Chapter 4: The Legal Requirements of Boating
Overnight Anchoring and Mooring Permits

Overnight Anchoring

• It is against the law to anchor your boat overnight on any inland surface waters of the State of New Hampshire.
• Occupied or unoccupied houseboats may be beached, grounded, or tied to the shore of any of the inland surface waters of the state for an overnight period, or any part of an overnight period, only when on or at a location owned, leased, or permitted by the owner. Also, the owner, lessee, or person with permission of the owner must give written notice of this fact promptly to the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services.

overnight: The period of time between the termination of daylight in the evening to the earliest dawn of the next morning.

houseboat: A ship, boat, raft, float, catamaran, or marine craft of any description which has sleeping and toilet facilities, regardless of whether such facilities are of a permanent or temporary nature.

Mooring Permits

Some New Hampshire waters require a shorefront property owner to obtain a mooring permit before placing a mooring in the waters.

• Mooring permits are required on Bow Lake, Newfound Lake, Ossipee Lake, Squam Lake, Sunapee Lake, Lake Winnipesaukee, and Winnisquam Lake.
• For more information, or to request a permit application, call the Mooring Program at 603-267-6453.