An Illinois boat bill of sale is a form that establishes the transfer of a boat to a buyer from a seller for an agreed-upon selling price. This bill of sale indicates the date the transfer occurred, the sale price, vessel information, and pertinent personal information of both parties. Completing this document does not mean the buyer has full ownership of the boat; the seller must sign the boat’s title over to the buyer. The buyer can use the boat bill of sale and the signed title to register the boat for use on public waters.

Illinois Boat Registration

Once the seller of a boat has signed the title of the vessel over to the buyer, the buyer can register the boat with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR). The boat will have a registration number attached to it currently. To transfer registration, the new owner must complete the following steps:

1. Complete the Watercraft Registration/Title Application form.
2. Gather original boat title, signed over to buyer, and the bill of sale.
3. Complete the RUT-75 tax form (available by request from IDNR or Department of Revenue).
4. Pay appropriate fees and taxes (current sales tax rate is 6.25% of the purchase price).
5. Mail application, title, bill of sale, tax form, and fees to the following address:

Watercraft
Department of Resources
P.O. Box 19226
Springfield, IL 62794-9226