Chapter 4: The Legal Requirements of Boating

Ohio and federal boating laws are presented here in a summarized form. Ohio laws in their entirety can be found in the Ohio Revised Code (ORC) and the Ohio Administrative Code (OAC). These laws are subject to change. It is the responsibility of the operator to be aware of the most current laws when using a boat.

Certain bodies of water in Ohio have local restrictions regarding type and size of watercraft or motor horsepower, restricted use areas, boat speed, and times for use. Check with the local authorities for these additional restrictions.

Ohio Vessel Requirements

Registration and Titling

Titling of Watercraft and Outboard Motors (ORC 1548.03 & ORC 1548.01)

No person is permitted to sell, purchase, or otherwise acquire any of the following without a certificate of title:

• An outboard motor of 10 horsepower or greater
• A watercraft 14 feet or greater in length
• A watercraft less than 14 feet in length with a permanently affixed mechanical means of propulsion of 10 horsepower or greater

Watercraft exempt from this requirement are:

• Vessels documented by the U.S. Coast Guard
• Canoes and kayaks
• Watercraft less than 14 feet in length without a permanently affixed mechanical means of propulsion of 10 horsepower or greater
• Boats visiting from other countries
• A ship’s lifeboat
• Boats owned by government agencies
• An outboard motor of less than 10 horsepower

If a titled boat is sold by an individual (a casual sale), the seller must complete the transfer section on the back of the title in the presence of a notary public before presenting it to the buyer. The buyer must take the title to a county title office to complete the transfer.

Note: Some watercraft listed above may not have needed a title when originally purchased. Prior to selling one of these watercraft, the owner must apply to a county title office and obtain a title. These include:

• Watercraft 14 feet or longer or outboard motors of 10 hp or more purchased on or before October 9, 1963
• Watercraft less than 14 feet long with a permanently affixed mechanical means of propulsion of 10 horsepower or greater and purchased before January 1, 2000

Hull Identification Number (HIN) (ORC 1547.65)

The Hull Identification Number (HIN) is a 12‑character, 1/4-inch high, permanently attached number that is unique to each boat. It serves the same purpose as a vehicle identification number (VIN) on a car.

• Hull Identification Numbers are engraved in the fiberglass or on a metal plate permanently attached to the boat. The HIN can be found on the upper right of the boat’s transom or, for boats without a transom, on the starboard side within two feet of the stern. Pontoon boats have a HIN on the aft crossbeam within one foot of the starboard hull attachment.
• Owners of homemade boats, vessels without a HIN, and vessels lacking a 12‑character HIN must contact a Division of Watercraft office. An appointment may be necessary to inspect the boat and assign a HIN.
• Be cautious when buying a boat to ensure that it is not a stolen boat. Match the HIN listed on the title to the one attached to the boat. Before purchasing the boat, inspect the HIN to be sure it has not been altered in any way.

Numbering of Watercraft (ORC 1547.53)

Every watercraft operated on Ohio water shall be numbered by this state or in compliance with their own state numbering system and shall properly display the number.

Watercraft exempt from Ohio numbering are those:

• Documented by the U.S. Coast Guard (must be registered)
• Numbered by another state and not used in this state for more than 60 days
• From a country other than the United States temporarily using Ohio water
• Owned by the United States, a state, or a political subdivision
• Ship’s lifeboat (a “lifeboat” is held aboard another vessel and used exclusively for emergency purposes)
• Exempted by the chief of the Division of Watercraft
• Under a waiver issued for a race or special event
• Hand-powered canoes, rowboats, and inflatable vessels if registered under section 1547.54 of the Revised Code (must have Alternative Registration, see below)

A watercraft numbered by this state shall display the number as described in ORC 1547.57 (see “Display of Tags and Number” section).

Registration of Watercraft (ORC 1547.531)

Numbering a watercraft and registering a watercraft are two separate functions. No person shall operate any watercraft without a valid registration.

Evidence of registration is shown by displaying two registration tags and carrying the valid registration certificate on board the vessel. A single rectangular tag is displayed on hand-powered vessels with Alternative Registration.

Before boating, a new owner must take the previous registration form with the transfer section completed by the seller to any watercraft registration agent, even if the registration has not expired. However, if a watercraft requiring a title is transferred to a new owner, the watercraft may be operated for up to 45 days provided the new owner carries on board either of the following:

• A temporary watercraft registration from an authorized registration agent or ...
• A dealer’s bill of sale which meets the requirements necessary to serve as a temporary registration.

Watercraft exempt from registration are:

• Those exempt from numbering except documented vessels and hand-powered vessels
• Those issued commercial documentation and used exclusively for commercial purposes
• Vessels meeting another state’s registration requirements which are used in Ohio for less than 60 days

Alternative Registration Option for Hand-Powered Vessels (ORC 1547.54)

An owner of a hand-powered canoe, rowboat, or inflatable vessel may choose to do either of the following:

• Have it numbered, pay a lesser registration fee, and obtain two square tags (Traditional Registration option) or ...
• Not have it numbered, pay a higher registration fee, and obtain a single rectangular tag (Alternative Registration option).

Proof of Documentation Required (ORC 1547.531)

Documentation is a federal registration system administered by the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG).

• Boats must have a displacement of at least five net tons to be eligible, which is roughly 30 feet or more in length. Call the USCG’s Documentation Center at 1-800-799-8362 for more information.
• No person shall operate a documented vessel unless the certificate of documentation is valid and available for inspection. The vessel must display the official number, the vessel name, and the home port.
• Documented vessels also must be registered in Ohio and display two Ohio tags, but they are not assigned an Ohio number.

Watercraft Identification and Display of Tags and Number (OAC 1501:47-1-07 & ORC 1547.57)

The registration number is in three parts beginning with “OH” followed by four numbers and two letters. The number must be displayed as follows.

• Number must be painted, applied as a decal, or otherwise affixed to both sides of the forward part of the vessel.
• Number shall read from left to right on both sides of the vessel.
• Number must be in at least 3"-high BLOCK characters of good proportion.
• Number’s color must contrast with its background.
• Letters must be separated from the numbers by a space or hyphen: OH 1234 AB or OH–1234–AB.
• Number must be maintained to be clearly visible and legible.
• No other numbers can be displayed on either side of the bow.

Two registration tags are issued with each boat registration. The tags must be:

• Securely affixed on each side of the bow 6" toward the stern from the number, on all numbered boats
• Clearly visible in normal conditions and affixed prior to operation of the watercraft
• Removed when they become invalid (expire)
• Displayed as one tag on the port side and one on the starboard side, on all documented boats

PWCs also are required to display the registration number and registration tags.

Expiration of Registration (ORC 1547.54, ORC 1547.57, & ORC 1547.531)

Registration certificates and tags are valid for up to 3 years and expire on March 1 of the year indicated. All tags shall be removed when they become invalid (expire). A temporary watercraft registration expires 45 days after the date of purchase.

Registration and Titling Questions?

Call the Division of Watercraft Registration or Titling Section at 1-877-4BOATER (Ohio only) or obtain information on Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Watercraft website. Or visit your closest Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Watercraft office. Call the number above or visit the website for a listing of offices.