Legal Research

PA Fish and Boat Commission, PO Box 68900, Harrisburg, 17106-8900, 717-705-7940, fax is 717-705-7931, www.fish.state.pa.us.  Any boat powered by a gasoline, diesel or electric motor, including sailboats with auxiliary power must be registered. Boats must be titled if with inboard motor or outboard motor and 14 ft or longer and has a manufacture year of 1997 or newer. The agency follows the FCRA regarding the release of boat registration and ownership information. Liens are filed here for $5.00 per lien. As of 1998, this agency issues certificates of title. Search requests must be in writing and require signature of requester, reason for request, as much information about the boat or owner as possible. It can take as along as one month before new records are ready for inquiry. The Request Boat Title or Security Interest Information form is found at www.fish.state.pa.us/images/pages/forms/pfbc_t9.pdf. There is a $5.00 fee for either current ownership information or lien information. A title history report is $5.00 for each owner shown on the record chain. Credit cards are accepted.

Note: This tip is from Michael Sankey's The MVR Book