Reviewed and updated October 12, 2026 by the SearchSystems.net editorial team. Every fact on this page was read from the California DMV's own pages that day, and the DMV page each fact came from is linked where it appears.
Registering a boat with the California DMV: which boats and vessels must register and which are exempt, the BOAT 101 application and the proof of ownership it needs, the CF number and how it must be painted on the bow, the registration sticker and the Mussel Fee sticker, the hull identification number, every vessel fee on the DMV schedule, the renewal due December 31 of every odd-numbered year, and the transfer steps when a registered boat is bought or sold. The trailer under the boat is registered separately; that is on the commercial vehicle and trailer guide. The fee schedule for everything else is on the California DMV fees page.
In this guide: Which boats and vessels must be registered, What the DMV asks for, and where to file, The CF number, the registration sticker and the hull number, The Quagga and Zebra Mussel Fee sticker, Vessel fees on the DMV schedule, Renewal: December 31 of every odd-numbered year, Buying or selling a registered boat, Questions about boat registration in California
Which boats and vessels must be registered
A sailboat over eight feet long, or any boat or vessel with a motor no matter the size, must be registered with the DMV to be operated legally on California waterways, per the DMV's boat and vessel registration page. The DMV's vehicle definitions page puts it this way: a vessel is over eight feet in length and sail-powered, or motor-driven regardless of length, and not documented by the U.S. Coast Guard, including motorboats, amphibious vehicles, inflatable vessels with motors, shuttlecraft, jet skis and wet bikes. The rule reaches private water: the DMV says any boat that travels or is moored in California waterways, including private lakes, must be registered. A boat bought from an out-of-state seller, or brought in by a new resident, must be registered within 120 days of entering the state.
The DMV lists the boats that do not register: canoes, rowboats and any vessel moved by paddles or oars; sailboats shorter than eight feet; sailboards and parasails; a ship's lifeboat; seaplanes on the water; boats that run on a track such as amusement park rides; and floating structures tied to land that take power, water and sewage service from the shore. Dinghies must be registered, and so must houseboats with a motor. Commercial vessels over five net tons and longer than 30 feet are documented by the U.S. Coast Guard instead. A documented vessel, one registered with the Coast Guard and holding a marine certificate, does not register with the DMV; an undocumented vessel does, and the DMV says a newly bought boat is automatically undocumented, so it must be registered and its fees paid before it is placed in California waters.
What the DMV asks for, and where to file
The application is the Application for Vessel Certificate of Number, form BOAT 101, with proof of ownership: the original California Certificate of Ownership, or the out-of-state title if the boat is currently registered in another state. If the original certificate is lost or damaged, an Application for Replacement or Transfer Title, form BOAT 227, requests a copy. The fees are paid with the application. The DMV says the application may also need a bill of sale when the boat was bought from a private party rather than a dealer, a Statement of Facts (REG 256) when there is no copy of the bill of sale, and, for anyone who will operate a motorized vessel on a state waterway, an approved boating safety course and a California Boater Card. The boat trailer is registered separately.
The DMV registers boats at any field office, listed with hours on the California DMV offices list, or by mail to Department of Motor Vehicles, PO Box 942869, Sacramento, CA 94269-0001. A boat that will be used in fresh water also needs the Quagga and Zebra Mussel Infestation Fee and the Mussel Fee sticker, described below.
The CF number, the registration sticker and the hull number
A registered boat receives a vessel registration number beginning with CF, and the DMV sets how it is displayed: painted on or permanently attached to each side of the bow, in plain vertical block letters and numbers more than three inches high, arranged to read from left to right, in a color that contrasts with the background, with spaces or hyphens the same size as the letters other than I or the numbers other than 1. The DMV's two examples are CF 1234 AB and CF-1234-AB. The boat also receives a registration sticker, attached on both sides three inches from the CF number, which must be clearly visible at all times with no other numbers, letters or devices near it except the CF number and, where required, the Mussel Fee sticker.
Since 1972 every boat built in the United States carries a hull identification number, painted on or permanently attached so it cannot be changed or removed; manufacturers assign it to commercially built boats and the DMV assigns one to a homemade boat. The DMV's boat and vessel owners guide adds how to apply a decal: wipe the hull and remove residue, never apply to a wet surface, peel the decal slowly from the liner at a sharp angle using the center slit, start from the other direction if the backing rips, remove all the liner, and smooth out the air bubbles.
The Quagga and Zebra Mussel Fee sticker
Assembly Bill 2443 of 2012 let the Department of Parks and Recreation's Division of Boating and Waterways require the DMV to collect a quagga and zebra mussel infestation prevention fee, and the DMV says the fee has been due since 2013 on every DMV-registered vessel used in fresh water: the Delta, rivers, lakes, reservoirs and streams. Vessels used only in marine waters are exempt, and the DMV's fee schedule also exempts annual youth group and government vessels and the CF numbers issued to dealers and manufacturers. The sticker is bought every two years, separately from the registration or renewal transaction, online through the DMV's Mussel Fee sticker request page; it matches the registration sticker in color and date and is placed next to it on either side. The money funds planning, mussel monitoring, vessel inspection and boater education. The regulations took effect with the December 2013 registration under Harbors and Navigation Code sections 675 through 676, and the Division of Boating and Waterways answers questions at 1-888-326-2822.
Vessel fees on the DMV schedule
The DMV's registration fees page gives the vessel fees under Vehicle Code sections 9851 through 9863 and Harbors and Navigation Code section 675. The original fee depends on whether the boat was sold in an even or an odd year, because the registration runs to December 31 of the next odd year:
| Vessel fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Original registration, boat sold in an even year | $29 |
| Original registration, boat sold in an odd year | $49 |
| Penalty on a late original, even year sale | $10 |
| Penalty on a late original, odd year sale | $25 |
| Biennial renewal, due in odd years | $20 |
| Penalty on a late renewal | $10 |
| Transfer, except between dealers | $15 |
| Penalty on a late transfer | $8 |
| Replacement title or registration | $15 |
| Repossession | $15 |
| Historical vessel plaque | $20 |
| Transfer on death beneficiary designation, on the DMV's miscellaneous fee list | $10 |
The schedule notes that the vessel amounts include the original or renewal fee, the alternative fuel and technology fee, and the Quagga mussel fee where it applies, and that the Quagga fee is collected separately from registration. A boat bought from a private party also owes use tax with the transfer, per the DMV's boat page.
Renewal: December 31 of every odd-numbered year
Boat registration is renewed by December 31 of every odd-numbered year, whether or not the boat was used, and the DMV mails the renewal notice 60 days before the registration expires. The DMV's online registration page says whether a particular vessel can be renewed online; the other ways are the automated phone line at 1-800-777-0133, the mail, and a field office in person. A mailed renewal returns the bottom of the notice in the envelope provided with a check, cashier's check or money order for the fees, to Vehicle Registration Operations, Department of Motor Vehicles, PO Box 942869 MS C271, Sacramento, CA 94269-0001. An owner who never receives the notice, or loses it, contacts the DMV and pays the fees. A boat cannot be parked on planned nonoperation the way a car can; the DMV's PNO page lists vessels among the vehicles that cannot use it, as the planned nonoperation guide explains.
Buying or selling a registered boat
When a boat already registered in California changes hands, the buyer gets the California Certificate of Ownership from the seller, signed on line 1, with the lienholder's signature on line 2 if there is one, writes their name and address on the back, and submits it to the DMV with the transfer fee, use tax and any renewal fees due. If the boat comes with a trailer, the buyer needs the trailer title as well, or a Permanent Trailer Identification Certification and Application (REG 4017) to transfer a trailer whose title cannot be found. The seller gives the buyer the Certificate of Ownership signed on the front and, within five days of the sale, files a Notice of Transfer and Release of Liability (REG 138) online or by mail with the CF number, the hull identification number, the buyer's name and address and the sale date; a trailer sold with the boat gets its own REG 138, and the trailer's title or registration documents go to the buyer. The release form and what it protects are on the selling a vehicle guide. A lost, stolen or damaged Certificate of Ownership is replaced with a BOAT 227, and a lost sticker with an Application for Replacement Plates, Stickers, Documents (REG 156), mailed or taken to a field office.
Questions about boat registration in California
Does a boat used only on a private lake have to be registered?
Yes. The DMV says any boat or vessel that travels or is moored in California waterways, including private lakes, must be registered.
What is the difference between a documented and an undocumented vessel?
A documented vessel is registered with the U.S. Coast Guard and has a marine certificate; it does not register with the DMV. An undocumented vessel has no Coast Guard certificate and registers with the DMV. The DMV says a newly bought boat is automatically undocumented, so it must be registered before it goes into California waters.
How long do I have after bringing a boat into California?
120 days, per the DMV, whether the boat came from an out-of-state seller or you moved to California with it.
When is the registration due?
By December 31 of every odd-numbered year, even if the boat is not used. The DMV mails a renewal notice 60 days before the registration expires and renews online, by automated phone at 1-800-777-0133, by mail or at a field office.
Do I need a Mussel Fee sticker?
Only if the boat is used in California fresh water such as the Delta, rivers, lakes, reservoirs and streams; vessels used only in marine waters are exempt. The sticker is bought every two years, separately from registration, and is displayed next to the registration sticker.
Does the trailer register with the boat?
No. The DMV says a boat trailer is registered separately; trailers go into the permanent trailer identification program described in the commercial vehicle and trailer guide. When a registered boat is bought with its trailer, the buyer needs the trailer title too, or a REG 4017 to move it into their name.
Can a boat go on planned nonoperation?
No. The DMV lists vessels among the vehicles that cannot be placed on PNO; the renewal is due every odd year whether or not the boat is used.
Written by SearchSystems.net from the California DMV's boat and vessel registration page, boat and vessel owners guide, vehicle definitions page, registration fees page and planned nonoperation page, read on October 12, 2026.