A white lobster boat with a teal stripe tied to a wooden wharf stacked with lobster traps and buoys, gray shingled buildings and spruce in fog behind

Donate a boat in Maine

Maine boating runs from Casco Bay and Penobscot Bay sailboats and lobster-style cruisers to camps on Sebago, Moosehead, and the Belgrade Lakes. The season is short, and many boats spend more time in storage than on the water.

Call (888) 228-7320

Maine rules for a boat donation

TITLING AND REGISTRATION AGENCY

Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife

Visit the agency site

Registration

Maine Inland Fisheries and Wildlife registers boats, typically through town offices. Whether a title is involved depends on the boat; we confirm with you.

Excise tax

Maine towns collect watercraft excise tax at registration. After you donate, you stop owing it.

Trailers

Trailers are registered through the Bureau of Motor Vehicles.

Lost title or registration

The owner on record can usually get a duplicate from Maine Department of Inland Fisheries 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 Maine title. Some documented boats are also registered with the state for use here.

What Maine boat owners call us about

Camp boats

Runabouts and canoes left at lake camps.

Moorings and yards

Sailboats paying for summer moorings and winter storage.

Estates

Downeast-style boats left in family boathouses.

Boats we pick up in Maine

Sailboats Cruising sailboats on Penobscot and Casco Bay. Motorboats Lobster-style cruisers and runabouts. Fishing boats Lake fishing boats.

We also pick up every other kind of boat in Maine. 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 Maine: seasons and storage

The season

The season is short, roughly June to September.

Storage and carrying costs

Most boats are hauled and stored from October to May, often shrink-wrapped. Every month a boat sits unused, those costs keep adding up. Estimate yours.

A typical Maine donation

A lobster-style cruiser or sailboat in a boatyard. We accept every other kind of boat here too.

Maine by region

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

Casco Bay and Portland

South Portland, Falmouth, and Yarmouth.

Midcoast

Boothbay, Camden, and Rockland.

Sebago and the Lakes Region

Sebago and Long Lake.

North Woods lakes

Moosehead and the Rangeleys.

Maine boat donation questions

Do I still owe Maine excise tax after I donate?

No, not once the boat is transferred.

Can you pick up a boat from a camp without road access?

If it can reach a landing, possibly. Call us.

Should I wait for spring to donate?

No. We pick up year round, weather permitting.

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

At fall haul-out in September or October, 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 Maine boat donation

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

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

Name

Phone

Preferred contact method

Best time to reach you

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

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