Boat Bill of Sale Mexico (Compraventa de Embarcación)

A Boat Bill of Sale Mexico (Compraventa de Embarcación) is a formal legal instrument governed by Article 16 of the Ley de Navegación y Comercio Marítimos (LNCM), published in the Diario Oficial de la Federación on 1 June 2006, that documents the voluntary transfer of ownership (dominio) of a vessel — whether a recreational boat (embarcación de recreo), fishing vessel (embarcación pesquera), or commercial craft (embarcación de cabotaje) — from a seller (vendedor/transmitente) to a buyer (comprador/adquirente) in exchange for an agreed price. Maritime transactions in Mexico operate under a specialised legal framework that differs substantially from ordinary movable property sales governed by the Código Civil Federal, requiring registration of the ownership transfer in the Registro Público Marítimo Nacional (RPMN) administered by the Secretaría de Comunicaciones y Transportes (SCT) — now officially renamed the Secretaría de Infraestructura, Comunicaciones y Transportes (SICT) following the 2019 institutional reorganisation.

The Ley de Navegación y Comercio Marítimos classifies vessels (embarcaciones) under Articles 2 and 9 LNCM into: embarcaciones mayores (vessels of 500 gross tonnes or more, or with international voyages) subject to the full maritime registry; embarcaciones menores (vessels under 500 GT or exclusively in national waters) subject to the Registro Simplificado; and recreational and pleasure craft (embarcaciones de recreo y deporte náutico) governed by the Reglamento de la Ley de Navegación for non-commercial private use. Each category has distinct documentation and registration requirements.

All vessels operating in Mexican territorial waters — including the Mar Territorial (12 nautical miles from the baseline under the Ley Federal del Mar of 8 January 1986), the Zona Económica Exclusiva (200 nautical miles under the same law), and internal waters (aguas interiores) including lakes, rivers, and coastal lagoons managed by the Comisión Nacional del Agua (CONAGUA) — must be registered in the RPMN under Article 16 LNCM and carry a Matrícula (vessel registration certificate) issued by the SCT/SICT Capitanía de Puerto with territorial jurisdiction over the vessel's home port. The Matrícula is the vessel's primary identity document and the equivalent of the vehicle Tarjeta de Circulación, and must be onboard at all times under Article 48 LNCM.

The Secretaría de Marina Armada de México (SEMAR), acting through the Dirección General Adjunta de Capitanías de Puerto y Asuntos Marítimos, has concurrent jurisdiction over vessel safety, navigation, and documentation in Mexican waters. SEMAR issues the Certificado de Matrícula and oversees compliance with safety equipment requirements, the Convenio Internacional para la Seguridad de la Vida Humana en el Mar (SOLAS) for vessels in international voyages, and the Reglamento de Construcción y Equipamiento de Embarcaciones Menores.

Fishing vessels are additionally subject to the Ley General de Pesca y Acuacultura Sustentables (LGPAS) published in the DOF on 24 July 2007 and regulated by the Comisión Nacional de Acuacultura y Pesca (CONAPESCA), which issues fishing permits (permisos de pesca) and concessions (concesiones de pesca) that attach to the vessel and must be transferred or reissued upon ownership change. The fishing permit is not automatically transferred to a new owner through the compraventa — the buyer must apply to CONAPESCA for a permit transfer or new permit within the time limits established by the LGPAS.

A Boat Bill of Sale Mexico is required whenever a vessel registered in Mexican waters changes ownership, whether the vessel is a recreational craft (lancha, yate, velero, or jet ski), a fishing boat (lancha pesquera), or a small commercial vessel engaged in coastal navigation (navegación de cabotaje). The Ley de Navegación y Comercio Marítimos establishes specific documentation requirements that distinguish vessel transactions from ordinary personal property sales in Mexico.

The document is essential for the RPMN ownership transfer procedure at the SCT/SICT Capitanía de Puerto. Under Article 16 LNCM, the transfer of ownership of a vessel registered in Mexico must be documented in a public instrument (escritura pública) before a Notario Público or in an authenticated private document and submitted to the Registro Público Marítimo Nacional for inscription. Without RPMN registration of the transfer, the new owner cannot obtain a Matrícula in their name, cannot obtain vessel insurance from CNSF-regulated insurers, and cannot obtain CONAPESCA fishing permits in their name. The seller remains the registered owner and continues to bear liability for accidents, environmental damage under the Ley General del Equilibrio Ecológico y la Protección al Ambiente (LGEEPA), and maritime debts (créditos marítimos privilegiados) under Articles 88–95 LNCM.

A compraventa de embarcación is also required when a foreign vessel is permanently imported into Mexico — the customs entry (pedimento de importación) through the Administración General de Aduanas must be accompanied by a bill of sale establishing the purchase price for customs valuation and IVA calculation purposes under the Ley Aduanera and Ley del IVA. Vessels imported temporarily under the Régimen de Importación Temporal de Embarcaciones (applicable to foreign pleasure craft staying in Mexico for up to 18 months under the Decreto de importación temporal) do not require permanent registration but must carry a Constancia de Importación Temporal issued by the Aduana.

For vessels subject to a naval mortgage (hipoteca naval) under Articles 96–107 LNCM, the mortgage must be cancelled (liberación de hipoteca naval) by the creditor and the cancellation registered in the RPMN before the vessel can be sold with clean title. Buyers should verify the vessel's RPMN record for outstanding naval mortgages, maritime privileges, and administrative sanctions before executing any purchase. The Secretaría de Marina (SEMAR) through its Capitanías de Puerto maintains records of all registered vessels and any enforcement actions, seizures, or administrative restrictions that may affect the vessel's title — a SEMAR clearance certificate is advisable for high-value transactions involving commercial or fishing vessels.

A valid Boat Bill of Sale Mexico under the Ley de Navegación y Comercio Marítimos Article 16 must include the following elements to be inscribed in the Registro Público Marítimo Nacional and to produce full legal effect against the Capitanía de Puerto, SEMAR, and third parties.

Identification of Parties: Full legal name, CURP, RFC if applicable, official identity document number (INE/IFE credential or passport), nationality, domicile, and civil status of both seller (transmitente) and buyer (adquirente). For legal entities, RFC, company name, Registro Público de Comercio number, and legal representative details. Foreign persons must provide passport and Mexican Tarjeta de Residencia if applicable under INM regulations.

Vessel Identification: Complete vessel description including vessel name (nombre de la embarcación), type (type/clase — lancha, velero, yate, pangas, etc.), hull material (material del casco — fibra de vidrio, acero, madera, aluminio), length overall (eslora en metros), beam (manga en metros), draft (calado en metros), gross tonnage (tonelaje bruto de registro), engine make and power in HP or kW, hull identification number (número de matrícula or HIN — Hull Identification Number under ISO 10087 for newer vessels), and home port (puerto de matrícula).

Registration References: Current Matrícula number and issuing Capitanía de Puerto, RPMN inscription number and date, and CONAPESCA fishing permit number if the vessel is a fishing craft. Confirmation that no naval mortgage (hipoteca naval) or maritime privilege (privilegio marítimo) is registered against the vessel in the RPMN.

Sale Price and Payment: Agreed total price in MXN or USD (maritime transactions in Mexico sometimes use USD by custom), payment method, and payment date. For imported vessels, the customs value (valor en aduana) declared in the pedimento de importación must be consistent with the compraventa price.

Public Instrument Requirement: Under Article 16 LNCM, the ownership transfer of a registered vessel must be executed in an escritura pública before a Notario Público (or in an authenticated private document presented to the Capitanía de Puerto for RPMN registration). The Notario Público's protocol number and date must be referenced in the RPMN inscription request.

Transfer of Accessories and Permits: Explicit itemisation of all accessories, equipment, and safety gear (salvavidas, señales de socorro, extintores) included in the sale, as required by Reglamento de la Ley de Navegación for the vessel's category. For fishing vessels, a statement regarding the CONAPESCA permit — whether the permit is transferred as permitted by LGPAS or whether the buyer must obtain a new permit.

Forms-legal.com provides this Boat Bill of Sale Mexico template as a preparatory reference. Maritime transactions in Mexico require execution before a Notario Público and RPMN registration at the competent SCT/SICT Capitanía de Puerto. Buyers and sellers should consult an abogado marítimo (maritime lawyer) for vessels of significant value or where fishing permits or naval mortgages are involved. Related documents useful alongside this template include the Compraventa de Vehículo for comparison of registration procedures, and the Contrato de Servicios de Transporte for ongoing vessel operation arrangements.

Naval Insurance Requirement: Buyers of recreational and commercial vessels should obtain hull insurance (seguro de casco) and third-party civil liability insurance (seguro de responsabilidad civil náutica) from a CNSF-authorised insurer immediately upon taking ownership. The Comisión Nacional de Seguros y Fianzas (CNSF) regulates all marine insurance in Mexico under the Ley sobre el Contrato de Seguro (LCS). Some Capitanías de Puerto require proof of valid insurance as a condition of issuing or renewing the Matrícula, particularly for commercial fishing vessels operating under CONAPESCA permits. The insurance policy should reference the vessel's RPMN registration number and Matrícula as primary identification.

SAT Fiscal Considerations: For legal entity buyers and sellers, the compraventa de embarcación triggers IVA at 16% under LIVA Article 1 on the full sale price, and the seller must issue a CFDI through the SAT system under CFF Article 29. The purchase price declared in the CFDI must match the amount stated in the escritura pública presented for RPMN registration — inconsistencies between the two documents may attract SAT audit scrutiny under CFF Article 42.