How to register a boat in Idaho
Register within 15 days of purchase
A new owner has 15 days to register a motorized vessel or sailboat with IDPR before operating it on Idaho waters. Keep proof of the purchase date aboard during that window. Registration is not done at a single state office — you buy it online, at an authorized retail vendor, or at participating county assessor / DMV offices.
Gather proof of ownership and vessel details
Bring proof of ownership — a manufacturer's certificate or statement of origin (MCO/MSO) for a new boat, or a bill of sale or assigned title for a used one — plus the Hull Identification Number (HIN), the make, model, model year, length, and propulsion type, and a valid photo ID. If the boat also has to be titled (see the titling notes), you handle that through the county assessor.
Pay the registration and invasive-species fees
Pay the annual registration fee for your boat's length (see the fee table). The fee already bundles the $10 Idaho Invasive Species Fund sticker plus a small vendor processing fee, so you do not buy an AIS sticker separately for a registered boat. Register online 24/7 through IDPR's vendor system or by phone at 1-888-922-6743.
Display your numbers and validation sticker
You receive a Certificate of Number and a validation sticker. The registration (ID) number must be painted or permanently attached to both sides of the bow in plain block letters at least 3 inches tall, in a color that contrasts with the hull, reading left to right, with the letter and number groups separated by a hyphen or space (for example, ID-1234-AA). The validation sticker goes within 6 inches of, and in line with, the registration number on each side.
Idaho registration fees
Idaho charges the annual boat registration fee by length. The counter price bundles three things: the base state registration fee, the $10 Idaho Invasive Species Fund (AIS) sticker, and a small vendor processing fee — which is why a boat 12 feet and under comes to $31.50 all-in, then $2 is added for every foot over 12. Titling (if required), the $14 title fee, and 6% sales/use tax are separate charges handled by the county assessor.
| Class | Vessel length | Base fee |
|---|---|---|
| 12 ft & under | 12 ft and under | $31.50 |
| 16 ft | 16 ft (12 ft base + 4 ft) | $39.50 |
| 20 ft | 20 ft (12 ft base + 8 ft) | $47.50 |
| 24 ft | 24 ft (12 ft base + 12 ft) | $55.50 |
The $31.50 all-in figure bundles roughly $20 base registration + the $10 AIS sticker + a $1.50 vendor fee; the over-12-foot examples add $2 per foot to that all-in amount. Fees change and vendor charges can vary — confirm the current total with IDPR or your registration vendor before you pay.
Titling in Idaho
Idaho does title boats — but through a different agency than the one that registers them, and only for certain vessels. Titling is handled by the Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) at county assessor motor-vehicle offices, and it is a separate transaction from your IDPR registration.
For vessels acquired after December 31, 1999, a title is required if the boat has a permanently attached mode of propulsion and is model year 2000 or newer (inboards, inboard/outboards, personal watercraft, sailboats with built-in motors), if it is any non-exempt vessel model year 2000 or newer over 12 feet regardless of propulsion, or if it is being financed. Older boats (model year 1999 or earlier) may be titled optionally — but must be titled if financed — and once a vessel has been titled in Idaho, every later owner has to title it too. The title fee is $14, and 6% Idaho sales/use tax applies to the purchase separately.
Several craft cannot be titled at all: canoes, kayaks, rafts, drift boats, inflatables, sailboards, tenders, outboard motorboats 12 feet or less, government-owned vessels, and federally documented vessels. Because a USCG Certificate of Documentation is itself the ownership record, a documented vessel is neither state-titled nor state-registered in Idaho — the classic split explained in state registration vs USCG documentation.
HIN requirements
Idaho registers and titles vessels by their Hull Identification Number (HIN). For a boat built after 1972, the HIN is the 12-character code the manufacturer permanently affixed to the hull — usually on the starboard side of the transom — and it must be recorded accurately on the registration and title.
Any vessel being titled in Idaho for the first time must pass a HIN inspection. Idaho lets a wide range of officials verify the number: a law officer, a county assessor or deputy assessor, a DMV or IDPR employee, a Coast Guard Auxiliary member, military police, or a licensed Idaho vehicle dealer. This catches out-of-state, homemade, or altered hulls before the number goes on the state record.
If a boat has no HIN, or the original is missing or unreadable — common on homemade hulls and older boats — IDPR assigns a state HIN during the registration process so the vessel can be identified. Decode any existing hull number first with the HIN decoder to confirm the manufacturer and model year match your paperwork before you file.
Renewal
Idaho boat registrations run on the calendar year: every registration expires on December 31, no matter when in the year you bought or renewed it. Renew online 24/7 through IDPR's vendor portal (no PIN needed for a straight renewal), by mail, or in person at a retail vendor or participating county office. Because the AIS sticker is bundled into the fee, renewing your registration also renews your invasive-species coverage for the year.
Exemptions
Manually propelled craft — canoes, kayaks, rafts, and other human-powered boats — plus float tubes, sailboards, and federally documented vessels are exempt from Idaho registration. A boat registered in another state may be used on Idaho waters for up to 60 consecutive days before Idaho registration is required. Government-owned vessels are also exempt. The important catch: exemption from registration does not exempt you from the invasive-species sticker. Any non-motorized boat that is not registered still needs a $7 AIS sticker, and an out-of-state motorized boat needs a $30 AIS sticker — the only vessels that skip the sticker entirely are non-motorized, inflatable, and under 10 feet.
Frequently asked questions
Do kayaks, canoes, and paddleboards need to be registered in Idaho?
No — non-motorized, human-powered craft do not register with IDPR. But they are not off the hook: every non-motorized canoe, kayak, raft, or paddleboard still has to display a $7 Idaho Invasive Species Fund sticker to be on the water legally. The only craft exempt from even the sticker are non-motorized, inflatable, and under 10 feet long.
Does Idaho require an invasive species sticker, and is it included in my registration?
Yes on both counts. Since 2010 the $10 Idaho Invasive Species Fund sticker has been built into the annual registration fee for Idaho-registered boats, so a registered motorboat does not buy one separately. Boats that do not register pay for it on its own: $7 for a non-motorized vessel and $30 for a motorized boat registered in another state. The sticker expires December 31 with the registration year.
Does Idaho title boats?
Yes, but through the Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) at a county assessor office, separately from IDPR registration. A title is required for a model-year-2000-or-newer boat with permanently attached propulsion, any non-exempt 2000-or-newer boat over 12 feet, or any financed boat. Older boats are optional unless financed. Canoes, kayaks, rafts, inflatables, small outboard boats 12 feet or under, and USCG-documented vessels cannot be titled. The title fee is $14.
How much does it cost to register a boat in Idaho?
A boat 12 feet and under is $31.50 all-in for the year — that figure already bundles the $10 invasive-species sticker and the vendor processing fee. For a longer boat, add $2 for each foot over 12 (so a 20-footer runs about $47.50). Titling, if required, adds a separate $14 title fee plus 6% sales/use tax.
I just bought a boat in Idaho — how long do I have to register it?
You have 15 days from the purchase date to register a motorized vessel or sailboat with IDPR before operating it. You can register online 24/7, at a retail vendor, or at a participating county office; keep your proof of purchase aboard until the registration is issued.
Primary sources
Last verified .
- Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation — Registration & Permits (retrieved 2026-07-16)
- Idaho Transportation Department — Titling Vessels in Idaho (fact sheet) (retrieved 2026-07-16)
- Invasive Species of Idaho — Invasive Species Sticker FAQs (retrieved 2026-07-16)
- Idaho Fish and Game — Invasive Species Boat Stickers (retrieved 2026-07-16)
- Bonner County Sheriff — Boater Registration & Regulations (retrieved 2026-07-16)
Independent reference tool — not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the U.S. Coast Guard or the National Maritime Center. Vessel data is derived from public USCG sources and may lag official records; always verify with the issuing authority.
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