Boat Registration and Titling

Click here to read about titling your boat in Idaho.

Who Must Register

In Idaho, you must have an Idaho Certificate of Registration and validation stickers to operate your vessel legally on Idaho waters.  The only exceptions are:

• Manually propelled vessels (for example, canoes, rafts, and kayaks)
• Float tubes (single inner tube construction with or without a motor)
• Sailboards
• Vessels properly registered in another state and on Idaho waters for 60 or fewer consecutive days
• Vessels documented with the U.S. Coast Guard

Cost of Registration as of January 1, 2008

How Do I Register My Boat?

Boats can be registered by visiting a local boat registration vendor, a county assessor's or motor vehicle office, of the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation (IDPR).  For information, call IDPR at 208-514-2475.

Click here for a list of boat registration vendors in Idaho, organized by county.

How Do I Attach My Registration Number and Validation Stickers?

You must paint or permanently attach your registration number on each side of the forward half (bow) of the boat.  Registration numbers must be vertical block characters at least 3 inches tall and read from left to right.  Their color must contrast with the background and be distinctly visible and legible.  A hyphen or space equal to letter width must separate letter and numeral groups (example: ID-1234-AA or ID 1234 AA).  No other number may be displayed on the bow.

Attach the validation stickers securely to each side of the bow, within 6 inches and directly in line with the boat's registration numbers.  Expired stickers must be removed from your boat.

When Does My Registration Expire?

Registrations expire on December 31 of each year. Validation stickers need to be current anytime your boat is on the water. Your current registration must be on the boat whenever the boat is being used.

What Are My Boat Registration Dollars Used For?

Help make sure your registration money is spent in the county where you do your boating.  The State of Idaho has a unique system in place that allows boaters to decide what county receives their registration dollars. When filling out your registration for the boating season, please designate the county where the majority of your boating activity occurs as the county of “primary” use. You are also able to designate a second county if you wish. This will allow designated counties to receive eighty-five percent of your registration fee for boating improvement projects and marine law enforcement activities.

Click here to see how Idaho counties are using the designated registration dollars.

Titling your boat

Vessels That Must Be Titled

When any of the following vessels are transferred to a different owner after December 31. 1999, the new owners are required to title them:

• Any vessel with a permanently attached mode of propulsion, model year 2000 or newer. Examples: model year 2000 inboard, inboard/outboard, sailboats, and personal watercraft (Jet Skis, Waverunners, etc.).
• Any non-exempt vessel, model year 2000 or newer, over 12' in length, regardless of the mode of propulsion. Example: model year 2000 13' outboard.

Vessels That May Be Titled

All types of vessels listed in the "mandatory titling" category, regardless of model year, that were acquired prior to January 1, 2000 may optionally be titled as of January 1, 2000. Drift boats over 12’ in length may also be titled if the owner chooses. Once a vessel has been titled, every subsequent Idaho owner must also title it in his or her name.

Exempt Vessels That Cannot Be Titled

• rowboats
• canoes
• kayaks
• inflatable vessels
• rafts
• barges
• non-motorized paddle vessels
• seaplanes
• sailboards
• tenders
• documented vessels
• vessels owned by the U.S. or a foreign state or political subdivision

Cost

It costs $8 per vessel to title it.

The Idaho Code

Definitions

Vessel: Any watercraft used or capable of being used as a means of transportation on water. It does not include float houses, inflatable air mattresses, single inner tubes, beach and water toys, and other non-motorized devices not designed or modified to be used as a means of transportation on the water.

Float House: A floating structure which is designed and built or modified to be used as a stationary waterborne residential dwelling, is dependent for utilities upon a continuous utility linkage to a source originating on shore, and has a permanent continuous connection to a sewage system on shore.

Tender: A vessel employed to attend other vessels, or a vessel used to commute between shore and another ship. Documented Vessel: A vessel “documented” by the U.S. Coast Guard. Vessel documentation is a national form of registration.

Documented Vessels:  Documented vessels are over five net tons in size and must be wholly owned by a U.S. citizen. They are typically used in fishing activities on navigable waters of the U.S. or the Exclusive Economic Zone, or used for coastwise trade. (Most vessels over 25 feet in length are five net tons or more.)