Maryland Boat Registration

Maryland does title vessels. DNR issues a Certificate of Title as the ownership record in addition to the Certificate of Number (registration), and titling is part of the same Form B-240 application. Titling is required for the motorized vessels that must be registered, and the title fee is charged separately from the registration fee.

The exception is a federally documented vessel. Because the U.S. Coast Guard Certificate of Documentation is the ownership record, Maryland does not issue a state title (or an MD number) for a documented boat — but if that boat is used principally on Maryland waters it is not off the hook: the owner must pay the 5% Maryland vessel excise tax and display a current Maryland documented-use decal. This is the classic "documented but not state-titled, yet still taxed and stickered" situation explained in state registration vs USCG documentation.

Maryland records a Hull Identification Number (HIN) on the title and registration of every vessel that has one. For a boat built after 1972 the HIN is the 12-character code the manufacturer affixed to the hull, and it must be transcribed accurately onto Form B-240. For vessels 12 feet or shorter, DNR asks the applicant to submit a pencil tracing or a clear photo of the hull number with the application.

Boats coming from out of state, homemade boats, and boats whose HIN is missing, altered, or unreadable require a physical HIN verification before Maryland will title them. That inspection is handled through DNR and the Maryland Natural Resources Police, who confirm the number stamped on the hull against the paperwork.

Where a vessel has no valid HIN — most often a homemade or rebuilt hull — DNR assigns a state HIN that is then permanently affixed and recorded on the title. Decode any existing hull number first with the HIN decoder to confirm the manufacturer and model year match the ownership documents before you file.

Maryland vessel registrations run on a two-year cycle. The registration decal is valid for the calendar year in which it is issued plus the following calendar year, expiring on December 31 of that second year — the anchor date is the same for everyone, not tied to your birthday. Renew before the December 31 expiration (online through DNR, by mail, or in person at a DNR service center); operating on an expired registration is a citable violation. Documented-use decals for federally documented vessels are likewise valid for two years.

Non-motorized craft — canoes, kayaks, rowboats, paddleboards, and sailboats with no motor — are not required to be registered in Maryland (owners may obtain a voluntary registration if they wish). Registration is triggered by any primary or auxiliary mechanical propulsion combined with principal use on Maryland waters.

An out-of-state vessel that is validly numbered in its home state may operate in Maryland for up to 60 days without a Maryland number, and a vessel registered elsewhere can use Maryland waters for up to a cumulative 90 days per calendar year before Maryland excise-tax liability attaches; stay longer or make Maryland the boat's principal-use state and both registration and the excise tax apply. Federally documented vessels are exempt from the numbering requirement but, as noted above, still owe the excise tax and must carry a documented-use decal when principally used in Maryland.