: , hull identification number , previously registered or flagged as follows: .

1. Warranty of title

The Seller warrants ownership of the vessel, full authority to sell it, and that it is free of any lien, mortgage or encumbrance except as disclosed in writing before this Bill of Sale is signed.

2. VAT and importation status

The Seller asserts the following VAT and importation status: . The Buyer acknowledges that Gibraltar sits outside the EU VAT area and that the position in any other market where the vessel will be kept should be checked separately.

3. Chain of title

The Seller hands over the following chain-of-title evidence:

4. Condition

The vessel is sold as seen. The Seller discloses the following known defects and history:

OptionalSale is subject to a satisfactory survey

5. Delivery

The vessel is delivered at , and risk passes to the Buyer on delivery.

6. Execution

Signed in the presence of as witness.

Seller

Date:

Buyer

Date:

Anticipate the chain-of-title requirement

If the vessel is being registered in Gibraltar for the first time, having previously flown a different flag, the GMA wants to see the bill of sale evidencing the transfer to the new owner and, for an older vessel, either the builder's certificate or a sequence of bills of sale covering the preceding five years. A one-off private sale document that is never notarised, and that nobody keeps, breaks that chain for the next owner.

This template is drafted to be kept as part of the vessel's permanent paper trail, with a witness block that supports notarial or consular authentication rather than a bare signature line.

Separate the title warranty from the as-seen condition

As in any common-law sale, selling 'as seen' addresses condition, not ownership. This template keeps the seller's warranty of title and freedom from encumbrances separate from the as-seen condition clause, with an optional survey condition for the buyer.

Record VAT and importation status

Gibraltar sits outside the EU customs union and VAT area, which changes the VAT-paid analysis that matters so much for a boat moving within the EU. This template records the position the seller is asserting and the evidence handed over, and flags that a buyer intending to keep the vessel in EU waters should check the VAT and importation position for that specific market rather than assume Gibraltar's own position transfers.

Give the engine and trailer their own facts

As with any vessel sale, this template records the hull identification number, engine make and serial number, and any trailer's identifying details separately, and states plainly whether each is included in the price.

Clause-by-clause guide

Parties: Seller and buyer, matching the names to be used on the GMA registration.
The vessel: Make, model, hull identification number, dimensions and any prior registration or flag.
Price and payment: The price, allocation between hull, engine and trailer, and the delivery point.
Warranty of title: Ownership, right to sell, and freedom from encumbrances, kept separate from the condition clause.
VAT and importation status: The position asserted and evidence handed over, flagged for the buyer to check against the market where the vessel will be kept.
As-seen condition: The buyer takes the vessel in its current condition, with an optional survey condition.
Chain of title: Confirms what prior title evidence, if any, is being handed over with the vessel.
Execution: Signatures with a witness block suited to notarial or consular authentication.

Gibraltar compliance checklist

Registering a boat transfer with the GMA has its own documentary expectations.

Provide a properly authenticated bill of sale for a previously flagged vessel
Where the vessel was registered under a different flag, the GMA asks for a bill of sale evidencing the transfer, authenticated by a consul or notary public who can bear witness to the seller's nationality.
Gibraltar Maritime Administration — yacht registration
Provide the chain of title for an older vessel
For an older or previously registered vessel, provide the builder's certificate or a sequence of bills of sale tracing ownership across the preceding five years.
Check the VAT and importation position for the intended cruising area
Gibraltar sits outside the EU VAT area. A buyer intending to keep the vessel mainly in EU waters should check the VAT and importation position for that market specifically, rather than assume Gibraltar registration settles the question.
Confirm any marine mortgage
A Gibraltar-registered vessel can carry a recorded mortgage. Check the register and get written confirmation of any payoff before completing.

How to complete the boat bill of sale

Confirm the registration history. Check whether the vessel has been registered elsewhere and what chain-of-title evidence the GMA will need.
Describe the vessel and engine. Add the make, model, hull identification number and engine details.
Record VAT status. State the VAT and importation position asserted and the evidence handed over.
Set the price and payment. Add the total price, allocation between hull, engine and trailer, and the delivery point.
Sign with authentication in mind. Sign with a witness, and arrange notarial or consular authentication if the GMA's registration process requires it.

Frequently asked questions

Does the bill of sale need to be notarised for Gibraltar registration?

If the vessel was previously registered under a different flag, the GMA asks for a bill of sale authenticated by a consul or notary public confirming the seller's nationality. Check the current requirement with the GMA before completion, and use a witness block that supports that authentication.

What if the boat has been sold several times before?

For an older vessel, the GMA looks for either the original builder's certificate or a chain of bills of sale covering the preceding five years. Keep this document as part of that permanent record rather than treating it as disposable paperwork.

Does Gibraltar VAT status transfer to other waters?

Not automatically. Gibraltar sits outside the EU VAT area, so a buyer intending to keep the vessel mainly in EU waters should check the VAT and importation position specifically for that market rather than assume Gibraltar registration answers the question.

Can I sell the boat 'as seen' and still warrant I own it?

Yes — as-seen addresses condition, and a separate warranty of title and freedom from encumbrances is still worth including, since that is the promise a buyer relies on if a lender or prior owner later makes a claim.

What if the boat has an outstanding marine mortgage?

Check the register and get written confirmation of payoff before completing — a mortgage recorded against a Gibraltar-registered vessel does not disappear simply because a private bill of sale has been signed.

Related templates

Disclaimer

This template and guide are for general information only. They are not legal advice, and no Gibraltar-qualified lawyer has reviewed or approved them. GMA registration and authentication requirements can change — confirm the current position with the Gibraltar Maritime Administration before relying on this document.