Boat Donation — New York - NY — Donate A Boat
Boat Registration and Title Information
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New York - NY - boat registration and title information.
1. What boats must be registered?
2. How do I get my Hull Identification Number (HIN)
1. What boats must be registered?
The law requires you to register any boat that is motor-driven and is operated on public waterways in NYS. The boat requires a registration even if the motor is not the primary source of propulsion. If you operate the boat in NYS, you must register the boat with the DMV. After you register your boat, you receive a registration certificate that indicates the registration number assigned to your boat and a set of registration stickers.
You must paint or attach the registration number to each side of the bow of the boat. The characters must be:
- block letters not less than three inches high,
- a color different from the hull and easy to see,
- legible from 100 ft. away during the daylight hours,
- the only number on the front half of your boat.
You cannot transfer the registration number to another boat.
The registration sticker shows the month and the year that the registration expires. Attach each sticker in line with the registration numbers on each side of the hull, and three inches toward the stern of the boat.
2. How do I get my Hull Identification Number (HIN)
If you have a boat that does not have a hull identification number (HIN), you must get one before you can register the boat if:
- you made the boat
- you got a boat that was manufactured after November 1, 1972.
You can get an application form from the DMV or from the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP). Send the completed form to the OPRHP. The OPRHP arranges your boat inspection for you. Visit the OPRHP web site section on boats.
3. What boats require titles?
The DMV issues title certificates for boats that are:
- model year 1987 and newer,
- at least 14 ft. long, and
- registered in New York State.
The title certificate is used for proof of ownership for these boats instead of the registration. Title certificates are not issued for boats that do not match the description above or for boats registered with the Coast Guard. For a boat that does not receive a title certificate, the transferable registration is proof of ownership.
4. How do I register my boat?
To register your boat, bring the following items to a DMV office:
- Complete form MV-82-B (Boat Registration / Title Application).
- Complete form DTF-802 (Statement of Transaction for Sales Tax) or proof of exemption or tax paid. See the sales tax information for additional information. The requirements and forms for boats are the same as those for motor vehicles.
- The proof of ownership listed in the boat registration requirements document.
- Proof of identity and date of birth.
- Cash, check or credit card for the fee.
Remember that if you have a boat trailer you must register the trailer. See the instructions to register a vehicle.
