It's the Law: Before Going Out on Your Vessel

All vessel operators are required to obey laws that regulate the vessel’s registration and operation.

Registering Your Vessel

• Sailboats that are 12 feet or longer and all motorboats and PWCs must be registered and numbered.
• Non-motorized sailboats less than 12 feet long and manually propelled vessels, regardless of length, are exempt from registration and taxation. Also exempt are a vessel’s lifeboat, government-owned vessels, and properly registered vessels from out of state or country that will not be in Montana for more than 90 consecutive days.
• Out-of-state vessels used in Montana for more than 90 consecutive days must be registered at the county treasurer’s office in the county where the vessel will be primarily used.
• In Montana, vessel owners must obtain a certificate of ownership (title) and certificate of number (boat registration and payment receipt) that lists the vessel’s registration, decal, hull, and title numbers. Related fees are paid to the county treasurer in the county where the owner resides.
• The certificate of number must be carried on board the vessel and be available for inspection whenever the vessel is operating.
• The vessel owner will receive one permanent registration decal as proof of payment of fees in lieu of a tax.
• An additional 50-cent surcharge will be added to the total fee in lieu of collecting tax. The 50-cent fee funds Montana search and rescue operations, training, and equipment.
• Failure to pay the fee in lieu of a tax is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine equal to four times the applicable fee.

Validation Decals

• All motorboats, sailboats, and PWCs that are numbered must display two validation decals. All validation decals expire on February 29, 2008. Validation decals are in effect for another 3-year period expiring February 28, 2011.
• Validation decals may be obtained free of charge at any Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) regional office or the FWP website at www.fwp.mt.gov.

Where to Register

New boat owners can title, register and obtain the permanent registration and validation decal from your local county treasurer's office.

For information on registration fees, go online at: http://doj.mt.gov/driving/vehicletitleregistration/boat.asp

Boat owners who have already received their permanent registration decal can obtain the free validation decal from your local Fish, Wildlife & Parks office or order them online at the FWP website at www.fwp.mt.gov

Display of Numbers and Decals

• A vessel’s registration number must:
  • Be painted on or attached to each outboard side of the bow (forward half) of the vessel.
  • Read from left to right.
  • Be in at least three-inch high BLOCK letters.
  • Be a color that contrasts with the background color of the vessel.
  • Be as high above the water line as practical and still be visible.
  • Be maintained in a legible condition.
  • Contain a space or hyphen separating the “MT” from the number/letter suffix. Example: MT 234 ABC or MT-234-ABC.
• No other numbers or letters may be displayed on the bow of the vessel.
• Vessel owners receive one permanent registration decal that must be securely attached to the left or port side of the vessel. The decal must be spaced three inches aft (rearward) and directly in line with the vessel number displayed on the left side of the vessel.
• Vessel owners receive two validation decals. One decal must be attached immediately aft (rearward) of the permanent registration decal on the left (port) side and one immediately after the identifying number on the right (starboard) side of the vessel.
• Expired decals should be removed or covered with the current decal.

Buying or Selling a Vessel

• When ownership of a vessel changes, the previous owner must sign the back of the certificate of ownership before a county treasurer, deputy county treasurer, or notary public.
• Within 40 days, the new owner must apply for a change of certificate of ownership (title) and registration and validation decals. If the vessel is operated during the 40‑day application period, a temporary registration permit that has been issued by the county treasurer must be kept on board and shown to a law enforcement officer upon request.
• If a vessel is purchased from a dealer, the owner has a 40‑day grace period before registering.

Other Facts About Vessel Registration

• A vessel owner also must contact the county treasurer within a reasonable amount of time when there is a change of address or upon the sale, destruction, abandonment, or theft of a vessel.
• When moving to a new state, the vessel’s registration is valid for 60 days before new registration is required.

Vessel Documentation

• The U.S. Coast Guard will document recreational craft and commercial vessels that weigh at least five tons. This documentation is optional, but it is helpful for boaters who pass from state to state or into foreign waters.
• The U.S. Coast Guard assigns a number to the owner’s vessel that must be marked on the interior part of the hull.

Registration Questions?

Call or visit any of the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks offices or contact your local county treasurer’s office.