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Boat Registration
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Any boat or other water vessel that is 16 feet or longer, has a motor larger than 10 horsepower, or is used on federal waters must be registered in Washington through the Department of Licensing (DOL). Smaller boats must be used only in nonfederal waters to be exempt.
If you have a boat registered in another state, it can be used in Washington's waters provided its primary use is in its state of registration. Commercial vessels with a valid marine document, as well as self-propelled boats, are also exempt from Washington boat registration.
All vessel registration and titling transactions may be handled in person at a DOL Vehicle Licensing Office. You'll need to supply the boat's make, year, purchase price and purchase year, length, hull identification number (if any), registration number, or document number.
Pleasure vessels that are documented as such are exempt from titling, but they must be registered with the Washington DOL. Commercial boats, while exempt from registration with the DOL, must be registered with Washington's Department of Revenue.
The fee to register your boat in Washington for the first time is $28.25, including a $5 charge for the state's Derelict Vessel Removal Program (the $5 charge is reduced to $2 on your annual registration renewal). Beyond 16 feet, Washington imposes an additional 0.5% vessel excise tax based on the fair market value of the boat.
Renewal notices are typically mailed to Washington's registered boat owners annually in April. If you do not receive your notice, contact your Vehicle Licensing Office. Conveniently, the Department of Licensing allows you to renew your boat registration online.
Washington's registered boat owners are required to notify the Department of Licensing of the following within 15 days:
- Change of address
- Theft, loss, abandonment, recovery, or destruction of the boat
- Loss or destruction of a valid boat registration certificate
Boat owners must also provide the DOL with the following information when the boat is sold:
- Seller's name and address
- Buyer's name and address
- Boat description, including vessel registration, or WN, and the hull identification number (HIN)
More information about boat and vessel registration and licensing may be found on the Washington vessel licensing information page.
