670.39 CERTIFICATE OF TITLE; EXCEPTIONS.

   (a)   No person, except as provided in Section 670.40, 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 Ohio 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 30 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.

(ORC 1548.03)

   (b)   Division (a) of this section and Sections 670.40 and 670.41 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 10 horsepower as determined by the manufacturer's rating;

      (8)   Outboard motors of less than 10 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.