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A two-deck houseboat tied at a floating marina dock with lamp posts and a pontoon alongside, with forested hills in morning haze

Donate a boat in Tennessee

Tennessee is a lake state: Norris, Douglas, Cherokee, and Watts Bar in the east, Dale Hollow and Center Hill on the Cumberland Plateau, Old Hickory and Percy Priest near Nashville, and Kentucky Lake and Pickwick in the west. Houseboats and pontoons are everywhere.

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

Tennessee rules for a boat donation

TITLING AND REGISTRATION AGENCY
Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency
Visit the agency site
Registration
TWRA registers boats in Tennessee. Tennessee does not issue boat titles, so the registration and a signed bill of sale serve as the ownership record.
Houseboats
Houseboats on TVA lakes are usually sold at the marina.
Trailers
Trailers are registered through the county clerk.
Lost title or registration
The owner on record can usually get a duplicate from Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. 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 Tennessee title. Some documented boats are also registered with the state for use here.

What Tennessee boat owners call us about

Houseboats on Norris and Dale Hollow
Shared houseboats whose partners have moved on.
Nashville-area slips
Owners on Old Hickory and Percy Priest.
Lake-house turnovers
Pontoons left with a sold lake house.

Boats we pick up in Tennessee

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

Boating in Tennessee: seasons and storage

The season
Spring through fall on the TVA lakes.
Storage and carrying costs
Houseboats stay in slips year round. Every month a boat sits unused, those costs keep adding up. Estimate yours.
A typical Tennessee donation
A houseboat or pontoon. We accept every other kind of boat here too.

Tennessee by region

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

East Tennessee lakes
Norris, Douglas, Cherokee, and Watts Bar.
Cumberland Plateau
Dale Hollow and Center Hill.
Nashville lakes
Old Hickory and Percy Priest.
West Tennessee
Kentucky Lake and Pickwick.

Tennessee boat donation questions

Tennessee does not title boats. What do I sign?

A bill of sale, plus your registration.

Can you take a houseboat on Norris Lake?

Often, yes, usually sold through the marina.

My registration expired. Is that a problem?

Usually not.

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

Fall, when houseboat marinas renew annual slip contracts. 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 Tennessee 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

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