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Current as of January 01, 2025 | Updated by Findlaw Staff
(1) It is unlawful for any person to procure or attempt to procure a certificate of title or duplicate certificate of title to a vessel, or to pass or attempt to pass a certificate of title or duplicate certificate of title to a vessel or any assignment thereof, if such person knows or has reason to believe that such vessel is stolen. Any person who violates any provision of this subsection is guilty of a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.
(2) It is unlawful for any person, knowingly and with intent to defraud, to have in his or her possession, sell, offer to sell, counterfeit, or supply a blank, forged, fictitious, counterfeit, stolen, or fraudulently or unlawfully obtained certificate of title, duplicate certificate of title, registration, bill of sale, or other indicia of ownership of a vessel or to conspire to do any of the foregoing. Any person who violates any provision of this subsection is guilty of a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.
(3) It is unlawful:
(a) To alter or forge any certificate of title to a vessel or any assignment thereof or any cancellation of any lien on a vessel.
(b) To retain or use such certificate, assignment, or cancellation knowing that it has been altered or forged.
(c) To use a false or fictitious name, give a false or fictitious address, or make any false statement in any application or affidavit required under the provisions of this chapter or in a bill of sale or sworn statement of ownership or otherwise commit a fraud in any application.
(d) To knowingly obtain goods, services, credit, or money by means of an invalid, duplicate, fictitious, forged, counterfeit, stolen, or unlawfully obtained certificate of title, registration, bill of sale, or other indicia of ownership of a vessel.
(e) To knowingly obtain goods, services, credit, or money by means of a certificate of title to a vessel which certificate is required by law to be surrendered to the department.
Any person who violates any provision of this subsection is guilty of a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084. A violation of any provision of this subsection with respect to any vessel shall constitute such vessel as contraband which may be seized by a law enforcement agency, or the division, and which shall be subject to forfeiture pursuant to ss. 932.701-932.704.
(4) This section is not exclusive of any other penalties prescribed by any existing or future laws for the larceny or unauthorized taking of vessels, but is supplementary thereto.
Cite this article: FindLaw.com - Florida Statutes Title XXIV. Vessels § 328.05. Crimes relating to certificates of title to, or other indicia of ownership of, vessels; penalties - last updated January 01, 2025 | https://codes.findlaw.com/fl/title-xxiv-vessels/fl-st-sect-328-05/
FindLaw Codes may not reflect the most recent version of the law in your jurisdiction. Please verify the status of the code you are researching with the state legislature before relying on it for your legal needs.
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