SB479 Summary

• Creates the Arkansas Motorboat Registration and Titling Act establishing requirements for registering and titling motorboats manufactured on and after January 1, 2020, under a new certificate of title system

• Requires motorboat owners to obtain both a certificate of number (registration) and a certificate of title from the Office of Motor Vehicle, with specified application fees ($8.00) and title fees ($2.00)

• Establishes procedures for title transfers, lien perfection, duplicate certificates, and certificates of title with beneficiary designation allowing transfer-on-death of motorboats

• Authorizes credit card payments for fees and creates a refund process for incorrectly collected application fees, with collected fees distributed to the Commercial Driver License Fund and State Police Retirement Fund

• Imposes penalties including Class A misdemeanors for operating unregistered or untitled motorboats and Class C misdemeanors for improper title transfers or dealer violations of title retention note prohibitions