Section 625 ILCS 45/3A-15 - Transfer by operation of law(a) If the interest of an owner in a watercraft passes to another other than by voluntary transfer, the transferee shall, except as provided in subsection (b), promptly mail or deliver within 15 days to the Department of Natural Resources the last certificate of title, if available, proof of the transfer, and his or her application for a new certificate in the form the Department prescribes. It shall be unlawful for any person having possession of a certificate of title for a watercraft by reason of his or her having a lien or encumbrance on such watercraft, to fail or refuse to deliver such certificate to the owner, upon the satisfaction or discharge of the lien or encumbrance, indicated upon such certificate of title.(b) If the interest of an owner in a watercraft passes to another under the provisions of the Small Estates provisions of the Probate Act of 1975, as amended, the transferee shall promptly mail or deliver to the Department of Natural Resources, within 120 days, the last certificate of title, if available, the documentation required under the provisions of the Probate Act of 1975, as amended, and an application for certificate of title. The transfer may be to the transferee or to the nominee of the transferee.(c) If the interest of an owner in a watercraft passes to another under other provisions of the Probate Act of 1975, as amended, and the transfer is made by an executor, administrator, or guardian for a person with a disability , such transferee shall promptly mail or deliver to the Department of Natural Resources, the last certificate of title, if available, and a certified copy of the letters testamentary, letters of administration or letters of guardianship, as the case may be, and an application for certificate of title. Such application shall be made before the estate is closed. The transfer may be to the transferee or to the nominee of the transferee.(d) If the interest of an owner in joint tenancy passes to the other joint tenant with survivorship rights as provided by law, the transferee shall promptly mail or deliver to the Department of Natural Resources, the last certificate of title, if available, proof of death of the one joint tenant and survivorship of the surviving joint tenant, and an application for certificate of title. Such application shall be made within 120 days after the death of the joint tenant. The transfer may be to the transferee or to the nominee of the transferee.(e) If the interest of the owner is terminated or the watercraft is sold under a security agreement by a lienholder named in the certificate of title, the transferee shall promptly mail or deliver within 15 days to the Department of Natural Resources the last certificate of title, his or her application for a new certificate in the form the Department prescribes, and an affidavit made by or on behalf of the lienholder that the watercraft was repossessed and that the interest of the owner was lawfully terminated or sold pursuant to the terms of the security agreement. In all cases wherein a lienholder has found it necessary to repossess a watercraft and desires to obtain certificate of title for such watercraft in the name of such lienholder, the Department of Natural Resources shall not issue a certificate of title to such lienholder unless the person from whom such watercraft has been repossessed, is shown to be the last registered owner of such watercraft and such lienholder establishes to the satisfaction of the Department that he or she is entitled to such certificate of title.(f) A person holding a certificate of title whose interest in the watercraft has been extinguished or transferred other than by voluntary transfer shall mail or deliver the certificate within 15 days upon request of the Department of Natural Resources. The delivery of the certificate pursuant to the request of the Department of Natural Resources does not affect the rights of the person surrendering the certificate, and the action of the Department in issuing a new certificate of title as provided herein is not conclusive upon the rights of an owner or lienholder named in the old certificate.(g) The Department of Natural Resources may decline to process any application for a transfer of an interest hereunder if any fees or taxes due under this Act from the transferor or the transferee have not been paid upon reasonable notice and demand.(h) The Department of Natural Resources shall not be held civilly or criminally liable to any person because any purported transferor may not have had the power or authority to make a transfer of any interest in any watercraft. Amended by P.A. 099-0143,§ 870, eff. 7/27/2015.P.A. 89-445, eff. 2-7-96.