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A sloop tied to a wooden pier with crab pots and rope on a calm Chesapeake Bay tributary, with a small lighthouse and a pine shoreline behind

Donate a boat in Virginia

Virginia boating spans Hampton Roads, the Chesapeake Bay and its rivers, the Northern Neck, the Eastern Shore, and inland lakes like Smith Mountain, Lake Anna, and Kerr (Buggs Island).

Start your donation here
Two answers now, the rest takes about three minutes.

Virginia rules for a boat donation

TITLING AND REGISTRATION AGENCY
Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources
Visit the agency site
Titles and registration
Virginia DWR titles and registers boats. Many motorized boats are titled.
Property tax
Virginia localities tax boats. Tell yours after you donate.
Trailers
Trailers are titled and registered through the Virginia DMV.
Lost title or registration
The owner on record can usually get a duplicate from Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources. 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 Virginia title. Some documented boats are also registered with the state for use here.

What Virginia boat owners call us about

Hampton Roads slips
Owners in Norfolk and Virginia Beach.
Smith Mountain Lake homes
Pontoons and wake boats.
Chesapeake sailboats
Sailboats on the Northern Neck.

Boats we pick up in Virginia

Sailboats Chesapeake sailboats. Fishing boats Center consoles. Motorboats Pontoons and wake boats.
We also pick up every other kind of boat in Virginia. The types above are just the ones we see most here.
Yachts Center consoles Houseboats Commercial boats Personal watercraft Classic boats Ski and wake boats Boat trailers Marine equipment

Boating in Virginia: seasons and storage

The season
The Chesapeake season runs April to November.
Storage and carrying costs
Annual slips and winter storage are common. Every month a boat sits unused, those costs keep adding up. Estimate yours.
A typical Virginia donation
A sailboat or center console. We accept every other kind of boat here too.

Virginia by region

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

Hampton Roads
Norfolk, Hampton, and Virginia Beach.
Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula
Deltaville and the rivers.
Eastern Shore
Chincoteague and Cape Charles.
Smith Mountain Lake
Central Virginia.
Lake Anna and Kerr
Inland.

Virginia boat donation questions

Do I need to tell my county I donated my boat?

Yes, to stop personal property tax.

Where do I get a duplicate Virginia boat title?

Virginia DWR.

Can you pick up from Deltaville?

Yes.

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

October or November, before winter storage. That said, you can donate any time of year.

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

Start your Virginia boat donation

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

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

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

OTHER STATES IN THE MID-ATLANTIC
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