Registration procedures
Register your new watercraft:
- In person at any deputy registrar of motor vehicles (where you license your car) or at the DNR License Center, 500 Lafayette Road, St. Paul, MN.
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 DNR license agents
- At the DNR Central Office in St. Paul
Fees
Titles
Registrations
| Type of watercraft | Registration fee | Aquatic invasive species surcharge | Issuing fee If new or transfer only $8.50, if renewing and transferring $4.50+$8.50. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Watercraft owned by non-profit organization (Used for teaching water safety camp, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, YMCA, YWCA, etc.) | $4.50 | $10.60 | + issuing fee* | |
| Rental or lease watercraft up to and including 19 feet (over 19 feet same as pleasure craft); | $9.00 | $10.60 | + issuing fee* | |
| Rental or lease personal watercraft (Jet Skis, etc.) | $37.50 | $10.60 | + issuing fee* | |
| Canoes, kayaks, sailboats, sailboards, rowing shells (not rowboats) paddleboards and paddleboats (sailboats over 19 feet same as pleasure craft) Non-motorized watercraft 10ft or less do not require registration | $10.50 | $10.60 | + issuing fee* | |
| Personal watercraft (Jet Skis, etc.) | $37.50 | $10.60 | + issuing fee* | |
| Pleasure craft less than 17 feet | $18.00 | $10.60 | + issuing fee* | |
| Pleasure craft 17 feet up to and including 19 feet | $27.00 | $10.60 | + issuing fee* | |
| Pleasure craft over 19 feet but less than 26 feet | $45.00 | $10.60 | + issuing fee* | |
| Pleasure craft 26 feet but less than 40 feet | $67.50 | $10.60 | + issuing fee* | |
| Pleasure craft 40 feet in length and over | $90.00 | $10.60 | + issuing fee* | |
| Dealer's license | $67.50 | $10.60 | + issuing fee* | |
| Any watercraft more than 19 feet in length for hire with an operator | $75.00 | $10.60 | + issuing fee* | |
| Transfer without renewal | $4.50 | $0.00 | + issuing fee* | |
| Duplicate registration card | $4.50 | $0.00 | + issuing fee* | |
| Duplicate decal only | $0.00 | $0.00 | + issuing fee* | |
| Boats for hire | Contact the Department of Labor and Industry: Code Administration and Boiler Inspection Services | |||
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