Chapter 4: The Legal Requirements of Boating
Your Boat’s Registration and Validation Decals

Requirements for boat registration vary from state to state. In Minnesota, you must have a Department of Natural Resources (DNR) License Certificate (registration card) and validation decals to operate a boat legally on Minnesota’s public waters. Exceptions to the registration requirements include:

• Boats currently registered in another state or a foreign country and not kept in Minnesota for more than 90 consecutive days
• Boats documented with the U.S. Coast Guard
• Duck boats during the duck hunting season, rice boats during the harvest season, and seaplanes
• Non-motorized boats 9 feet in length or less

The registration card must be signed, on board, and available for inspection by an enforcement officer whenever the boat is operated. You are not required to carry the registration card on board when operating a non-motorized canoe, kayak, rowing shell, paddle boat, sailboat, or sailboard, but must produce it within a reasonable time if an enforcement officer asks to see it.

License Certificate (Registration Card) The registration card must be carried on board whenever the boat is operated. The registration card and validation decals are obtained by submitting the proper application form and fee in person at any deputy registrar of motor vehicles (where you license your car) or at the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) License Center located at 500 Lafayette Road in St. Paul. For renewals, you may register online at www.wildlifelicense.com/mn/.

Validation Decals

The registration number and validation decals must be displayed as follows.

• Number must be painted, decaled, or otherwise affixed to each side of the bow on the forward half of the boat, placed to be clearly visible.
• Number must read from left to right on both sides of the boat.
• Number must be in bold, BLOCK letters, at least 3-inches high.
• Number’s color must contrast with its background.
• Letters must be separated from the numbers by a 3 to 4 inch space or a hyphen. For example: MN 3717 ZW or MN-3717-ZW.
• No other number, letter, design, or insignia may appear within 24 inches of the registration number or the validation decals.
• Validation decals must be affixed on both sides of the bow, placed to the stern or rear of the registration number within four inches of the number. Only decals that are current may be visible, so remove expired decals before applying new ones.

Non-motorized canoes, kayaks, rowing shells, paddle boats, sailboards, and sailboats must display the validation decal on each side of the forward half of the boat, but are not required to display the registration number. On non-motorized sailboards and sailboats, you may place the decals on the stern if it is impossible, because of the boat’s design, to place them on the bow.

PWCs are also required to display the registration number and validation decals.

Other Facts About Registering and Titling Your Boat

• When you register your boat, you need to know its length, manufacturer, type of hull material, type of propulsion, model, year, and serial or hull identification number (HIN). Also you must have a sales receipt that shows that you have paid the sales tax.
• Boat registrations cover a period of three calendar years and expire on December 31 of the last year that the registration is valid. The expiration date appears on both the registration card and on the validation decals. Normally, you will receive a notice by mail to renew your registration for another three- year period.
• When you obtain your new registration card and validation decals, discard your old registration card and replace the expired decals on your boat.
• If you buy a boat that is currently registered in Minnesota, obtain the current registration card from the previous owner. Within 15 days of the transfer, you must send or take the registration card, application for transfer, and transfer fee to the DNR License Center or deputy registrar.
• If you abandon or destroy your boat, or register it in another state, you must notify the DNR License Center within 15 days.
• If you lose or destroy your registration card, you may apply for a duplicate at your local deputy registrar or the DNR License Center. Duplicate registration fees vary based on the type of boat.
• Larger recreational vessels, owned by U.S. citizens, may (at the option of the owner) be documented with the U.S. Coast Guard. Call the USCG at 1-800-799-8362 for more information. Visit the U.S. Coast Guard National Vessel Documentation Center website to read more about obtaining the U.S. Coast Guard's Certificate of Documentation.

Boat Titling

As a safeguard for boat owners, Minnesota law requires the titling of many boats over 16 feet in length. A title provides proof of ownership, which becomes very important when buying or selling a boat. A title also aids in the recovery of stolen boats.

If you need to title your boat, or aren’t sure if it needs to be titled, contact any deputy registrar of motor vehicles or the DNR License Center for more information.

Questions? Call the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Boat and Water Safety Section, at 651-259-5400 or the DNR Information Center at 651-296-6157 or 1-888-646-6367, or email BoatandWater@dnr.state.mn.us.

Hull Identification Number

The Hull Identification Number (HIN) is a unique, 12-digit number assigned by the manufacturer to boats built after 1972.

Hull Identification Numbers:

• Distinguish one boat from another—the same as serial numbers distinguish one car from another.
• Are engraved into the fiberglass or on a metal plate permanently attached, usually to the transom.

You should write down your HIN and put it in a place separate from your boat in case warranty problems arise or your boat is stolen.