A flybridge cruiser and a center console tied in slips at a Jersey Shore marina, with a low drawbridge, beach houses and gulls on the pilings in hazy morning light

Donate a boat in New Jersey

New Jersey's boating life is on the Shore: Barnegat Bay, the Manasquan and Shark rivers, Great Bay, and the back bays down to Cape May, plus Lake Hopatcong in the north. Storage yards and marinas are full, and many hold boats whose owners stopped paying.

Call (888) 228-7320

New Jersey rules for a boat donation

TITLING AND REGISTRATION AGENCY

New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission

Visit the agency site

Titles and registration

The New Jersey MVC titles and registers boats. Most motorized boats are titled.

Trailers

Trailers are titled and registered through the MVC.

Storage facilities

New Jersey storage yards often hold abandoned boats. See our marinas and storage guide.

Lost title or registration

The owner on record can usually get a duplicate from New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. 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 New Jersey title. Some documented boats are also registered with the state for use here.

What New Jersey boat owners call us about

Houseboats and cruisers

Boats local charities would not take, like Steve P.'s houseboat in Belmar.

Abandoned boats at yards

Storage facilities with unpaid boats, like Rob S.'s yard.

Shore houses

Boats left with a sold shore home.

Boats we pick up in New Jersey

Motorboats Cruisers and runabouts. Fishing boats Center consoles and bay boats. Houseboats Houseboats on the Shore.

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

Sailboats Yachts Personal watercraft Floating homes Commercial boats Boat trailers Classic boats Marine equipment

Boating in New Jersey: seasons and storage

The season

The Shore season runs May to October.

Storage and carrying costs

Storage yards and marinas hold many boats over winter. Every month a boat sits unused, those costs keep adding up. Estimate yours.

A typical New Jersey donation

A cruiser or center console at a Shore marina. We accept every other kind of boat here too.

New Jersey by region

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

Barnegat Bay

Toms River, Forked River, and Long Beach Island.

Monmouth County

Belmar, Manasquan, and Point Pleasant.

South Jersey

Atlantic City, Ocean City, and Cape May.

North Jersey lakes

Lake Hopatcong and Greenwood Lake.

I called around to local charity centers and they didn't want my houseboat donation. I was looking for an experienced, real charity and after a little research Boats with Causes stood out as my best option. Fast and friendly!

Steve P. · Belmar, NJ

New Jersey boat donation questions

Can a New Jersey storage yard donate an abandoned boat?

Once it has obtained title through the state process, yes.

Does NJ title boat trailers?

Yes. Sign it over with the boat.

Can you pick up from a Point Pleasant marina?

Yes. We coordinate with the marina for a ramp pickup or haul-out.

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

After Labor Day, when Shore marinas start hauling boats out. 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 New Jersey 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

OTHER STATES IN THE MID-ATLANTIC

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