§ 75A-34. Who may apply for certificate of title; authority of employees of Commission. - North Carolina Statutes

§ 75A‑34.  Who may applyfor certificate of title; authority of employees of Commission.

(a)        Any owner of amotorized vessel or sailboat 14 feet or longer or any personal watercraft, asdefined in G.S. 75A‑13.3(a), that is applying for a certificate of numberfor the first time in this State pursuant to G.S. 75A‑5(a), and any newowner of a motorized vessel or sailboat 14 feet or longer or any personalwatercraft to whom ownership is being transferred under G.S. 75A‑5(c)shall apply to the Commission for a certificate of title for that vessel. Anyother vessel may be titled in this State at the owner's option. A vessel maynot be titled in this State if it is titled in another state, unless thecurrent title is surrendered along with the application for a certificate oftitle in this State. The Commission shall issue a certificate of title uponreasonable evidence of ownership, which may be established by affidavit, billof sale, manufacturer's statement of origin, certificate of title in thisState, certificate of number or title from another state, or other documentsatisfactory to the Commission. Only one certificate of title may be issued forany vessel in this State. A vessel may not be titled in this State if it isdocumented with the United States Coast Guard. The Commission shall issue acertificate of title upon receipt of a completed application, along with theappropriate fee and reasonable evidence of ownership. The Commission shallrequire a manufacturer's statement of origin for all new vessels being issued acertificate of number and a certificate of title for the first time. TheCommission may request a pencil tracing of the hull identification number(serial number) for vessels being transferred, in order to positively identifythe vessel before issuance of a certificate of title for that vessel.

(b)        Employees of theCommission are vested with the power to administer oaths and to takeacknowledgements and affidavits incidental to the administration andenforcement of this section. They shall receive no compensation for theseservices. (1989,c. 739, s. 1; 2006‑185, s. 2.)