Surety Bond Encyclopedia

Temporary Boat Registration (Partnership) Bond - Statewide in Pennsylvania

Brief Summary

A partnership that runs a marina, boat dealership or sporting goods store can issue Pennsylvania temporary boat registrations on site once the Fish and Boat Commission has its bond. The floor is $2,000 per issuing location, the Commission sets the final figure, and the bond is filed in the partnership's name alongside a PFBC-751 that lists every partner.

Every Pennsylvania boat registration issuing agent must give bond before the Fish and Boat Commission releases registration forms, under 30 Pa.C.S. § 5304. For a partnership, the application on Form PFBC-751 identifies the business as a partnership and names each partner and the position held. The Commission's minimum bond is $2,000 for each location issuing temporary registrations, with larger bonds expected as volume grows.

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How to Apply for a Temporary Boat Registration (Partnership) Bond:

Complete Form PFBC-751, mark Partnership, and list each partner with the position held.
Have the application signed under oath before a notary.
Pay the $250 nonrefundable application fee to the PA Fish and Boat Commission.
Obtain a surety bond in the partnership's name of at least $2,000 for each issuing location.
Complete Commission training for at least one person responsible for registrations.
Keep copies of all temporary registration paperwork for the current calendar year and the 2 previous years.

Detailed Information About the Pennsylvania Temporary Boat Registration (Partnership) Bond:

Who actually posts this bond

The partnership does, as an issuing agent for the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission. Boat buyers do not need it. Under 58 Pa. Code § 93.13, issuing agents include businesses dealing in boats, boating equipment or sporting goods and temporary tag or messenger services, and each one applies on a Commission form with a bond in favor of the Commission.

Every issuing agent is bonded

30 Pa.C.S. § 5304 says every issuing agent shall give bond to the Commonwealth, in a sum the executive director determines, before any registration forms are delivered. The same section exempts county treasurers from the Commission's administrative fee. That exemption is about the fee. The bond language covers every issuing agent.

What the partnership application asks

Form PFBC-751 has you mark Partnership as the form of business organization and list the names of the partners and the positions they hold. It also asks for the Federal ID number, the Pennsylvania Sales and Use Tax License number, any trading as name and whether it is registered under the Fictitious Names Act, whether the business is registered with the PA Department of State, and when the business was established at this location. Answer every question and attach a supplement sheet if the partner list runs long, as the form instructs. Keep the partnership name on the bond consistent with the name and trading as name on the application.

Sizing the bond

The Commission's handbook sets a minimum of $2,000 for each location where temporary registrations are issued and tells agents to size the bond to the supply of registrations they need. Prior year sales are the usual yardstick. PFBC-751 asks for last year's gross sales of boating equipment and an estimate of how many temporary registrations you will issue each year, which gives the Commission the same picture.

Duties that come with the agency

Partners and staff must check the applicant's identification, make sure the Application for Pennsylvania Boat Registration and/or Boat Title (Form REV-336) is complete, and issue temporary registrations only for new boats, used boats changing ownership and boats brought in from another state. Paperwork and money go to the Commission within 10 days, and copies are kept for the current calendar year and the 2 previous years.

Eligibility and Requirements for a Pennsylvania Temporary Boat Registration (Partnership) Bond:

Bond in favor of the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, in an amount the executive director specifies.
Federal ID number and Pennsylvania Sales and Use Tax License number for the partnership.
Trading as name and Fictitious Names Act registration status disclosed on the application.
Disclosure of any prior license or surety bond that was suspended or revoked.
Retraining every 2 years and at least 25 temporary registrations a year to stay active.

Pennsylvania Temporary Boat Registration (Partnership) Bond FAQs:

Which partners have to be listed on the application?

PFBC-751 asks for the names of the owner, partners or corporate officers and the positions they hold. For a partnership, list the partners. If they do not fit in the space provided, the form tells you to attach supplement data.

Our partnership does business under a trade name. Does that matter for the bond?

The application asks for the trading as name and whether it is registered under the Fictitious Names Act. Keep the names on the bond and the application consistent so the Commission can match the two documents.

Is a county treasurer or any other issuing agent excused from the bond?

30 Pa.C.S. § 5304 says every issuing agent shall give bond before forms are delivered. The county treasurer exemption in that section applies to the Commission's administrative fee, not to the bond.

How large a bond should the partnership buy?

At least $2,000 for each location that issues temporary registrations. The Commission's handbook says prior year sales are generally a good way to size the bond and that large volume agencies should carry a proportionately larger one.

What must we do each time we issue a temporary registration?

Verify the buyer's identification, make sure Form REV-336 is fully completed, and send the application, fees and a PFBC-725 summary report to the Commission within 10 days. The temporary registration is valid for 60 days from the date of the application.