How to register a boat in Mississippi
Register within 10 days of purchase
A new owner has 10 days from the date of acquisition to register the boat or transfer it into their name. You can register online at boating.outdoors.ms, by mail to the MDWFP Boat Registration office in Jackson, or by picking up forms at a local tax collector's office, any MDWFP regional office, or most places that sell or service boats. Business applications must be done in person or by mail.
Bring proof of ownership and the boat's details
The application asks for the 12-character HIN, the overall length, and the make, model, and year. For a dealer purchase bring the sales invoice; for an out-of-state dealer, bring proof that Mississippi sales tax was paid at your local tax collector. For a private sale bring proof of the prior registration, any existing title, and a witnessed or notarized bill of sale.
Pay the three-year fee
The registration fee is set by the boat's length class and covers the full three-year term (see the fee table). The same fee applies whether the transaction is an original registration, a transfer, or a renewal.
Display your number and decals
Paint or affix the registration number on each side of the bow, reading left to right, in block characters at least 3 inches high in a color that contrasts with the hull, with no other numbers on the bow. The two validation decals go within 6 inches of the number. Keep the registration card on board whenever the boat is in use.
Mississippi registration fees
Mississippi charges a flat fee by length class, and the fee covers the entire three-year registration period. The same amount applies to original registrations, transfers, and renewals.
| Class | Vessel length | Base fee |
|---|---|---|
| Less than 16 ft | Under 16 ft | $10.99 |
| 16 ft to less than 26 ft | 16 ft to <26 ft | $25.99 |
| 26 ft to less than 40 ft | 26 ft to <40 ft | $48.49 |
| 40 ft and over | 40 ft and over | $48.49 |
Three-year fees from the MDWFP registration page. A dealer number is $40.99 and a duplicate registration is $8.49. Titling is optional and priced separately at MDWFP headquarters — confirm the current title fee with the MDWFP Title Department before relying on it.
Titling in Mississippi
Titling a boat or motor is optional in Mississippi, not mandatory — the vessel must be registered first, and only then can an owner choose to title it. Titles are notarized and processed only at MDWFP headquarters in Jackson (boat trailers are titled separately at the county tax collector). Because a title is never required, the registration certificate is the working ownership record for most Mississippi boats.
Federally documented vessels are outside the state numbering requirement altogether: the law applies to "undocumented" vessels (plus all sailboats), and it separately exempts vessels documented by the appropriate federal authority. A Coast Guard-documented boat therefore neither registers nor titles with MDWFP — the federal Certificate of Documentation stands in for the state paperwork, the arrangement explained in state registration vs USCG documentation.
HIN requirements
Boats manufactured after November 1972 carry a 12-character Hull Identification Number, typically on the starboard side of the transom; older boats have a manufacturer serial number instead. The HIN is required on the registration application — decode any existing hull number with the HIN decoder to confirm it matches the paperwork before you file.
A boat with no HIN, an incorrect HIN, or a homemade hull must be inspected by an MDWFP conservation officer before it can be registered — MDWFP states plainly that all home-made boats are inspected prior to registration. The owner completes the MDWFP Boat Inspection Form and contacts a regional office or the Jackson headquarters to arrange the inspection, which serves as the state's HIN verification step. Mississippi does not publish a separate state-HIN-plate issuance procedure beyond this inspection.
Renewal
Mississippi boat registrations are valid for three consecutive years, beginning the day the boat is registered, with the expiration date printed on the registration card. The renewal window opens 60 days before expiration, and MDWFP mails a renewal notice about 60 days out. You can renew online at boating.outdoors.ms, by phone at 1-800-5GO-HUNT, by mail, or wherever hunting and fishing licenses are sold. There is no published formal grace period, though the submission receipt or completed application stub is valid while processing (about four weeks, longer in the spring and summer peak).
Exemptions
Mississippi's numbering requirement covers sailboats and machinery-equipped (undocumented) vessels, so non-motorized, non-sail craft — canoes, kayaks, paddleboards, and hand-powered rowboats — are not required to register. Also exempt: U.S. Coast Guard-documented vessels, foreign vessels temporarily on state waters, public vessels of the United States, state and municipal vessels used only for official business, ships' lifeboats, and out-of-state boats validly numbered elsewhere that stay in Mississippi 60 days or less. Owners of otherwise-exempt undocumented vessels may still request a number voluntarily.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to title my boat in Mississippi?
No. Titling is optional in Mississippi — you must register the boat, but a title is a choice, not a requirement. If you do want one, the application must be notarized and is processed only at MDWFP headquarters in Jackson. For most owners the registration card is the ownership record.
How long do I have to register a boat after buying it?
Ten days from the date of acquisition to register the boat or transfer it into your name. You can do it online at boating.outdoors.ms, by mail, or through a tax collector's office or MDWFP regional office.
Do I need to register a Coast Guard-documented boat with Mississippi?
No. Mississippi's requirement applies to undocumented vessels and sailboats, and it separately exempts federally documented vessels. A documented boat neither registers nor titles with MDWFP — its federal documentation replaces the state paperwork.
My boat has no HIN or a homemade hull — what happens?
It must be inspected by an MDWFP conservation officer before it can be registered. Complete the MDWFP Boat Inspection Form and contact a regional office or the Jackson headquarters to schedule the inspection, which verifies the hull identity.
Do I have to register a kayak or canoe in Mississippi?
No. A non-motorized canoe, kayak, paddleboard, or hand-powered rowboat is neither a sailboat nor a machinery-equipped vessel, so it is not required to register. Add a motor, though, and it must be registered.
Primary sources
Last verified .
- MDWFP — Boat Registration & Renewal (requirements, fees, display, titling) (retrieved 2026-07-16)
- MDWFP — General Boating Rules & Regulations (homemade-boat inspection, titling history) (retrieved 2026-07-16)
- MDWFP — Online boat registration/renewal portal (retrieved 2026-07-16)
- Mississippi Code § 59-21-5 (exemptions and 60-day reciprocity) (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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