(a) Ownership of an undocumented vessel subject to registration may be held in beneficiary form that includes a direction to transfer ownership of the vessel to a designated beneficiary on death of the owner if both of the following requirements are satisfied:

(1) Only one owner is designated.

Terms Used In California Vehicle Code 9852.7

  • Beneficiary: A person who is entitled to receive the benefits or proceeds of a will, trust, insurance policy, retirement plan, annuity, or other contract. Source: OCC
  • Owner: is a person having all the incidents of ownership, including the legal title, of a vessel whether or not such person lends, rents, or pledges such vessel. See California Vehicle Code 9840
  • Vessel: includes every description of watercraft used or capable of being used as a means of transportation on water, except the following:

    California Vehicle Code 9840

(2) Only one TOD beneficiary is designated.

(b) Ownership registration and title issued in beneficiary form shall include, after the name of the owner, the words “transfer on death to” or the abbreviation “TOD” followed by the name of the beneficiary.

(c) During the lifetime of the owner, the signature or consent of the beneficiary is not required for any transaction relating to the vessel for which a certificate of ownership in beneficiary form has been issued.

(d) The fee for registering ownership of a vessel in a beneficiary form is ten dollars ($10).

(Added by Stats. 1991, Ch. 1055, Sec. 61. Operative January 1, 1993, by Sec. 64 of Ch. 1055.)

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