A sailboat and a motor yacht tied at a Southern California marina with palm trees, a rock breakwater and dry hills at sunset

Donate a boat in California

California has a boat for every kind of water: sailboats and sportfishers in San Diego and Newport, cruisers in Long Beach and Marina del Rey, the Channel Islands fleet out of Ventura and Oxnard, the San Francisco Bay and Delta, and lake boats from Shasta to Havasu. Slip fees here are among the highest in the country, which is often what prompts the call.

Call (888) 228-7320

California rules for a boat donation

TITLING AND REGISTRATION AGENCY

California Department of Motor Vehicles

Visit the agency site

Titles and registration

The California DMV registers vessels and issues a Certificate of Ownership, the vessel title. Most motorized boats and sailboats over 8 feet that are not Coast Guard documented must be registered.

Mussel fee sticker

Vessels registered in California and used in fresh water also need a Quagga and Zebra Mussel Infestation Prevention Fee sticker. It does not affect the donation, but you may see it on the hull.

Outboards and trailers

Outboards are not titled separately. Boat trailers are registered with the DMV as vehicles.

Lost title or registration

The owner on record can usually get a duplicate from California Department of Motor Vehicles. If the boat was never retitled after a sale, or the owner has passed away, tell us and we will point you to the right forms.

Coast Guard documented vessels

Documented boats transfer through the National Vessel Documentation Center with a bill of sale, not a California title. Some documented boats are also registered with the state for use here.

What California boat owners call us about

Slip fees in Southern California

Owners in San Diego, Newport, and Marina del Rey who are paying hundreds a month for a boat that rarely leaves the slip.

Liveaboards and boats on moorings

Boats on moorings or anchored out that need to be moved, sometimes quickly, as Conner I. in San Diego found.

Delta and lake boats

Ski boats and houseboats on the Delta, Shasta, and Oroville that the family has outgrown.

Estates in the Bay Area

Sailboats and cruisers left in Bay Area marinas after an owner passes.

Boats we pick up in California

Sailboats Cruising and racing sailboats from San Diego to Sausalito. Yachts Motor yachts and sportfishers in Newport, Long Beach, and Marina del Rey. Motorboats Ski boats and pontoons from the Delta and inland lakes. Floating homes Floating homes in Sausalito and the Delta.

We also pick up every other kind of boat in California. The types above are just the ones we see most here.

Center consoles Houseboats Fishing boats Commercial boats Personal watercraft Classic boats Ski and wake boats Boat trailers Marine equipment

Boating in California: seasons and storage

The season

Southern California boats all year; Northern California lakes and the Delta are busiest from spring through fall.

Storage and carrying costs

Slips in Southern California harbors are among the most expensive in the country, and many harbors have waitlists. Inland owners use dry storage lots. Every month a boat sits unused, those costs keep adding up. Estimate yours.

A typical California donation

A sailboat or cruiser in a Southern California slip, or a ski boat from the Delta or an inland lake. We accept every other kind of boat here too.

California by region

Pickup works the same across the state. These are the waters we hear about most.

San Diego Bay and North County

San Diego, Point Loma, Mission Bay, La Jolla, Chula Vista, and Oceanside Harbor.

Orange County harbors

Newport Beach, Dana Point, and Huntington Harbour.

Los Angeles and Long Beach

Long Beach, Marina del Rey, Torrance, and King Harbor.

Central Coast and Channel Islands

Santa Barbara, Ventura, Oxnard, and Channel Islands Harbor.

Inland Empire lakes

Riverside, Lake Perris, Lake Elsinore, and Diamond Valley.

San Francisco Bay and the Delta

Sausalito, Alameda, Richmond, and the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.

Northern lakes

Shasta, Oroville, Clear Lake, and Tahoe.

My family somehow accumulated 4 sailboats here in San Diego and we obviously didn't need them all. I found your website on google and compared you to a couple other charities. I called you up and we spoke and the donation was arranged. I explained to you that the 3rd boat had to be moved because it was illegally moored here in the San Diego Bay. Within 24 hours the boat was moved and we feel relieved. Thanks!

Conner I. · San Diego, CA

California boat donation questions

Can you move a boat that is on a mooring in San Diego Bay?

Yes. We arrange for it to be brought to a dock or ramp and hauled. If the harbor has asked you to move it, tell us the deadline.

Do I need to remove the mussel fee sticker?

No. Leave the registration numbers and stickers on the hull.

I have a floating home in Sausalito. Can you take it?

Possibly. Floating homes depend on the moorage and how the home is recorded. See our floating homes page and call us.

When is the best time of year to donate a boat in California?

Any time. Southern California boats all year, so there is no off-season; up north, fall avoids winter storage on the Delta and lakes.

State rules change. We confirm current requirements when we handle your paperwork. We do not provide tax or legal advice.

Start your California boat donation

Takes about three minutes. Your best guesses are fine, or call (888) 228-7320.

BWC Donation: General (guides, states, main pages)

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Free pickup by our trusted transport team · We handle title transfer and tax paperwork · No cost to you

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