State of Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles

Frequently Asked Questions
on Boat Registrations 

 

How do I register a documented vessel?
   Note: If the vessel is in the process of being documented, CT numbers will have to be assigned until the final documentation is received. 
Does Connecticut title vessels?
  • Effective January 1, 2016, Connecticut will title vessels with the model year of 2017 and newer. For a list of vessels exempt from title requirements, please download this document.
What is the cost for a title?
  • The cost for a title is $25.00 and $10.00 for the lien when applicable.
Are personal watercraft, such as jet skis, required to be registered? 
Is there a exemption from registration for any vessel less than 19 and 1/2 feet in length without any motor and is not a motorboat (such as a sailboat powered by sail alone and no use of any motor)?
  • Yes. Those boats are exempt from registration.      
Is there a exemption from registration for any vessel less than 19 and 1/2 feet in length and is propelled solely by oar or paddle?
  • Yes. Those boats are exempt from registration, except a canoe with a motor and that charge is $7.50.
Are there any special requirements needed for operating personal watercraft aka jet skis? 
My vessel has been registered with CT numbers and I now have my documentation paper.  What do I do? 
  • A Vessel Registration Application (form B-148) must be completed and submitted with the current registration certificate, including the CT numbers listed, and a copy of the document.
  • A fee of $3 will be charged if registered for the current year.  Otherwise, the Registration Fee is determined by the length of the vessel.
I am an out-of-state resident with a current out-of-state registration on my vessel, and will be using Connecticut waters.  What is required to use the vessel here?
  • You have up to 60 days in a calendar year to use the vessel in Connecticut before you need to apply for a certificate of decal.
How do I get a copy of my last registration, bill of sale, proof of sales tax paid or a copy of an original application?
All inquiries are sent to the Marine Vessel Section.  Fees are as follows:
  • Copy of Application to Register - $20
  • Copy of a Bill of Sale - $20
  • File information - $20
  • Complete Search of Each Vessel - $20 plus $20 per copy
  • Certified Copies - additional $20 
How do I request an "Invitation to Renew" for my vessel?
I have received an invitation to renew a registration on a vessel I no longer own. What should I do?
  • You will need to mail the invitation to:
    CT DMV, Marine Vessel Section, 60 State Street, Wethersfield, CT 06161 along with a note indicating the name of who you sold the vessel to. If you do not know the name of the person you sold the vessel to, indicate person unknown.
I am selling my vessel and have purchased another.  Can I get credit for the fee I paid on the previous vessel registration applied to the new registration?
  • You can get credit for the fee paid on the previous vessel if that vessel has been sold, traded, destroyed or stolen prior to the time of registering the new vessel.
  • You must submit the registration certificate indicating the status of the old vessel.
  • The Registration Fee on the current registration will be applied towards the Registration Fee on the new registration plus any additional amount if the new vessel is larger.
  • An additional $1 fee will be applied to the final total.  
How do I register a previously repossessed vessel?
How do I register a vessel that up until now has only been used as a row boat?
How do I register a vessel that I received as a gift?
How do I register a vessel that was previously registered to a now deceased person?
How do I register a vessel that doesn't have a hull number?
  • Complete the Vessel Registration Application (form B-148) and the Department of Energy and Enviornmental Protection Application for Hull Number (form EPB-502).
  • A temporary registration will be issued until DEP checks the vessel and assigns the number.
  • Vessels built prior to 1973 do not require a hull number. 
How do I register a vessel I have just finished building?
What should I do if I observe suspicious activities?
  • Call the National Response Center at: 1-800-424-8802 or 877-24WATCH, for immediate danger to Life or Property call: 911.
How is sales tax calculated?
  • The sales tax will be 6.35% of the purchase price for vessels and trailers used for transporting a vessel with a purchase date before July 1, 2018.  Vessels and trailers used for transporting a vessel with a purchase date on or after July 1, 2018 will be charged a tax rate of 2.99 percent.
Can I register or renew my boat if I owe property tax on a motor vehicle?
  • You may not register or renew your boat if you are delinquent on motor vehicle property tax.