How to register a boat in Oklahoma
Title and register within 30 days of purchase
A new owner has 30 days to title and register the boat — and, separately, any outboard motor over 10 HP — before delinquent excise tax and penalties apply. This is done at any Licensed Operator (tag agent) or at Service Oklahoma. Renewals are the transaction most commonly available online.
Bring proof of ownership and complete the forms
Use Form BM-26 (Application for Certificate of Title for a Boat or Outboard Motor) and Form BM-10 (serial-number confirmation). Proof of ownership is the notarized Manufacturer's Statement of Origin (MSO) for a new boat, the assigned prior Oklahoma or out-of-state title for a used boat, or a notarized bill of sale. New title assignments must be signed before a notary.
Pay the excise tax and registration fee
Oklahoma charges a 3.25% boat/motor excise tax at first registration (based on value) plus a registration fee based on the manufacturer's original factory-delivered price, which drops 10% a year. Because the boat and a 10-HP-plus motor are titled separately, each carries its own excise tax and registration fee.
Display your OK number and decals
You receive an Oklahoma number in the format OK-1234-AB, displayed on both sides of the bow as high above the waterline as possible, in block letters at least 3 inches high in a contrasting color. The annual validation decal goes behind the number toward the stern; a separate decal is affixed to the upper rear of an outboard motor's cowling.
Oklahoma registration fees
Oklahoma does not use a simple by-length fee table. The registration fee is based on the manufacturer's original factory-delivered price (not the price you paid): in the first year it is $1 for the first $150 of that price plus $1 for each additional $100, then drops 10% of the prior year's fee each year through year 10, and freezes for the life of the boat, capped by statute at $151. A 3.25% boat/motor excise tax is also collected at first registration, calculated on a value that starts at 65% of the factory-delivered price and depreciates each year to a $250 minimum. The title fee is $2.25 and a transfer is $17. Because the boat and a 10-HP-plus motor are titled separately, each carries its own fees.
Fees are value-based, not by length, and depreciate with age. Use the official Service Oklahoma fee schedule and the OAC 710:22 rules to calculate your exact amount — do not estimate from a length chart.
Titling in Oklahoma
Oklahoma titles boats, and it titles outboard motors over 10 HP separately — each gets its own certificate of title and its own registration, and each is applied for within 30 days of purchase. There is no length or value threshold for the boat title itself; the split between boat and motor is the feature to plan for, because you will complete a BM-26 and BM-10 for each.
A federally documented vessel is treated as "registered but not titled": because the U.S. Coast Guard Certificate of Documentation is the ownership record, Oklahoma does not issue a state title for a documented boat, but the boat must be registered and display current Oklahoma decals if it is on Oklahoma waters more than 60 days. Both the Oklahoma Certificate of Registration and the USCG Certificate of Documentation must be carried aboard. This is the classic "documented but not titled" setup explained in state registration vs USCG documentation.
HIN requirements
Oklahoma confirms the Hull Identification Number (HIN) or serial number at titling using Form BM-10. For a factory-built boat this is the 12-character code the manufacturer affixed to the transom.
Homemade boats and boats or motors with no HIN or serial number are handled by the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety (DPS) — only DPS may assign and affix a state number. The owner submits proof of ownership plus Form BM-26 to the Motor Vehicle Division, which completes Form 717; the applicant takes that to DPS for an inspection. On approval, the DPS officer assigns and affixes an OKZ number to a boat or an OKM number to an outboard motor, and the owner then completes titling and registration at Service Oklahoma or a Licensed Operator. A copy of the DPS form and the registration must be carried aboard.
Decode any existing hull number first with the HIN decoder to confirm the manufacturer and model year match your paperwork before you apply.
Renewal
Oklahoma's boating registration year runs July 1 to June 30, and registrations expire June 30 statewide rather than on a purchase anniversary; you can register for one year or three years. July is a grace month; from August 1 a $0.25-per-day penalty accrues for three months, and on November 1 a flat $25 penalty applies — but the penalty never exceeds the renewal fee. First-year registrations are prorated by the purchase quarter.
Exemptions
Human-powered canoes, kayaks, and paddleboats are exempt, as are kiteboards. Boats owned by the United States, another state, or a political subdivision are exempt unless used recreationally or for rental, and boats used exclusively as lifeboats or exclusively for racing are exempt. A nonresident whose boat is currently registered in another state or country may use Oklahoma waters for 60 days or less without registering; beyond 60 days Oklahoma registration is required.
Because only human-powered craft are exempt, a sailboat or any motorized boat — even one under 10 HP — must have the boat titled and registered.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to title the outboard motor separately from the boat in Oklahoma?
Yes, if the motor is over 10 HP. Oklahoma titles and registers the boat and the outboard motor separately — each gets its own certificate of title and registration, filed on its own BM-26 and BM-10 within 30 days of purchase, and each carries its own excise tax and registration fee.
Why isn't my Oklahoma boat fee based on what I paid?
Both the registration fee and the excise tax are calculated from the manufacturer's original factory-delivered price, not the selling price. The registration fee depreciates 10% a year (capped at $151), and the excise tax is 3.25% of a value that starts at 65% of the factory price and drops each year to a $250 minimum.
Does Oklahoma title boats?
Yes. Oklahoma issues a certificate of title for boats and, separately, for outboard motors over 10 HP. Titling and registration are done at a Licensed Operator (tag agent) or Service Oklahoma within 30 days of purchase. The exception is a federally documented vessel, which is registered but not state-titled.
My boat is USCG documented — do I still register in Oklahoma?
Yes. A documented vessel is registered but not titled in Oklahoma, and it must display current Oklahoma decals if it is on Oklahoma waters more than 60 days. Carry both the Oklahoma Certificate of Registration and the Coast Guard Certificate of Documentation aboard.
When does my Oklahoma boat registration expire?
June 30, statewide, regardless of when you bought the boat. July is a grace month; a $0.25-per-day penalty starts August 1 and a flat $25 penalty applies from November 1, though the penalty never exceeds the renewal fee. You can register for one or three years.
Primary sources
Last verified .
- Service Oklahoma — Boats and motors (retrieved 2026-07-16)
- Service Oklahoma — Fees (retrieved 2026-07-16)
- Oklahoma Administrative Code 710:22 — Boats and Motors (rules) (retrieved 2026-07-16)
- 63 O.S. § 4105 — Boat/motor excise tax value and depreciation (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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