(a) On death of the owner of a vessel numbered under this division and owned in beneficiary form, the vessel belongs to the surviving beneficiary, if any. If there is no surviving beneficiary, the vessel belongs to the estate of the deceased owner.

(b) A certificate of ownership in beneficiary form may be revoked or the beneficiary changed at any time before the death of the owner by either of the following methods:

Terms Used In California Vehicle Code 9916.5

  • 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
  • Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
  • Department: means the Department of Motor Vehicles except, when used in Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 2100) of Division 2 and in Divisions 11 (commencing with Section 21000), 12 (commencing with Section 24000), 13 (commencing with Section 29000), 14 (commencing with Section 31600), 14. See California Vehicle Code 290
  • 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
  • Person: includes a natural person, firm, copartnership, association, limited liability company, or corporation. See California Vehicle Code 470
  • Probate: Proving a will
  • transferee: is a person who has acquired the sole ownership of or an equity in a vehicle of a type required to be registered under this code. See California Vehicle Code 640
  • Use: means operate, navigate, or employ. 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

(1) By sale of the vessel with property assignment and delivery of the certificate of ownership to another person.

(2) By application for a new certificate of ownership without designation of a beneficiary or with the designation of a different beneficiary.

(c) Except as provided in subdivision (b), designation of a beneficiary in a certificate of ownership issued in beneficiary form may not be changed or revoked by will, by any other instrument, by a change of circumstances, or otherwise.

(d) The beneficiary’s interest in the vessel at death of the owner is subject to any contract of sale, assignment, or security interest to which the owner was subject during his or her lifetime.

(e) The surviving beneficiary may secure a transfer of ownership for the vessel upon presenting to the department all of the following:

(1) The appropriate certificate of ownership.

(2) A certificate under penalty of perjury stating the date and place of the owner’s death and that the declarant is entitled to the vessel as the designated beneficiary.

(3) If required by the department, a certificate of the death of the owner.

(f) After the death of the owner, the surviving beneficiary may transfer his or her interest in the vessel to another person without securing transfer of ownership into his or her own name by appropriately signing the certificate of ownership for the vessel and delivering the document to the transferee for forwarding to the department with appropriate fees. The transferee may secure a transfer of ownership upon presenting to the department (1) the certificate of title signed by the beneficiary, (2) the certificate described in paragraph (2) of subdivision (e) executed by the beneficiary under penalty of perjury, and (3) if required by the department, a certificate of death of the owner.

(g) A transfer at death pursuant to this section is effective by reason of this section, and shall not be deemed to be a testamentary disposition of property. The right of the designated beneficiary to the vessel shall not be denied, abridged, or affected on the grounds that the right has not been created by a writing executed in accordance with the laws of this state prescribing the requirements to effect a valid testamentary disposition of property.

(h) A transfer at death pursuant to this section is subject to § 9653 of the Probate Code.

(i) If there is no surviving beneficiary, the person or persons described in Section 9916 may secure transfer of the vessel as provided in that section.

(j) The department may prescribe forms for use pursuant to this section.

(Added by Stats. 1991, Ch. 1055, Sec. 62. Operative January 1, 1993, by Sec. 64 of Ch. 1055.)

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