A. Except as otherwise provided in § 29.1-733.19 or 29.1-733.20, if the Department receives, unaccompanied by a signed certificate of title, an application for a new certificate that includes an indication of a transfer of ownership or a termination statement, the Department shall create a new certificate under this section only if:

Terms Used In Virginia Code 29.1-733.21

  • Affidavit: A written statement of facts confirmed by the oath of the party making it, before a notary or officer having authority to administer oaths.
  • Amendment: A proposal to alter the text of a pending bill or other measure by striking out some of it, by inserting new language, or both. Before an amendment becomes part of the measure, thelegislature must agree to it.
  • Certificate of title: means a record, created by the Department under this article or by a governmental agency of another jurisdiction under the law of that jurisdiction that is designated as a certificate of title by the Department or agency and is evidence of ownership of a watercraft. See Virginia Code 29.1-733.2
  • Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • Fraud: Intentional deception resulting in injury to another.
  • Includes: means includes, but not limited to. See Virginia Code 1-218
  • Indemnification: In general, a collateral contract or assurance under which one person agrees to secure another person against either anticipated financial losses or potential adverse legal consequences. Source: FDIC
  • Lien: A claim against real or personal property in satisfaction of a debt.
  • Owner: means a person that has legal title to a watercraft. See Virginia Code 29.1-733.2
  • Purchaser: means a person that takes by purchase. See Virginia Code 29.1-733.2
  • Record: means information that is inscribed on a tangible medium or that is stored in an electronic or other medium and is retrievable in perceivable form. See Virginia Code 29.1-733.2
  • Security interest: means an interest in a watercraft that secures payment or performance of an obligation if the interest is created by contract or arises under § 8. See Virginia Code 29.1-733.2
  • Transfer of ownership: means a voluntary or involuntary conveyance of an interest in a watercraft. See Virginia Code 29.1-733.2
  • Value: means the same as that term is defined in § 8. See Virginia Code 29.1-733.2
  • Watercraft: means any vessel that is used or capable of being used as a means of transportation on water and is propelled by machinery, whether or not the machinery is the principal source of propulsion, except:

    1. See Virginia Code 29.1-733.2

1. All other requirements under §§ 29.1-733.7 and 29.1-733.8 are met;

2. The applicant provides an affidavit stating facts showing the applicant is entitled to a transfer of ownership or termination statement;

3. The applicant provides the Department with satisfactory evidence that notification of the application has been sent to the owner of record and all persons indicated in the files of the Department as having an interest, including a security interest, in the watercraft, at least 45 days have passed since the notification was sent, and the Department has not received an objection from any of those persons; and

4. The applicant submits any other information required by the Department as evidence of the applicant’s ownership or right to terminate the security interest, and the Department has no credible information indicating theft, fraud, or an undisclosed or unsatisfied security interest, lien, or other claim to an interest in the watercraft.

B. The Department shall indicate in a certificate of title created under subsection A that the certificate was created without submission of a signed certificate or termination statement. Unless credible information indicating theft, fraud, or an undisclosed or unsatisfied security interest, lien, or other claim to an interest in the watercraft is delivered to the Department not later than one year after creation of the certificate, on request in a form and manner required by the Department, the Department shall remove the indication from the certificate.

C. Unless the Department determines that the value of a watercraft is less than $5,000, before the Department creates a certificate of title under subsection A, the Department shall require the applicant to post a bond or provide an equivalent source of indemnity or security. The bond, indemnity, or other security shall not exceed twice the value of the watercraft as determined by the Department. The bond, indemnity, or other security shall be in a form required by the Department and provide for indemnification of any owner, purchaser, or other claimant for any expense, loss, delay, or damage, including reasonable attorney fees and costs, but not including incidental or consequential damages, resulting from creation or amendment of the certificate.

D. Unless the Department receives a claim for indemnity not later than one year after creation of a certificate of title under subsection A, on request in a form and manner required by the Department, the Department shall release any bond, indemnity, or other security.

2013, c. 787.