Facebook Marketplace is where most used boat deals happen in South Carolina right now. It’s also where most used boat problems start. Sellers aren’t always dishonest, but they often don’t know what paperwork is required, and that becomes your problem the moment money changes hands.
Here’s how to protect yourself before you ever show up with a trailer.
Red Flags in the Listing
Some listings are fine. Others will cost you months of headaches. Learn to spot the difference before you drive two hours.
“No title, sold as-is”
This is the most common red flag. In SC, boats over 14 feet and all motorized vessels must be titled. A seller without a title either lost it (which requires a $5 duplicate request), hasn’t transferred it into their name, or bought the boat in a state of incomplete paperwork and is now passing that problem to you. None of those are your problem to inherit.
“Lost the paperwork, bill of sale only”
A bill of sale is evidence that a transaction happened. It is not proof of ownership. If someone can only give you a bill of sale, you’ll need to go through the duplicate title process yourself, which requires SCDNR involvement and time.
Price that seems too low for the boat
Not every deal is suspicious, but a $3,000 listing for a well-maintained 20-foot boat should raise questions. Boats with lien problems or title issues often get priced to move fast.
HIN partially hidden in photos
The Hull Identification Number is stamped on the transom (rear of the boat, starboard side). If photos are cropped to avoid showing it, ask for a clear picture. There’s no legitimate reason to hide it.
“Registered in another state”
Out-of-state transfers add steps: you may need a notarized out-of-state title, a bill of sale, and pencil tracings of the HIN and motor serial number. That’s not a dealbreaker, but factor it in.
Questions to Ask Before You Meet
Ask these over Messenger before wasting a trip:
- Is your name on the title? (If not, whose is it?)
- Is there a lien on the boat?
- Can you send a photo of the front of the title right now?
- Why are you selling?
- How long have you owned it?
A legitimate seller will have answers ready. Vague responses to the title question (“I need to find it,” “my dad’s name is on it”) are worth pressing on before you commit to meeting.
Verifying Ownership On the Spot
Bring a phone and do this before you hand over any cash.
Find the HIN and match it to the title
The HIN is a 12-character code stamped into the transom. It’s the boat equivalent of a VIN. The number on the physical boat must match the number on the title, exactly. Check character by character.
Check the title matches the seller’s ID
The name on the title should match the name on the seller’s ID. If the title is in someone else’s name, the seller needs to explain why and how that transfer will happen.
Run a lien check
Go to SC Boat Facts on your phone. Enter the registration number or HIN and verify there’s no active lien. This takes about 60 seconds and can save you from a repossession situation.
Paperwork to Refuse vs. Accept
Refuse:
- Bill of sale only, no title (“I’ll just give you a notarized bill of sale”)
- Title in a third party’s name with a handwritten note or informal agreement
- Titles with whiteout, corrections, or altered information
- Out-of-state titles that are expired or have unclear lien releases
Accept:
- Original SC title, signed on the back by all listed owners
- Out-of-state title accompanied by a lien release (if a lien is shown)
- A completed Bill of Sale using Section H of the BTR-1 form, as a supplement to the title (not a replacement)
Real Situations Where Deals Go Wrong
The undisclosed lien
A buyer pays $8,500 for a pontoon boat. The seller says it’s paid off. Six weeks later, a bank contacts the buyer because the seller had a $6,000 marine loan outstanding. The lender has the right to repossess the boat regardless of the private sale. The SC Boat Facts check would have caught this.
The title in a deceased owner’s name
A seller lists a boat that belonged to their father, who passed away. The title is still in the father’s name. The seller doesn’t realize (or doesn’t mention) that transferring a title out of an estate requires probate documentation, not just a bill of sale. The buyer completes the purchase and then can’t register the boat.
The missing out-of-state lien release
A Georgia-titled boat has a paid-off loan, but the seller never obtained the lien release from the bank. Georgia’s DMV still shows the lien as active. SCDNR won’t process the title transfer without a lien release. The seller is hard to reach after the sale.
Before You Hand Over Cash
Walk through this checklist at the meeting:
- HIN on the boat matches HIN on the title
- Seller’s ID matches the name on the title
- SC Boat Facts shows no active lien
- All owners listed on the title have signed the back
- If “and” appears between co-owner names, both signatures are present
- You have a completed bill of sale with price, date, and both signatures
If anything doesn’t check out, walk away. There are more boats on Marketplace.
Handle the Transfer Quickly
Once you have a clean title, you have 30 days to file the BTR-1 with SCDNR before late fees kick in. BoatForms fills out the BTR-1 for you, calculates your fees (including the 5% excise tax), and tells you exactly what to include when you mail it in.