How to register your inflatable boat can be a confusing topic.
To make matters worse, searching how to do this online can leave you with more questions than answers. Some websites will say one thing, while others will say another.
The problem is that laws differ from state to state. There is no one-size-fits-all solution to this question. What is true in California may not be true in Florida.
All this will leave you scratching your head wondering, “What should I do? Do I need to register my inflatable boat? How do I register my inflatable boat?”
What you need is a complete guide. Today, we’re going to walk you through all there is to know about registering your boat. We’ll also give you a complete chart of requirements for all 50 states.
So without further adieu, let’s dive in!
Table of Contents
Do You Have to Register Your Inflatable Boat?
Registering your inflatable boat may seem like a huge hassle. After all, it’s not like you use it every day. What’s the big deal about registering inflatables anyway?
All this, plus the confusion on how to register, can lead you to throw your hands up and say “I don’t care.”
But that’s illegal.
It’s your responsibility as a boat owner to know the regulations and requirements.
So do you have to register your inflatable boat?
Yes.
However, there are some exceptions. Once again, these exceptions are different in every state. Some common exceptions include:
Motor
One of the most common exceptions is inflatable boats with no motor. If you use paddles to propel your boat, you probably don’t have to register it.
This is because, in a lot of states, boats are regulated by the DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles). It doesn’t make sense for the DMV to keep records on a boat without any motor, does it?
Some states only regulate gas-powered motors. Others include electric motors, such as trolling motors, as well.
That said, other states, such as Ohio, are regulated by other divisions. These divisions have their own set of rules on registration. So pay attention to what your state says.
Again, it’s all very confusing. So stay with us, because we’ll have a complete look at all the states in a bit.
Length
Another factor that you should consider is the length of your boat. In some states, you won’t have to register your inflatable if it is below a certain length.
For example, Minnesotans have to register their boat if it is over 10ft long, even if it doesn’t have a motor. On the other hand, all inflatable boats in Iowa over 7 ft long need registration.
Location
Finally, you need to consider where you are going boating. It’s one thing to boat in a private lake, it’s another to do this in a national park.
Some states don’t bother with registrations for boats used only in private waters. When you hit public waters, things get different.
Also, if ever you plan to use your inflatable in a national park, it’s important to check the requirements. Even if you don’t need registration in your state, the office in charge of that national park may require it.
How to Check if Your Inflatable Boat is Registered
Suppose you bought an inflatable boat from a private seller, do you have to register it?
Before you bring home your boat, it’s good to ask the previous owner about its registration. If it’s already registered, you won’t have to register it again until it expires. This is unless you want to put it under your name right away.
You should also ask for the latest registration papers. A lot of states require these when you register your boat.
But let’s say you forgot to ask. Or let’s say you’re not sure if your boat registration is already expired. How do you find out?
It’s simple, first find the registration number on your boat (for inflatables, this will be on the bow). Then call the office that handles boat registration in your state (full list of this below), and ask the status of your boat. The office will check their records and let you know if you need to register or not.
How to Register an Inflatable Boat
So let’s say you have to register your inflatable boat, how do you do it?
To register your inflatable boat, you’ll need to prepare a few things. One thing that you need is proof of ownership. This can be either a bill of sale or a receipt. Anything to show that you are the owner of this boat.
You’ll also need to know the specifications of your boat. You need to know not only the maker and model, but also the length as well. A document showing all of these will come in handy.
Finally, the motor. You need to know what type of motor you are using for your boat. You need to know whether you are using an outboard motor, a trolling motor, or some other type.
With all of these, you should be ready to register at any state. Head to the DMV office (or whichever handles boat registration) and register your inflatable boat.
How to Register Your Inflatable Boat Online
Today, a lot of states will allow you to register your boat online. Doing this takes away a lot of hassle, as you don’t have to travel to the DMV office anymore.
To do this, all you have to do is go online and print a copy of the application form. Fill this up and mail it along with the other requirements to your state’s DMV office. Again, the requirements vary from state to state.
When that arrives, the DMV should give you a registration number and sticker for your inflatable boat.
You have to display these numbers on your boat. Without these, your boat will be considered unregistered, and you can get in trouble.
We’re going to show you how to put your registration number on your boat. But first, let’s take a look at all the requirements for the 50 states.
State Requirements for Inflatable Boat Registration
So how do you register your boat in California, New York, or Colorado? To clear up all the confusion, here is the complete chart of requirements for each state.
On the first column is the state, followed by the office that handles boat registration. The “exceptions” column shows if your inflatable boat may be exempted from registration. Finally, the last column is the requirements for registration.
| State: | Department: | Exceptions: | Requirements |
| Alabama | Alabama Marine Patrol | Non-mechanically powered boats |
|
| Alaska | DMV | Non-powered boats |
|
| Arizona | Arizona Game and Fish Department | Boats without motors |
|
| Arkansas | Department of Finance and Administration | Vessels not propelled by motor or sail |
|
| California | DMV | Any vessel propelled by oars or paddles |
|
| Colorado | CO Parks and Wildlife | Non-motor or sail-powered boats |
|
| Connecticut | DMV | Boats powered by oars or paddles only |
|
| Delaware | Division of Fish and Wildlife | Non-motorized boats |
|
| Florida | Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles | Boats not powered by a motor and not more than 16 ft in length. |
|
| Georgia | DNR | Rubber rafts without mechanical propulsion |
|
| Hawaii | Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation | Recreational vessels that are manually propelled |
|
| Idaho | Department of Parks and Recreation | Manually propelled vessels, float tubes |
|
| Illinois | DNR | Any vessel not propelled by a sail or motor |
|
| Indiana | Bureau of Motor Vehicles | Non-motorized boats (except sailboats) |
|
| Iowa | DNR | Inflatable watercraft less than 7 ft long. |
|
| Kansas | Department of Wildlife, Parks, and Tourism | Any vessel not powered by sail, gasoline, diesel, or electricity. |
|
| Kentucky | KY Transportation Cabinet | Non-mechanically powered vessels |
|
| Louisiana | Department of Wildlife and Fisheries | N/A |
|
| Maine | Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife | Non-motorized boats |
|
| Maryland | DNR | Use non-mechanical propulsion |
|
| Massachusetts | Boat, ATV, and Snowmobile Registration Bureau | Watercraft without a motor – not including vessels over 14 ft that are designed to be motorized |
|
| Michigan | Secretary of State | Vessels less than 16 ft long that are powered by oars or paddles (unless for commercial uses) |
|
| Minnesota | DNR | All non-motorized boats less than 10 ft long |
|
| Mississippi | Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks | Boats with no motor or sails |
|
| Missouri | Department of Revenue | Boats (any length) propelled by oars or paddles only |
|
| Montana | Vehicle Services Bureau | All non-motorized boats |
|
| Nebraska | DMV | Boats that are not propelled by gas, diesel, or electric motor |
|
| Nevada | Department of Wildlife | Non-motorized boats |
|
| New Hampshire | DMV | Non-motorized boats or sailboats less than 12 ft |
|
| New Jersey | Motor Vehicle Commision | Non-motorized craft |
|
| New Mexico | State Parks Division | Boats powered only by paddles or oars |
|
| New York | DMV | Non-motorized vessels |
|
| North Carolina | Wildlife Resources Commission | Boats powered only by oars or paddles |
|
| North Dakota | Game and Fish Department | Non-motorized vessels |
|
| Ohio | Division of Parks and Watercraft | N/A |
|
| Oklahoma | OK Tax Commission’s Motor Vehicle Divison | Boats propelled by paddles only. Boats with motors less than 10 HP |
|
| Oregon | State Marine Board | Non-motorized watercraft |
|
| Pennsylvania | Fish and Boat Commission | Non-motorized vessels on non-PFBC or PA state park waters |
|
| Rhode Island | Department of Environmental Management | Non-motorized boats |
|
| South Carolina | DNR | Watercraft propelled by humans (oars or paddles) and outboard motors with less than 5 HP |
|
| South Dakota | SD Game, Fish and Parks | Inflatable boats less than 12 ft long |
|
| Tennessee | Wildlife Resources Agency | Watercraft propelled by paddles or oars |
|
| Texas | Parks and Wildlife Department | All non-motorized boats |
|
| Utah | Division of State Parks and Recreation | Non-motorized vessels |
|
| Vermont | DMV | Non-motorized boats |
|
| Virginia | Game and Inland Fisheries | Non-motorized vessels |
|
| Washington | Department of Licensing | Non-motorized or sail boats. Motorboats under 16 ft long and under 10 HP in non-federal waters |
|
| West Virginia | DNR | Non-motorized boats |
|
| Wisconsin | DNR | Manually propelled watercraft and sailboats under 12 ft long |
|
| Wyoming | Game and Fish Department | Non-motorized boats |
|
Chart correct as of March 2020. For more information, visit https://www.dmv.org/boat-registration.php
Keep in mind that there may be additional requirements for special situations. To be sure, it’s best to contact the department in charge of your state’s boat registration.
Also, each application form is different. Some states will require you to fill out multiple forms, while others only need one. You can check https://www.dmv.org/boat-registration.php for the full requirements of your state.
How to Put Registration Numbers on Inflatable Boats
When you register your boat, you’ll get a sticker and a registration number. Before you hit the water, you should stick the sticker, and paint the registration number on your inflatable.
Doing this is very easy. All you need is some stencils, paint, and masking tape. With these, you can apply your boat registration number in 5 easy steps.
Step 1: Tape Stencils Together
The goal is to paint your registration number on your inflatable. Doing this without a guide will be extremely difficult. That’s why you should get stencils with the corresponding numbers such as these:
Before you start painting, tape these stencils together. Position them correctly, then tape them all together using masking tape. When you’re finished, you should have something like a flexible plate number.
You need to paint these numbers on both sides of your boat. You can make another stencil plate for the other side, or you can use one for both sides.
Step 2: Tape Stencils to Boat
Next, take your stencil plate and stick that to your boat. Stick it in an area that is easy to see, preferably on the front of your boat. Remember, you need this number on both sides, so stick it a little bit to the side.
Before you do this, make sure your boat is clean. If your boat is dirty, the tape won’t stick and neither will the paint.
Also, make sure you use a good masking tape. There are plenty of good tapes, but perhaps none is quite as good as Scotch:
Step 3: Paint!
Once that’s taped on, take your paint and spray over it. But before this, cover the rest of your boat with plastic to avoid paint spills.
For the paint, you’ll want something that can stick to your boat. If not, the paint will bleed, or get washed away when you hit the water. One good paint to fit this bill is Rust-Oleum’s 327916 paint which you can get here:
If one coat is not enough, add another. Do this until you are satisfied with the results.
Step 4: Wait
Now it’s time to wait. The paint should be quite dry before you remove the stencil. This is so that the paint won’t bleed, and you’ll have properly formed numbers. You can use a blow dryer to speed this up.
Then remove the stencil and wait some more. Wait for the paint to completely dry before using your boat. This may take a day or two depending on the paint you use. If you don’t, the water will wash away your registration number.
Step 5: Stick Sticker
All there’s left to do is to add the stickers. You can stick these on your boat, or find another way to attach it.
One way to do this is to use a picture holder for refrigerators for this. If you don’t have one, you can order it below. Put the sticker inside, and secure it to your boat using a cable tie.
Whatever you choose to do, just make sure the sticker is beside the registration number.
And that’s all there is to it!
Conclusion
Whenever states get to choose their own registration laws, things are bound to get confusing. They all have their own set of requirements, exemptions, and laws to keep in mind. That’s why it’s so difficult to find sources online that cover all of these.
With our complete guide, however, you should know all you need to know for your state. If you’re still unsure, be sure to give the department in charge of registration a call.
So gather your requirements and register your boat today!
I created this site to help people – to help you – with your boat problems. Instead of helping one person at a time, I want this website to be the “one-stop-shop” for everyone’s boating concerns. Read more.
Dmitriy
Tuesday 7th of May 2024
Hello! I have this problem. I bought an inflatable boat on the Aliexpress website. And today I went to the DMV. But they didn’t register it for me because I don’t have a registration number, and the one they sent me on the computer shows that this is the number of a car trailer. I don’t know who to turn to for help. I live in New York.
Kevin M
Wednesday 7th of July 2021
Great info; thanks! Michigan makes it particularly tricky. There is no online option to register a boat and no real guidance as to what paperwork might be required for an inflatable boat at an in-person appointment. Having the serial number / hull id plus a proof-of-ownership document was not enough. Apparently there is a standard "Manufacturer's Certificate of Origin for a Boat" document that is required. Some companies may include this with the owners manual; mine did not, and I had to search around on the Intex website a bit to find out how to download and print one based on the hull id.