Boat Registration

William Beyers, famous founder of the Rocky Mountain News, tried to convince the country that Denver (because of the the Platte River and Cherry Creek waterways) was going to be the steamboat capital of the West.

Unfortunately, the first thing people realize when visiting Colorado is that water is mostly in the form of mountain snow, and that a good chunk of state is actually, well, desert. But regardless of the lack of anything but dammed reservoirs that in many cases look more like obese ponds, hordes of water-craft enthusiasts still compete with swimmers and fisherman for a bit of wet recreational fun in the summer.

At times, some of these reservoirs (especially in the Denver area) can get so crowded it is hard to see just where the water actually is. That is one reason why the state heavily promotes the taking of a boating safety course.

Most boats do need to be titled and registered in the state of Colorado, but the Colorado State Parks department handles these processes for watercrafts.

Download and print the registration application, complete it, and mail it with the appropriate fees to:

• Colorado State Parks

• Registration Unit

• 13787 South Highway 85

• Littleton, CO 80125

You can also fill out an application in person at this address. It takes about two to four weeks to receive the Colorado Registration Certificate.

Note: You also use this application to register snowmobiles and off-road vehicles such as dirt bikes, dune buggies, and ATVs.

Fees

Boat registration fees are determined by craft size as follows:

• Less than 20' - $25.25

• 20' to 29' 11" - $30.25

• 30' and over - $50.25

All boat registrations expire on December 31, regardless of when you first submitted your application.

Renewal can be done online. Check out the official renewal FAQ for details.

Trailers

Boat trailers need to go through the same registration and titling process at the DMV as motor vehicles, without certain steps in the procedure such as collecting odometer readings and the like. You will ultimately, after paying all fees, receive a trailer-specific license plate.

If registering a boat trailer from a state that does not title or license small trailers, you will also need to complete the Trailer Ownership form.

Get general details about registration on Registration & Titling, Title Transfers, and Registration FAQs on this site.