REGISTRATION, NUMBERING, AND DOCUMENTATION

Definition Of A Vessel (Boat)

• A vessel (boat) is defined as every type of watercraft, other than a seaplane on the water, used or capable of being used as a means of transportation on water. In addition to traditional motorboats, vessels such as sailboats, personal watercraft (PWC), canoes, kayaks, rafts, float tubes and “kick” boats are subject to Utah’s boating laws and rules.
• A motorboat is defined as any vessel propelled by machinery, whether or not the machinery is the principal source of propulsion.
• A personal watercraft (PWC) is defined as a motorboat that is less than 16 feet in length, propelled by a water jet pump, and designed to be operated by a person sitting, standing, or kneeling on the vessel, rather than sitting or standing inside the vessel.

Boaters must have a Utah Certificate of Registration (registration card) and annual registration decals to legally operate a vessel on Utah’s waters. The Certificate of Registration must be onboard and available for inspection by an enforcement officer whenever the vessel is operated. The only exceptions are:

• Non-motorized vessels (canoes, kayaks, etc.)
• Vessels properly registered in another state and using Utah waters for 60 or fewer consecutive days. Non-resident registration reciprocity is 14 days. Utah residents must register and number their boat in Utah if they use their boat on Utah waters.
• Ship’s lifeboats.

The certificate of registration, registration and title can be obtained by submitting the proper application and fee to: 

For boat registration and titling information, contact:

Utah Division of Motor Vehicles
210 North 1950 West
Salt Lake City , UT 84134

801-297-7781
800-368-8824

Vessels Required To Be Registered and Numbered

• Sailboats and any vessel equipped with a motor, whether gas or battery powered, must be registered and numbered, unless exempt as noted below. A person may not place, or give permission for the placement of, a motorboat or sailboat on any waters of this state or operate or give permission for the operation of a motorboat or sailboat on the waters of this state, unless the motorboat or sailboat is registered.
• Boats owned by Utah residents but registered out-of-state must be registered in Utah, if they are used on Utah waters.
• U.S. Coast Guard documented vessels must register in Utah if they are used on Utah waters. This includes the proper display of both the Month of Expiration Decals and the Yearly Registration Decals.
• Boats exempt from Utah registration include sailboards and properly registered motorboats and sailboats owned by residents of another state that have not been in Utah more than 14 days in a calendar year.
• Boats exempt from numbering include sailboards, U.S. Coast Guard documented vessels and numbered motorboats and sailboats owned by residents of another state that have not been in Utah more than 60 days in a calendar year.
• The annual registration fee is $12.00 plus a 50¢ search and rescue surcharge designated to go to your county of residence/registration. $4.00 of this registration fee is allocated to the Utah Division of Motor Vehicles for processing the vessel’s registration. The remaining $8.00 is allocated to Utah State Parks and Recreation to fund Utah’s Boating Program.
• When you register your boat, a Certificate of Registration (card), two Yearly Registration Decals, and two Month of Expiration Decals will be issued. The Bow Number assigned to each boat must be displayed with the Yearly Registration Decals and the Month of Expiration Decals on the boat as described below. The Bow Number stays with the boat as long as it continues to be registered in Utah.
• The Certificate of Registration (card) must be carried on board the boat for which it is issued and be available for inspection whenever the boat is in operation.

Expiration of Boat Registrations:

• Utah boat registrations expire annually, at the end of the month in which the boat was originally registered .
• Persons who purchase a boat from a registered dealer, may be issued a 30-day temporary registration certificate by that respective dealer.
• Boat owners must notify the Utah Division of Motor Vehicles of any change of ownership or address within 15 days of the change.
• The sale, transfer, destruction or abandonment of a motorboat or sailboat terminates its registration.

Boat Titling:

• The Utah Division of Motor Vehicles will issue titles for boats manufactured in 1985 or after. Boats that were built before 1985 will not be titled. Boats with motors less than 25 horsepower will not be titled.

Proper Display of Registration Decals and Bow Numbers:

• The assigned Bow Number must be painted or permanently attached to each side of the forward half of the boat.
• The Bow Numbers must be plain, one color, vertical, block characters at least three inches in height that read from left to right. They must contrast with the background color of the hull and be distinctly visible and legible from a distance of approximately 150 feet. Spaces or hyphens, equal to the width of a letter, must separate the number and letter groupings.
• The assigned Bow Number consists of the prefix letters UT, four numbers and two suffix letters. For example: UT 2628 BP or UT - 2628 - BP.
• The Yearly Registration Decals must be displayed three inches aft (towards the stern) of the Bow Number on each side of the boat. The Month of Expiration Decals must be displayed immediately aft (towards the stern) of the Yearly Registration Decals .
• On documented vessels, the Yearly Registration Decals and the Month of Expiration decals shall be displayed on each side of the forward half of the vessel.
• On boats where the placement of the Bow Number, Yearly Registration Decals and Month of Expiration Decals on the hull or superstructure would not be visible or where the type of hull material used would make it impractical to permanently attach, the Bow Number, Yearly Registration Decals and Month of Expiration Decals may be mounted on a backing plate and displayed as described above.

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.