Registration

All boats with a motor, regardless of length must be registered, either with the State of Connecticut, Department of Motor Vehicle or with a license from the US Coast Guard. Boats that are 19 ½ feet or larger, with or without a motor must also be registered.

Any boat registered outside of Connecticut or with a documentation license from the US Coast Guard, that utilizes the waters of Connecticut for more than 60 days, is required to either register with Connecticut DMV or obtain a Certificate of Decal. The Certificate of Decal uses the same process as registering the boat with the same fee but without the need for numbers on the bow, just a different color annual sticker. Renting a seasonal slip or mooring is proof of utilizing the waters for over 60 days. Annual registration fees are determined by the length of the boat and range from $7.50 to $525.00 and the registration period is from May 1 to April 30. There is no annual property tax on boats in Connecticut.

You can visit one of the many Department of Motor Vehicle offices throughout the state and complete your paperwork there or go to their web site, www.ct.gov/dmv/site/ and download the paperwork. Many boat dealers are Bonded Dealers and they may have the capability to register your boat online, saving a trip to the DMV office.

Just remember, whenever you wish to use a boat in Connecticut, it must be legally registered somewhere before it is put in the water.