Do I need to register my sailboat?
Complete Guide on Sailboat Registration by State
with citations to licensing agencies, state statutes or administrative code, and Boat-Ed
Requirements for vessel registration and titling vary from state to state. Here is what we believe the laws pertaining to sailboats are as of November 2020.
However, we are not legal experts and laws can change. Please contact us for corrections to this page.
Canadians: pleasure craft with 10HP motors or less are exempt from registration (optional) in Canada
* denotes applicability to some or all MiniCat, Tiwal, and/or DinghyGo sailboats
Alabama *
all sailboats
AL EA Marine Patrol
Code of AL § 33-5-9
boat-ed
Alaska
motorized sailboats
AK DMV
AS § 5-25-55(i)(4)
boat-ed
Arizona
motorized sailboats
AZ Game & Fish
ARS § 5-322
boat-ed
Arkansas *
all sailboats
AR DFA
ACA § 27-101-301
ACA § 27-101-103(5)
boat-ed
California *
sailboats over 8’
or w/ motor
CA DMV
CCP VEH.9873(e)
boat-ed
Colorado *
all sailboats
CO Parks & Wildlife
CRS § 33-13-103
boat-ed
Connecticut
sailboats over 19.5’
or w/ motor
CT DMV
CGA § 268-15-143
boat-ed
Delaware
motorized sailboats
DE Fish & Wildlife
DE § 23-2115
boat-ed
Florida
sailboats over 16’
or w/ motor
FL HSMV
FS § 328-3(i)
boat-ed
Georgia *
sailboats over 12’
or w/ motor
GA DNR
OCGA § 52-7-6
boat-ed
Hawaii *
sailboats over 8’
or w/ motor
within 3NM
HI DLNR
HAR § 13-241-2(b)(8)
HRS § 200-31
boat-ed
Idaho
sailboats over 12’
except inflatables
or w/ motor
ID Parks & Recreation
IS § 67-7040
IDAPA § 26.01.30.350-4
boat-ed
Illinois *
sailboats over 12’
or w/ motor
IL DNR
ILCS § 625-45/3
boat-ed
Indiana
motorized sailboats
ID BMV
IC § 9-31-3-2
boat-ed
Iowa *
all sailboats
except inflatables under 7’
IA DNR
IC § 462A.6
boat-ed
Kansas *
all sailboats
KS DWP
KSA § 32-1110
KSA § 32-1113
boat-ed
Kentucky
motorized sailboats
KDFWR
KRS § 235.040
KRS § 235.010
boat-ed
Louisiana *
sailboats over 12’
or w/ motor
LDWF
LRS § 34:851.22
LRS § 34:851.19
boat-ed
Maine
motorized sailboats
MDIFW
MRS 12 § 13056.2
boat-ed
Maryland
motorized sailboats
MD DNR
MRS § 8-712(a)(1)(vii)
boat-ed
Massachusetts
motorized sailboat
MA B&RV R&TB
MA 14 § 90B-2
boat-ed
Michigan *
all sailboats
MI SOS
MRS § 324.80122
MRS § 324.80123
MRS § 324.80124
boat-ed
Minnesota *
sailboats over 10’
or w/ motor
MN DNR
MRS § 86B.415(2)
boat-ed
Mississippi *
all sailboats
MDWFP
MS Code § 59-21-5
boat-ed
Missouri *
sailboats over 12’
or w/ motor
MO DOR
MRS § 306.080
MRS § 306.020
boat-ed
Montana *
sailboats over 12’
or w/ motor
MT FWP
MCA § 61-3-321(10)(a)
MCA § 23-2-511
boat-ed
Nebraska
motorized sailboats
NE GP
NRS § 37-1211
NRS § 37-1204
boat-ed
New Hampshire *
sailboats over 12’
or w/ motor
NH DMV
RSA § 270-E:4
boat-ed
New Jersey *
sailboats over 12’
or w/ motor
NJ MVC
NJS § 12:7-34.38
boat-ed
New Mexico *
all sailboats
NM EMNRD
NMSA § 66-12-4
NMSA § 66-12-8
boat-ed
New York
motorized sailboats
NY DMV
NY § VAT 11-48-2251
NY § VAT 11-48-2252
boat-ed
North Carolina *
sailboats over 14’
or w/ motor
NC WRC
NC GS § 75A-7(a)(6)
boat-ed
North Dakota
motorized sailboats
ND GFD
ND § 20.1-13-02
boat-ed
Oklahoma *
all sailboats
OTC
OAC § 710:22
boat-ed
Oregon *
sailboats over 12’
or w/ motor
OSMB
ORS § 830.705(2)
boat-ed
Pennsylvania
motorized sailboats
PFBC
PaCSA 30 § 5302(a)(c)
boat-ed
Rhode Island *
sailboats over 12’
or w/ motor
RI DEM
RIGL § 46-22-6
boat-ed
South Carolina
motorized sailboats
(title for all sailboats)
SC DNR
SC § 50-23-320(A)(12)
boat-ed
South Dakota *
sailboats over 12’
or w/ motor
SD GFP
SCL § 32-3A-3
boat-ed
Tennessee *
all sailboats
TN WRA
TC § 69-9-206
boat-ed
Texas *
sailboats over 14’
or w/ motor
TPWD
TS PW § 31.022(c)
boat-ed
Utah *
all sailboats
except inflatables?
UT DMV
UC § 73-18-9
boat-ed
Vermont
motorized sailboats
VT DMV
VSA 23 § 3303
boat-ed
Virginia
motorized sailboats
(title for sailboats over 18’)
VA DWR
VC § 29.1-703
boat-ed
Washington
sailboats over 16’
or w/ motor on fed waters
WA DOL
WAC § 308-93-030
RCW § 88.02.570(8)
boat-ed
West Virginia
motorized sailboats
WV DMV
WVC § 20-7-12
boat-ed
Wisconsin *
sailboats over 12’
or w/ motor
WI DNR
WS § 30.51(2)(a)
boat-ed
Wyoming
motorized sailboats
WY GFD
WS § 41-13-102
boat-ed
* denotes applicability to some or all MiniCat and/or Tiwal sailboats