A center console fishing boat with a tower and twin outboards on clear turquoise shallows beside a mangrove island in Florida

Donate a boat in Florida

Florida has more registered boats than any other state, and every kind of boating: offshore center consoles in Miami and Palm Beach, sailboats in Fort Lauderdale and St. Petersburg, flats boats in the Keys, pontoons on the Central Florida lakes, and bay boats along the Gulf from Cape Coral to Pensacola. Storms and slip costs are the two most common reasons Florida owners call us.

Call (888) 228-7320

Florida rules for a boat donation

TITLING AND REGISTRATION AGENCY

Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles

Visit the agency site

Titles and registration

Florida titles and registers vessels through FLHSMV, usually at county tax collector offices. Most motorized boats must be both titled and registered.

Trailers

Boat trailers are titled and registered as vehicles in Florida.

Derelict vessels

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission enforces rules on derelict and at-risk vessels. A boat that is sinking, aground, or neglected in public waters can lead to fines. If your boat is in that situation, act quickly.

Lost title or registration

The owner on record can usually get a duplicate from Florida Department of Highway Safety and 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 Florida title. Some documented boats are also registered with the state for use here.

What Florida boat owners call us about

After a hurricane

Boats damaged or displaced by a storm, where the insurance claim is settled and the owner wants it gone before it becomes a derelict-vessel problem.

Snowbirds and seasonal owners

Boats kept in Florida by owners who spend summers up north and no longer want to pay year-round storage.

Canal and lake-house boats

Pontoons and runabouts on lifts behind homes in Cape Coral, Port St. Lucie, and Central Florida.

Dry stack fees

Owners paying for dry stack storage in Palm Beach and Broward for a boat that rarely comes down.

Boats we pick up in Florida

Fishing boats Center consoles, bay boats, and flats boats. Sailboats Cruising sailboats in Fort Lauderdale, St. Petersburg, and Sarasota. Motorboats Pontoons and deck boats on the Central Florida lakes. Yachts Motor yachts and sportfishers in South Florida marinas.

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

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

Boating in Florida: seasons and storage

The season

Florida boats all year. Summer brings afternoon storms and hurricane season, June through November.

Storage and carrying costs

Dry stack storage is common in South Florida and on the Gulf; canal homes often have lifts. Slip prices near the coast are high. Every month a boat sits unused, those costs keep adding up. Estimate yours.

A typical Florida donation

A center console in dry stack, a pontoon on a Central Florida lake, or a sailboat in a Gulf marina. We accept every other kind of boat here too.

Florida by region

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

Southeast coast

Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton, West Palm Beach, and Jupiter.

Treasure Coast

Port St. Lucie, Stuart, and Vero Beach.

Florida Keys

Key Largo to Key West: flats boats and offshore center consoles.

Tampa Bay and the Nature Coast

Tampa, St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Palm Harbor, and Spring Hill.

Southwest Gulf Coast

Sarasota, Bradenton, Fort Myers, Cape Coral, and Naples.

Central Florida lakes

Orlando, Sanford, Lake Monroe, and the Kissimmee Chain.

Northeast Florida and the Panhandle

Jacksonville, the St. Johns River, Destin, and Pensacola.

I know I told you already on the phone but I really want to say you guys are fantastic once again. I was trying to sell my 24' SunTracker Party Barge for over 4 months with no luck at all. My friend Randy told me to just donate it and use it as a deduction for my taxes. I asked around and everyone at the marina I spoke with suggested Boats with Causes so I gave you guys a call. You made this whole process very easy and I thank you and wish you and your charity the best.

Daniel P. · Orlando, FL

Florida boat donation questions

My boat was damaged in a hurricane. Can I still donate it?

Settle any insurance claim first. If you still own the boat, send photos. Damaged boats with sound hulls often still have value.

Does my Florida trailer need its own title?

Yes, Florida titles boat trailers as vehicles. Sign it over along with the boat.

My boat is on a lift behind my house in Cape Coral. Can you get it?

Yes. The transporter can load from a nearby ramp once the boat is lowered.

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

Any time. Many owners donate before hurricane season starts in June or right after it ends in November.

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

Start your Florida 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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