I own a 97 Carver 355MY and I am thinking about documenting the boat to save from paying state registration fees every year. I have been told that you don't have to register the boat with the state if you document it. I live in NH and the fee to register the boat is $167 every year, and $133, one time fee for documentation. When I went to the USCG website, under Q&A, they stated that the state may make you register the boat. What does everyone else do?
Coast Guard Documentation
- Thread starter tim f
- Start date
You need to see what the laws are in your state. We have several ROs from NH here so I expect you'll get an answer. For the record, we boat in MD and USCG documentation does not remove a nyone in the statefrom the responsibilty to register the vessel or pay state sales taxes. We do not have to display state registration numbers but we must have the registration sticker.
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Boat still has to be registered with the state.
Documentation # is used instead of state #'s but do not need to be put on the boat.
The registration sticker is still required on the boat.
Documentation # is used instead of state #'s but do not need to be put on the boat.
The registration sticker is still required on the boat.
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You will need to have your vessel registered even if you have your vessel documented.
See below link.
I also provided the information from the web site.
http://www.boat-ed.com/nh/handbook/register.htm
All operators are required to obey laws that regulate your vessel's registration and operation.
Registering Your Vessel
You must have a New Hampshire Certificate of Registration and validation decals to operate your vessel legally on public waters in New Hampshire. This includes motorboats of any size (including those with electric motors) and sailboats or sailboards 12 feet in length or longer. The only exceptions are:
Sailboats and sailboards under 12 feet in length
Other small, non-motorized vessels such as canoes and kayaks
Vessels registered in other states using New Hampshire waters for 30 or fewer consecutive days
Vessels owned or operated by the U.S. government
The Certificate of Registration must be on board and available for inspection by an enforcement officer whenever the vessel is 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 forward half of the vessel such that it is clearly readable.
Number must read from left to right on both sides of the vessel.
Number must be in at least three-inch-high BLOCK letters.
Number's color must contrast with the hull background.
Letters must be separated from the numbers by a hyphen or a space: NH-3717-ZW or NH 3717 ZW.
Decals must be placed on both sides of the bow within six inches of and to the right of the number.
Sailboats that are at least 12 feet long but less than 20 feet in length need to display the validation decals only (not the number) within two feet of the extreme forward part of the bow.
If your vessel requires registration, it is illegal to operate it or allow others to operate your vessel unless it is registered and numbered as described above.
Where to Register
The Certificate of Registration and validation decals are obtained by submitting the proper application and fee to the New Hampshire Department of Safety, Division of Motor Vehicles, or one of its authorized agents. To obtain forms:
Call 603-271-2333 603-271-2333
Visit or write the DMV office
James H. Hayes Building
23 Hazen Drive
Concord, NH 03305-0002
Other Facts About Registration
The Certificate of Registration expires on December 31 of each year. Owners of vessels that have been registered previously will be sent a renewal notice.
The owner of a numbered vessel must notify the Department of Safety, Division of Motor Vehicles, within 15 days if he or she changes address or if the vessel is lost, stolen and/or recovered, destroyed, abandoned, or sold.
If you lose or destroy your Certificate of Registration or decals, you must apply for a duplicate and submit a processing fee.
Vessels registered in another state may operate on New Hampshire waters for 30 consecutive days before New Hampshire registration is required.
Larger recreational vessels owned by U.S. citizens may (at the option of the owner) be documented by the U.S. Coast Guard. Call the USCG at
1-800-799-8362 for more information. Documented vessels also must obtain a New Hampshire registration and carry the Certificate of Registration on board. However, these vessels are not required to display their registration number, but they must display the validation decals within two feet of the extreme forward part of the bow. These vessels also must have the vessel name and hailing port clearly visible on both sides of the hull or on the transom.
See below link.
I also provided the information from the web site.
http://www.boat-ed.com/nh/handbook/register.htm
All operators are required to obey laws that regulate your vessel's registration and operation.
Registering Your Vessel
You must have a New Hampshire Certificate of Registration and validation decals to operate your vessel legally on public waters in New Hampshire. This includes motorboats of any size (including those with electric motors) and sailboats or sailboards 12 feet in length or longer. The only exceptions are:
Sailboats and sailboards under 12 feet in length
Other small, non-motorized vessels such as canoes and kayaks
Vessels registered in other states using New Hampshire waters for 30 or fewer consecutive days
Vessels owned or operated by the U.S. government
The Certificate of Registration must be on board and available for inspection by an enforcement officer whenever the vessel is 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 forward half of the vessel such that it is clearly readable.
Number must read from left to right on both sides of the vessel.
Number must be in at least three-inch-high BLOCK letters.
Number's color must contrast with the hull background.
Letters must be separated from the numbers by a hyphen or a space: NH-3717-ZW or NH 3717 ZW.
Decals must be placed on both sides of the bow within six inches of and to the right of the number.
Sailboats that are at least 12 feet long but less than 20 feet in length need to display the validation decals only (not the number) within two feet of the extreme forward part of the bow.
If your vessel requires registration, it is illegal to operate it or allow others to operate your vessel unless it is registered and numbered as described above.
Where to Register
The Certificate of Registration and validation decals are obtained by submitting the proper application and fee to the New Hampshire Department of Safety, Division of Motor Vehicles, or one of its authorized agents. To obtain forms:
Call 603-271-2333 603-271-2333
Visit or write the DMV office
James H. Hayes Building
23 Hazen Drive
Concord, NH 03305-0002
Other Facts About Registration
The Certificate of Registration expires on December 31 of each year. Owners of vessels that have been registered previously will be sent a renewal notice.
The owner of a numbered vessel must notify the Department of Safety, Division of Motor Vehicles, within 15 days if he or she changes address or if the vessel is lost, stolen and/or recovered, destroyed, abandoned, or sold.
If you lose or destroy your Certificate of Registration or decals, you must apply for a duplicate and submit a processing fee.
Vessels registered in another state may operate on New Hampshire waters for 30 consecutive days before New Hampshire registration is required.
Larger recreational vessels owned by U.S. citizens may (at the option of the owner) be documented by the U.S. Coast Guard. Call the USCG at
1-800-799-8362 for more information. Documented vessels also must obtain a New Hampshire registration and carry the Certificate of Registration on board. However, these vessels are not required to display their registration number, but they must display the validation decals within two feet of the extreme forward part of the bow. These vessels also must have the vessel name and hailing port clearly visible on both sides of the hull or on the transom.
Your tagline says "Homeport: Kittery, ME" . If the vessel is still homeported there and spends most of it's time in ME waters(even if you live in NH) , I would imagine ME registration regs would apply.
Apparently, no state vessel registration is required for USCG documented vessels in ME. : http://www.marinetitle.com/boat-registration/ME-Maine.htm
But then you would be (are?) obligated to pay the annual excise Riverbed mentioned whether or not is is registered or documented.
Apparently, no state vessel registration is required for USCG documented vessels in ME. : http://www.marinetitle.com/boat-registration/ME-Maine.htm
But then you would be (are?) obligated to pay the annual excise Riverbed mentioned whether or not is is registered or documented.
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Agree with all of the above. What you should be aware of is the state user tax. There was a NYT write up discussed at length on another forum. The state apparently patrols the marinas and keeps tabs on boats that spend more than 30 days in Maine waters.
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So what is the value in being documented?
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There are advantages to being documented, but very few with boats under 30' do it. Most with boats 40' and larger document.
Many lending institutions won't mortgage larger boats unless they are documented.
There's also the "snob" factor of not having state numbers pasted on the bow of the boat. You'd be surprised how many people do it for just that reason.
Many lending institutions won't mortgage larger boats unless they are documented.
There's also the "snob" factor of not having state numbers pasted on the bow of the boat. You'd be surprised how many people do it for just that reason.
In my state NJ you need to register the boat with the state every year and receieve state registration stickers that must be displayed. I renew my USCG documentation every year. I want to be in as many databases as possible if we ever need a SAR. Originally I financed the boat the lending institution required it. I have just kept the documentation current after the lienholder was removed. You also as others have posted need to consider where the boat is docked and for how long? In my state every year the NJ sales tax division comes around and writes down out of state boats (Delaware is common they have no sales tax). If the boat is there for more than 90 days they want proof the state fees are paid. Not to hard a job they go to the marina ask for the contract and well it doesn't take Dick Tracy to figure out if someone is evading the state. We had a boat siezed (red stickered) 3 years ago until the owner paid the back fees and fines, the fines were far larger than the yearly fees. I don't see the reason to avoid a few hundred dollars a year if your in boating?
Bill
Bill
- Joined
- Sep 23, 2002
- RO Number
- 10265
- Messages
- 9,958
Registration in my state cost me about $20K in tax.
That is beacuse boat was bought in NJ and documented.
I could of rolled the dice and not registered it, but if they caught me I would of had to pay the tax and a penalty and possibly jail time.
I can tell you that NYS is agrresive with this and inspectors will stop at marinas and look at boats to see they have a current registration stickers. They are onto the game. My old boat which was also legal, I got a letter in the mail from NYS taxation and I had to proove that boat had a invoice showing tax was paid.
If you do the crime, plan to do the time!
That is beacuse boat was bought in NJ and documented.
I could of rolled the dice and not registered it, but if they caught me I would of had to pay the tax and a penalty and possibly jail time.
I can tell you that NYS is agrresive with this and inspectors will stop at marinas and look at boats to see they have a current registration stickers. They are onto the game. My old boat which was also legal, I got a letter in the mail from NYS taxation and I had to proove that boat had a invoice showing tax was paid.
If you do the crime, plan to do the time!