A center console boat tied to a weathered wooden pier in a tidal salt marsh channel, with a shingled cottage and a channel marker at sunset

Donate a boat in Delaware

Delaware is small but busy on the water: Rehoboth, Indian River, and Little Assawoman bays, Indian River Inlet, Lewes on the Delaware Bay, and the Delaware River in the north. Center consoles, bay boats, and crabbing skiffs are common.

Call (888) 228-7320

Delaware rules for a boat donation

TITLING AND REGISTRATION AGENCY

Delaware DNREC, Division of Fish and Wildlife

Visit the agency site

Registration

DNREC's Division of Fish and Wildlife registers boats in Delaware. Whether your boat has a title depends on the boat; DNREC can confirm.

Out-of-state boats

Many Delaware beach-area boats belong to owners from Maryland, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey and are registered there. The home state's rules apply.

Trailers

Trailers are registered with the Delaware DMV.

Lost title or registration

The owner on record can usually get a duplicate from Delaware DNREC, Division of Fish and Wildlife. 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 Delaware title. Some documented boats are also registered with the state for use here.

What Delaware boat owners call us about

Second-home boats

Boats at Rehoboth or Bethany second homes owned by out-of-state families.

Crabbing and clamming skiffs

Small skiffs on trailers that no longer get used.

Marina slips in Lewes

Owners looking to end a slip lease.

Boats we pick up in Delaware

Fishing boats Center consoles and bay boats from Indian River Inlet. Motorboats Runabouts and pontoons on the Inland Bays. Boat trailers Trailers from sold skiffs.

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

Yachts Center consoles Houseboats Sailboats Commercial boats Personal watercraft Classic boats Ski and wake boats Marine equipment

Boating in Delaware: seasons and storage

The season

The Inland Bays are busiest from May to September; fishing continues into fall.

Storage and carrying costs

Dry stack and trailer storage near the beaches fill up quickly in summer. Every month a boat sits unused, those costs keep adding up. Estimate yours.

A typical Delaware donation

A center console or bay boat on a trailer at a beach house. We accept every other kind of boat here too.

Delaware by region

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

Inland Bays

Rehoboth Bay, Indian River Bay, and Little Assawoman Bay.

Lewes and Delaware Bay

Charter boats and cruisers.

Northern Delaware

The Delaware River near Wilmington.

Delaware boat donation questions

My boat is registered in Maryland but kept in Delaware. Which rules apply?

The state where it is registered or titled. Tell us both.

Can you pick up from a Bethany Beach driveway?

Yes.

Is a small crabbing skiff worth donating?

If it has a working motor and trailer, often yes.

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

After Labor Day, when beach traffic drops and before winter storage begins. 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 Delaware 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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