§ 670.40 ENFORCEMENT.

   Every Sheriff, deputy sheriff, Marshal, deputy marshal, member of the organized police department of any municipal corporation, police constable of any township, wildlife officer, natural resources officer, conservancy district police officer, and other law enforcement officer, within the area of any such law enforcement officer’s authority, may enforce this chapter, R.C. Chapter 1547 and rules and, in the exercise thereof, may stop and board any vessel subject to this chapter and R.C. Chapter 1547, and rules.

(R.C. § 1547.63) (Prior Code, § 670.37)

§ 670.41 CERTIFICATE OF TITLE; EXCEPTIONS.

   (a)   No person, except as provided in § 670.42, shall sell or otherwise dispose of a watercraft or outboard motor without delivering to the purchaser or transferee a physical certificate of title with an assignment on it as is necessary to show title in the purchaser or transferee; nor shall any person purchase or otherwise acquire a watercraft or outboard motor without obtaining a certificate of title for it in the person’s name in accordance with R.C. Chapter 1548; however, a purchaser may take possession of and operate a watercraft or outboard motor on the waters in this state without a certificate of title for a period not exceeding 60 days if the purchaser has been issued and has in the purchaser’s possession a dealer’s dated bill of sale, or in the case of a casual sale, a notarized bill of sale.

(R.C. § 1548.03)

   (b)   Division (a) of this section and §§ 670.43 and 670.44 do not apply to any of the following:

      (1)   A watercraft covered by a marine document in effect that has been assigned to it by the United States government pursuant to federal law;

      (2)   A watercraft from a country other than the United States temporarily using the waters in this state;

      (3)   A watercraft whose owner is the United States, a state, or a political subdivision of a state;

      (4)   A ship’s lifeboat. As used in this division (b)(4), LIFEBOAT means a watercraft that is held aboard another vessel and used exclusively for emergency purposes;

      (5)   A canoe;

      (6)   A watercraft less than 14 feet in length without a permanently affixed mechanical means of propulsion;

      (7)   A watercraft less than 14 feet in length with a permanently fixed mechanical means of propulsion of less than ten horsepower as determined by the manufacturer’s rating;

      (8)   Outboard motors of less than ten horsepower as determined by the manufacturer’s rating.

   (c)   The various certificates, applications, and assignments necessary to provide certificates of title for watercraft and outboard motors shall be made on appropriate forms approved by the Chief of the Division of Parks and Watercraft.

(R.C. § 1548.01(B), (C))

   (d)   Whoever violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the fourth degree.

(Prior Code, § 670.39)

§ 670.42 MANUFACTURER’S OR IMPORTER’S CERTIFICATE.

   (a)   No manufacturer, importer, dealer, or other person shall sell or otherwise dispose of a new watercraft or outboard motor to a dealer to be used by the dealer for purposes of display and resale without delivering to the dealer a manufacturer’s or importer’s certificate executed in accordance with this section and with such assignments on it as are necessary to show title in the name of the purchaser. No dealer shall purchase or acquire a new watercraft or outboard motor without obtaining from the seller the manufacturer’s or importer’s certificate.

   (b)   A manufacturer’s or importer’s certificate of the origin of a watercraft or outboard motor shall contain the following information in such form and together with such further information as the Chief of the Division of Parks and Watercraft may require:

      (1)   Description of the watercraft, including the make, year, length, series or model, if any, body type, hull identification number or serial number, and make, manufacturer’s serial number, and horsepower of any inboard motor or motors; or description of the outboard motor, including the make, year, series or model, if any, manufacturer’s serial number, and horsepower;

      (2)   Certification of the date of transfer of the watercraft or outboard motor to a distributor or dealer or other transferee, and the name and address of the transferee;

      (3)   Certification that this was the first transfer of the new watercraft or outboard motor in ordinary trade and commerce;

      (4)   Signature and address of a representative of the transferor.

   (c)   An assignment of a manufacturer’s or importer’s certificate before a notary public or other officer empowered to administer oaths shall be printed on the reverse side of the manufacturer’s or importer’s certificate in the form to be prescribed by the Chief of the Division of Parks and Watercraft. The assignment form shall include the name and address of the transferee, a certification that the watercraft or outboard motor is new, and a warranty that the title at the time of delivery is subject only to such liens and encumbrances as are set forth and described in full in the assignment.

(R.C. § 1548.05)

   (d)   Whoever violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the fourth degree.

(Prior Code, § 670.40)