Watercraft licenses - registration procedures & fees

Options for boat registration renewals

To expedite your renewal, you can visit a deputy registrar office or renew online and receive a temporary receipt to use immediately. If you previously mailed in your renewal and do not want to wait for it to be processed, you can visit a deputy registrar office or renew online and receive a temporary receipt to use immediately. Your mail-in renewal check will then be returned to you.

For people that are about to renew: We encourage you to renew your watercraft registration online or at your local deputy registrar's office. If you renew online, you will receive a temporary permit/conformation page to print out for immediate use. Or, you may write down your temporary authorization number from you confirmation page. Your registration card and expiration decals will then be mailed to you.

Registration procedures

Register your new watercraft:

• Options are limited for in-person registrations so check the deputy registrar of motor vehicles listings (where you license your car). You can also visit the DNR License Center, 500 Lafayette Road in St. Paul.

  
  If your new boat (except kayaks or canoes) is longer than 16', your dealer will apply for title and registration (license) on your behalf, and is responsible for providing you with license materials.

  When you register your boat for the first time, know its length, manufacturer, type of hull material (wood, metal, or plastic), type of propulsion, model, year, serial or hull identification number (HIN) and have a sales receipt that shows you have paid the sales tax.

  Length is the straight-line distance from the foremost part of the boat (bow) to the rearmost part of the boat (stern). Bowsprits, outboard motor brackets, rudders and other attachments are not included in the measurement.

  A watercraft license is not required for:
  Non-motorized watercraft 10 ft or less, or a watercraft owned by a person from another state and that state does not require licensing of that type of watercraft and it is not within Minnesota for more than 90 consecutive days. See MN Boating Guide for more information.

  Boat registrations are good for 3 calendar years (for example 1/1/2003 through 12/31/2005).

Renew your watercraft registration:

• In person at any deputy registrar of motor vehicles (where you license your car) or at the DNR License Bureau in St. Paul (500 Lafayette Road, St. Paul, MN).
• Online using the online licensing system.
• If you are not the registered owner a person may renew for you only if they have the DNR generated renewal notice or, they must provide a Consent to Renew Registration form or show proof of being the Power of Attorney.
• Consent to Renew Registration form

Duplicate cards are available:

• At a deputy registrar of motor vehicles

Fees

Titles

Watercraft title fees

Registrations

Forms

• Universal registration form
• Watercraft Title and Registration Application
• Affidavit of repossession
• Assignment of watercraft to a surviving spouse or assignment of watercraft not subject to probate
• Duplicate title application
• Corrected title application
• Lien: add, release, reassign
• Statement of facts watercraft title
• Transfer on death
• Correction of Ownership