How to register a boat in Oregon
Apply within 30 days of purchase
A new owner must submit a title and registration application to the Oregon State Marine Board within 30 days of the purchase date. Applications received after 30 days are charged a $25 late-transfer penalty. Unlike most states, this is filed with the Marine Board (by mail, in person in Salem, or online), not through the DMV or a county office.
Provide proof of ownership
For a new boat, submit the Manufacturer's Statement of Origin (MSO). For a used boat from a title state, submit the properly assigned title signed and dated by both buyer and seller. For a boat from a non-title state, provide the prior registration card plus a bill of sale. A detailed boat-history form is required when the paperwork is incomplete or the boat has never been titled anywhere.
Pay the length-based fee (and any tax)
Oregon has no statewide sales tax, so there is no vessel sales/use tax at registration. You pay the registration fee — a flat $8 aquatic invasive species surcharge plus $5.95 per foot of length, rounded up to the next whole foot — for the two-year period, plus the applicable title fee.
Receive your title, decals, and OR number
OSMB issues a Certificate of Title (the ownership record) and a Certificate of Number with two validation decals. The registration (OR) number is displayed on both sides of the bow, and the validation decals are placed on the port and starboard sides. Processing typically takes 4 to 6 weeks (up to 12 weeks in the spring and summer peak), so keep your dated application and proof of purchase aboard until the materials arrive.
Oregon registration fees
Oregon prices motorboat registration purely by length: a flat $8 aquatic invasive species (AIS) surcharge plus $5.95 per foot of length, rounded up to the next whole foot. That total covers the full two-year registration period — it is not an annual fee. The examples below are computed from the current $5.95-per-foot rate plus the $8 surcharge; the title fee is charged separately.
| Class | Vessel length | Base fee |
|---|---|---|
| Example: 12 ft | 12 ft (rounded up) | $79.40 (2 yr) |
| Example: 16 ft | 16 ft (rounded up) | $103.20 (2 yr) |
| Example: 20 ft | 20 ft (rounded up) | $127.00 (2 yr) |
| Example: 26 ft | 26 ft (rounded up) | $162.70 (2 yr) |
| Example: 40 ft | 40 ft (rounded up) | $246.00 (2 yr) |
Computed from OSMB's current formula ($8 AIS surcharge + $5.95/ft, rounded up) for the two-year period; title, transfer, replacement, and the $25 late-transfer penalty are separate. Confirm the current amounts on the OSMB Motorboat Registration Fee Schedule before you file.
Titling in Oregon
Yes — Oregon titles boats, and a title is required for every motorboat (any length) and every sailboat 12 feet or longer. The Marine Board issues the Certificate of Title as the ownership record, separate from the Certificate of Number that proves registration.
Federally documented vessels are the exception: because the USCG Certificate of Documentation is the ownership record, Oregon does not issue a state title for a documented vessel. However, a recreational documented vessel that stays on Oregon waters for more than 60 consecutive days must still register with the Marine Board, which mails state validation decals bearing the vessel's Coast Guard documentation number. This is the classic "documented but state-registered" arrangement explained in state registration vs USCG documentation.
HIN requirements
Oregon requires a valid Hull Identification Number (HIN) to title and register a vessel. For a boat built after 1972, the HIN is the 12-character code the manufacturer permanently affixed to the hull, and it must be recorded exactly as shown on the title and registration.
Certain boats must pass a HIN inspection before Oregon will title them: homebuilt vessels, boats that have never been titled or registered anywhere, boats coming from a non-title state, and any boat whose recorded HIN does not match the hull. The inspection is performed by a marine law enforcement officer (typically a county sheriff's marine patrol); you arrange it by contacting the Marine Board at [email protected]. New manufactured boats accompanied by an MSO are exempt from inspection.
Homebuilt vessels and boats with no HIN are assigned a state-issued HIN by the Marine Board once ownership is proven (proof of ownership plus a detailed boat-history form) and the inspection is complete. If your boat already carries a hull number, decode it first with the HIN decoder to confirm the manufacturer and model year match your paperwork before you file.
Renewal
Oregon motorboat registrations are biennial and expire on December 31. Renewals for certificates expiring in an even year open on November 1 of that year: a 2026-expiring registration can be renewed starting November 1, 2026 (through October 31, 2027) for a new certificate that runs through December 31, 2028. Renewing online is fastest — new decals are processed and mailed within 7 to 10 business days. Operating on an expired registration is an enforcement target, so renew before December 31.
Exemptions
Non-motorized boats other than sailboats — canoes, kayaks, drift boats, rafts, and stand-up paddleboards — do not need a title or registration. Sailboats under 12 feet are likewise exempt from titling and registration. Those craft instead need a Waterway Access Permit (the aquatic invasive species permit): as of January 1, 2026 the permit requirement expanded to cover non-motorized boats under 10 feet as well, so essentially all paddlecraft now need one (week $6, year $20, two-year $35), though youth 13 and under and inner tubes are exempt.
Federally documented vessels are exempt from Oregon titling but must register if they remain on Oregon waters more than 60 consecutive days. Boat trailers with a combined weight under 1,800 pounds are not required to be registered.
Frequently asked questions
Does the Oregon DMV register boats?
No. Boats in Oregon are titled and registered by the Oregon State Marine Board (OSMB), not the DMV. You file the application with the Marine Board — online, by mail, or in person in Salem — and the DMV has no role in vessel registration.
How much does it cost to register a boat in Oregon?
Registration is a flat $8 aquatic invasive species surcharge plus $5.95 per foot of length, rounded up to the next whole foot, and it covers a full two-year period. For example, a 20-foot boat is about $127 for two years. Oregon has no sales tax, so there is no vessel use tax on top; the title fee is charged separately.
How often do I renew my Oregon boat registration?
Every two years. Oregon registrations are biennial and expire December 31. Renewals open November 1 of the expiration year, and renewing online gets your new decals mailed within 7 to 10 business days.
Do I need to register a kayak or paddleboard in Oregon?
You do not title or register non-motorized paddlecraft, but you do need a Waterway Access Permit. As of January 1, 2026 that permit is required for all non-motorized boats, including those under 10 feet such as kayaks, canoes, rafts, and stand-up paddleboards. Permits cost $6 for a week, $20 for a year, or $35 for two years; youth 13 and under are exempt.
Do I have to register my boat if it is USCG documented?
A federally documented vessel is not state-titled in Oregon, but if it stays on Oregon waters more than 60 consecutive days it must register with the Marine Board. OSMB then mails state validation decals showing the vessel's Coast Guard documentation number.
Primary sources
Last verified .
- OSMB — Title & Registration Home (retrieved 2026-07-16)
- OSMB — Title and Registration FAQs (retrieved 2026-07-16)
- OSMB — Motorboat Registration Fee Schedule (retrieved 2026-07-16)
- OSMB — Waterway Access Permit / Aquatic Invasive Species FAQs (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.
Was this page helpful?