Stone Crab Tag and Endorsement Transfers
Transfer Period: The transfer period opens May 1 and continues until the end of February.
Who is eligible: For a standard transfer, there are no special eligibility requirements. In the event of death or disability of the tag holder, the endorsement and the tags may be transferred to an immediate family member.
- Immediate family is defined as mother, father, sister, brother, spouse, son, daughter, step-son, step-daughter, step-father, step-mother, half-sister or half-brother of the endorsement holder.
Trap Tag Reduction: 15 percent of tags purchased must be surrendered to the FWC as part of the trap tag reduction program. Reduction amounts are rounded to the nearest whole number, e.g. 1.4 trap tags round down to 1 and 1.5 rounds up to 2. Trap tags that are transferred to immediate family members are not subject to a reduction. There is no reduction in the event of death or disability of the tag holder.
Transfer Fees: A $1.00 per tag fee will be calculated after the reduction. The fee applies to all standard transfers and transfers between immediate family members. Crew-mates are eligible for a $.50 per tag transfer fee. A crew-mate must have worked on a properly licensed vessel during one of the two previous license years and must be entering the fishery for the first time (may not have held tags previously). There are no transfer fees in the event of death or disability of the tag holder.
- For eligible crew transfers a crewshare statement and a 1099 is required. The sponsoring captain must have over 1,000 pounds of stone crab landings reported to the FWC in one of the last two years.
Surcharge Fees: $1 per tag or 25 percent of the total sale price, whichever is greater, will be charged for A1 and A2 tags. The surcharge will be calculated based on the number of tags available after the reduction. There are no surcharge fees in the event of death or disability of the tag holder or transfers between immediate family members.
- A1 Tags are trap tags that have never been transferred.
- A2 Tags are trap tags that have been transferred within the immediate family.
- B Tags are trap tags that have already been transferred outside the original tag holder’s account and are not subject to a surcharge fee.
Seller Requirements: The seller must have current Saltwater Products License (SPL), Restricted Species endorsement (RS), Stone Crab endorsement (X) and have paid all outstanding trap certificate fees, license fees and surcharges or any other charges owed to the FWC. Tags must be paid up through the fiscal year of the transfer. There must be no holds on the seller’s account.
IMPORTANT: If tag renewal payment is submitted with the tag transfer application, the transferred tags may be ordered with the buyer’s information and delivered directly to the buyer. The tag reduction will be applied before the order, therefore, no reduction tags will need to be surrendered. If the tags have been ordered before the transfer is completed, the tags will be delivered to the seller and the reduction tags and tag audit list must be provided to the Office Licensing and Permitting.
Buyer Requirements: The buyer must have an SPL, RS and X endorsement paid for through the fiscal year of the transfer, and have paid all outstanding trap certificate fees, license fees and surcharges and any other charges owed to the FWC. There must be no holds on the buyer’s account. No individual may possess more than 1 percent of the total stone crab tags.
- Buyer may submit applications for the SPL, RS and X endorsements with the transfer application.
If your Commercial SPL has been issued in the name of a business or corporation, your trap certificates/tags must be designated to an individual.
Required Documents: A transfer application (postmarked within 72 hours of being notarized), notarized bill of sale, certified check or money order, reduction tags and tag audit numbers are required. Proof of relationship (birth certificates and/or marriage licenses), copy of death certificate or proof of disability required for any immediate family transfers or due to death or disability.
IMPORTANT: A complete list of all reduction tags and transferred tags is required to complete the transfer. Reduction tags are required to be surrendered to FWC Law Enforcement or submitted with the application to the Office of Licensing and Permitting. Audit numbers listed on the tag transfer application are the tags numbers that will be transferred to the buyer.
What Transfers: Only tags transfer, unless the transfer is due to death or disability. In that case, the tags and endorsement will transfer to an immediate family member.
Endorsement Transfer
Who is eligible: The stone crab endorsement is only transferable to immediate family members upon death or disability of the endorsement holder.
- Immediate family is defined as mother, father, sister, brother, spouse, son, daughter, step-son, step-daughter, step-father, step-mother, half-sister or half-brother of the endorsement holder.
A complete copy of the applicable rules can be found in Chapter 379, Florida Statutes and Chapters 68B and 68E, Florida Administrative Code.
Transfer Forms