How to register a boat in Nebraska
Title and register within 30 days; pay sales tax
A newly purchased motorboat must be titled, registered, and have sales tax paid within 30 days of the purchase date. Both the title and the registration are handled at the county treasurer in your county of residence — a title must be obtained first, then the registration is issued. Game and Parks governs the rules but does not itself issue the registration.
Bring proof of ownership and the boat's details
You need a completed Application for Certificate of Title signed by all owners and proper evidence of ownership — a properly assigned certificate of title or a Manufacturer's Statement of Origin for a new boat, or a notarized bill of sale where applicable — plus the $10 title fee. A valid 12-digit HIN is required for boats built after 1972.
Pay the three-year fee and AIS charge
The registration fee is set by the boat's length and covers a three-year term (see the fee table). Every motorized boat also pays a $5 aquatic-invasive-species fee bundled into the registration, plus a county issuing fee. Out-of-state-registered boats used on Nebraska waters buy a separate $15 AIS stamp each year instead.
Display your number and decals
Display the number with the "NB" prefix — the state's boating prefix — followed by a 2-inch space, the digits, another 2-inch space, and the trailing letters (for example, NB 1234 AB). Use block characters at least 3 inches high in a contrasting color on each side of the forward half of the hull, readable from 100 feet, with the current validation sticker in place and no other numbers on the bow. Keep the certificate of number aboard.
Nebraska registration fees
Nebraska sets the registration fee by overall length, valid three years. Every motorized registration also carries a $5 aquatic-invasive-species fee and a county issuing fee on top of the base amount below.
| Class | Vessel length | Base fee |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | Less than 16 ft | $23.00 |
| Class 2 | 16 ft to less than 26 ft | $55.00 |
| Class 3 | 26 ft to less than 40 ft | $76.50 |
| Class 4 | 40 ft and longer | $124.00 |
Three-year base fees, plus a $5 aquatic-invasive-species fee and a county issuing fee (about $4). Out-of-state-registered boats buy a $15 AIS stamp yearly instead. Confirm the current figures on the Nebraska DMV motorboat registration page before relying on them.
Titling in Nebraska
Nebraska titles boats through the county treasurer's motor-vehicle title process. A certificate of title is required for all motorboats manufactured after November 1, 1972; boats built before 1972 are exempt from titling but still must be registered, and the title fee is $10.
Federally documented vessels are among the boats explicitly exempt from Nebraska registration, and because Coast Guard documentation is itself the ownership instrument, a documented vessel is not state-titled either — the federal Certificate of Documentation replaces both the state title and the state registration. That is the arrangement explained in state registration vs USCG documentation.
HIN requirements
Any motorboat built after 1972 must have a valid 12-digit Hull Identification Number to be titled and registered — decode it with the HIN decoder to confirm the manufacturer and year match your paperwork.
For a homemade boat or one with no HIN, the owner applies to the DMV's Driver and Vehicle Records Division for an Assigned ID Number for a $20 fee. The DMV manufactures and mails a HIN plate plus an affidavit; the owner affixes the plate in the proper location, signs the affidavit confirming placement, and returns it, and a homemade boat without a factory HIN then receives a Bonded Motorboat Certificate of Title. Nebraska motorboats are exempt from the sheriff's inspection that applies to out-of-state motor vehicles, so HIN verification runs through this paperwork process rather than a physical law-enforcement inspection.
Renewal
Nebraska boat registrations are issued for three-year periods and expire on December 31 of the third year — a fixed calendar anchor rather than a rolling purchase anniversary. Renew through the county treasurer at expiration. No official grace-period length is published, so plan to renew before the December 31 expiration.
Exemptions
Nebraska does not require registration of any vessel not powered by gas, diesel, or electric, so canoes, kayaks, non-powered sailboats, and paddlecraft are exempt (owners may register a paddlecraft voluntarily, which helps when boating in states that require it). Also exempt from registration: motorboats registered in another state and kept in Nebraska fewer than 60 consecutive days, vessels owned by a government or political subdivision, racing motorboats while competing and during trial runs, and U.S. Coast Guard-documented vessels. Titling is separately excused for motorboats built before November 1, 1972.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to register my kayak or canoe in Nebraska?
No. Nebraska only requires registration of vessels powered by gas, diesel, or electric, so a paddle-powered canoe, kayak, or non-powered sailboat is exempt. You can register a paddlecraft voluntarily, which is useful if you travel to states that require it.
Where do I title and register a boat in Nebraska?
At the county treasurer's office in your county of residence. Game and Parks sets the boating rules and runs the AIS program, but the county treasurer, under the DMV title system, issues both the title and the registration. Get the title first, then the registration.
Does Nebraska title older boats?
Only boats manufactured after November 1, 1972, must be titled. A pre-1972 motorboat is exempt from titling but still has to be registered. The title fee is $10, paid to the county treasurer.
Do I owe the aquatic-invasive-species fee?
If your motorized boat is registered in Nebraska, the $5 AIS fee is already built into your three-year registration. A boat registered in another state but used on Nebraska waters pays a $15 AIS stamp each year instead.
My homemade boat has no HIN — what do I do?
Apply to the DMV for an Assigned ID Number for a $20 fee. The DMV mails a HIN plate and affidavit; you affix the plate, confirm placement, and return the affidavit, and the boat receives a Bonded Certificate of Title.
Primary sources
Last verified .
- Nebraska Game & Parks — Boat Registration & Licensing (retrieved 2026-07-16)
- Nebraska DMV — Motorboat Registration (fees, length classes) (retrieved 2026-07-16)
- Nebraska DMV — Motorboat Certificate of Title (retrieved 2026-07-16)
- Nebraska DMV — Assigned ID Number (state-assigned HIN) (retrieved 2026-07-16)
- Nebraska Game & Parks — AIS Stamp (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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