REGISTRATION AND TITLING

VESSEL REGISTRATION

You must have an Indiana certificate of registration and a validation decal to legally operate a watercraft on public waters in Indiana unless:

• The watercraft is non-motorized (watercraft using an electric trolling motor are required to register), or
• It is registered in another state and has operated on Indiana waters for not more than 60 consecutive days.

Boats documented by the U.S. Coast Guard must also be registered by the State and display the excise decal. If your watercraft requires registration, it is illegal to operate or allow others to operate it unless it’s registered and properly numbered.

The certificate of registration indicates the number that must be displayed on the bow of the watercraft. The certificate must be kept onboard and available for inspection by an enforcement officer whenever the boat or PWC is being operated. The registration number and validation decals must be displayed as follows:

• Number must be painted, applied as a decal or otherwise affixed to both sides of the bow.
• Number shall read from left to right on both sides of the bow.
• Number’s color must contrast with its background.
• Number must be in at least three-inch-high BLOCK letters.
• Numbers must be single color and clearly legible from a distance of 100 feet.
• Decals must be affixed on both sides of the boat, to the right side of and within three inches of the registration number. Decals include the month and year of expiration. Only the current decal may be displayed.

Registration information must be kept current:

• The boat excise tax decal is valid for one year. Owners who have already registered their watercraft will automatically be sent a renewal notice to their residence.
• If you change address, you must notify a Bureau of Motor Vehicles license branch within 30 days of the change.
• If you transfer ownership of your boat, or it is destroyed, the owner should report it to the local Bureau of Motor Vehicles license branch within 15 days.
• If you lose or destroy your certificate of registration or decal you must apply to the Bureau of Motor Vehicles for a duplicate and submit a processing fee.

Larger recreational boats, owned by U.S. citizens, may (at the option of the owner) be documented by the U.S. Coast Guard. U.S. Coast Guard documented boats must also have a certificate of registration but are exempt from displaying the “IN” registration numbers.

A watercraft that must be registered must also have a certificate of title except:

• Watercraft acquired by the owner before January 1, 1986.
• Watercraft that is less than $3,000 in value when new.
• Home-built watercraft built for personal use and not for resale.

Although there are exemptions from titling, you may still want to title your boat. A title verifies ownership in case the boat is stolen.

HULL IDENTIFICATION NUMBER

You may obtain a Hull Identification Number for a home built boat or replace a missing Hull Identification Number by applying to your local Bureau of Motor Vehicles Branch Office.

Documented Boats

• Official Documentation MUST be carried onboard a documented vessel at all times.
• A Document serves as a certificate of nationality and an authorization for a trade.
• Documented vessels must comply with all state and federal laws.
• Registration fee and display of validation sticker is required in some states.
• Official number must be permanently affixed to an integral structure of the boat. This number is referred to as the “main beam” number.
• The main beam number must match the official number on the document.
• Name and hailing port of the boat must be displayed at least once anywhere on the hull (most boater display this information on the transom) - at least 4” in height, contrasting in color to the hull.
• Name and hailing port must match information on the official document.