How to register a boat in Texas
Title and register — pay tax within 45 working days of the sale
For a boat or outboard motor bought on or after September 1, 2019, the boat/boat motor sales-and-use tax is due within 45 working days of the date of sale. Applying after that deadline adds tax penalties and interest, so file the paperwork promptly. Titling and registration are done on the boat application (PWD 143) and, for the motor, the outboard motor application (PWD 144), submitted to TPWD headquarters in Austin, a TPWD law-enforcement office, or a participating County Tax Assessor-Collector.
Bring proof of ownership
Acceptable proof depends on the transaction: for a new boat or motor, the manufacturer's certificate/statement of origin; for a used boat, the properly assigned Texas title (or the existing TPWD registration/title record) plus a bill of sale; and for a federally documented vessel, a copy of the current U.S. Coast Guard Certificate of Documentation. Bring a photo ID.
Pay the sales/use tax plus title and registration fees
Texas boat/boat motor sales-and-use tax is 6.25% of the sale price (capped — see the fee notes below), assessed separately on the boat and on the outboard motor. On top of the tax you pay the $27 title fee for the boat, a second $27 title fee for the outboard motor, and the two-year registration fee for the boat's length class. TPWD's online Boat/Motor tax calculator estimates the amount before you go in.
Receive your title(s), Certificate of Number, and TX number + decal
Titles print about 21 days after processing and are mailed from Austin. You receive a Certificate of Number (registration) and a validation decal. The TX registration number must be painted or attached to each side of the forward half of the hull in block characters at least three inches high, in a color that contrasts with the background, reading left to right with the letters separated from the numerals by hyphens or spaces (e.g. TX-0001-GG). The validation decal is placed in line with and three inches aft of the TX number.
Texas registration fees
Texas registration is a two-year cycle priced by the boat's length class. The figures below are the current TPWD original/renewal registration fees. The title fee is a flat $27 per certificate — so a boat with an outboard motor pays $27 for the boat title and another $27 for the motor title, plus the registration fee for the boat.
| Class | Vessel length | Base fee |
|---|---|---|
| Class A | Less than 16 ft | $32 (2 yr) |
| Class 1 | 16 ft to less than 26 ft | $53 (2 yr) |
| Class 2 | 26 ft to less than 40 ft | $110 (2 yr) |
| Class 3 | 40 ft and over | $150 (2 yr) |
Registration fees are for the two-year cycle. Add a $27 title fee for the boat and a $27 title fee for the outboard motor (a $64 expedited "Quick" title is available). A transfer of ownership on an existing Texas record is $11. Boat/boat motor sales-and-use tax is 6.25% and is capped at $18,750 per taxable boat and, separately, $18,750 per taxable outboard motor; a qualifying new Texas resident pays a flat $15 new-resident tax instead. Confirm current amounts on the TPWD fee chart.
Titling in Texas
Texas titles the boat and the outboard motor as two separate certificates of title. All motorized vessels regardless of length must be titled; non-motorized vessels (including sailboats) are titled at 14 feet and longer; and internal-combustion (gas, diesel, or propane) outboard motors must be titled on their own certificate (PWD 144) unless the motor is both 40 years or older and 25 horsepower or less. Electric outboard motors are not titled. Note the asymmetry: TPWD titles the outboard motor but does not register it — only the boat gets a Certificate of Number.
A federally documented vessel is the main titling exception. Because the U.S. Coast Guard Certificate of Documentation is the ownership record, TPWD does not issue a state title for a documented vessel — but the vessel still must be registered with TPWD, with proof of current documentation, before it is used on Texas water. This is the classic "documented but not titled, still registered" setup explained in state registration vs USCG documentation.
HIN requirements
Texas follows the federal Hull Identification Number (HIN) standard: since 1972, manufacturers must affix a 12-character HIN to the transom above the waterline, and that number is recorded on the Texas title and registration.
When a hull or outboard-motor serial number needs to be confirmed — for an out-of-state boat, a partial or unreadable number, or a mismatch with the paperwork — TPWD uses the Verification of Vessel or Outboard Motor Serial Number form (PWD 504). You submit a pencil tracing (lay the form over the number and rub a pencil across it) or a legible photo of the actual number.
If a vessel or motor has no serial number at all — including a homemade boat — a TPWD game warden (a peace officer) must physically inspect it. The warden either verifies and reattaches the original number or assigns and attaches a new state HIN, and TPWD then titles the boat under that assigned number. Homemade boats also require a notarized builder's statement and a detailed description. Decode any existing hull number first with the HIN decoder to confirm the manufacturer and model year match the documents you are filing.
Renewal
A Texas boat registration is valid for two years and expires on the last day of the month shown on the Certificate of Number and validation decal. You may renew as early as 90 days before the expiration date — online through TPWD's boat renewal service (or the Texas by Texas / TxT portal), by mail, or at a participating County Tax Assessor-Collector. The outboard motor title does not expire and is not renewed; only the boat registration is.
Exemptions
Non-motorized canoes, kayaks, punts, rowboats, and rubber rafts are exempt from Texas titling and registration regardless of length. A non-motorized sailboat under 14 feet is also exempt. Federally documented vessels are exempt from state titling but are not exempt from registration — a documented vessel used on Texas water still must be registered with TPWD. An out-of-state visitor whose boat is currently registered or titled in another state (or country) may operate it on Texas water for up to 90 consecutive days without registering in Texas. Vessels owned by the U.S. government are exempt.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to title the outboard motor separately from the boat in Texas?
Yes. TPWD issues a separate certificate of title for the outboard motor using its own application (PWD 144), so a boat with a motor generates two titles and two $27 title fees. The exception is a motor that is both 40 years or older and 25 horsepower or less, and electric outboard motors, which are not titled. Note that the motor is titled only — TPWD does not register the outboard, only the boat.
Do I need to register a kayak or canoe in Texas?
No. Non-motorized canoes, kayaks, punts, rowboats, and rubber rafts are exempt from Texas registration and titling regardless of length. If you add a motor of any kind, though, the vessel becomes motorized and must be titled and registered.
Is there a cap on Texas boat sales tax?
Yes. The Texas boat and boat motor sales-and-use tax is 6.25% of the sale price but is capped at $18,750 per taxable boat, with a separate $18,750 cap applied to a taxable outboard motor. A qualifying new Texas resident who brings in a boat or motor pays a flat $15 new-resident tax instead. Note that use tax on a boat brought in from out of state (for a non-new-resident) is not capped.
How long do I have to register a boat after buying it in Texas?
The boat/boat motor sales-and-use tax is due within 45 working days of the date of sale (for purchases on or after September 1, 2019); filing after that adds penalties and interest. Register and title at the same time you settle the tax, at TPWD headquarters, a TPWD law-enforcement office, or a participating County Tax Assessor-Collector.
Does Texas register a USCG-documented vessel?
Yes. A federally documented vessel is exempt from Texas titling — the Coast Guard document is the ownership record — but it still must be registered with TPWD, with proof of current documentation, before it is used on Texas water. It carries the TX registration decal but keeps its documented name and hailing port rather than a painted bow number.
Primary sources
Last verified .
- TPWD — Boat Title, Registration, Tax & ID Requirements (retrieved 2026-07-16)
- TPWD — Title Requirements (boats, outboard motors, documented vessels) (retrieved 2026-07-16)
- TPWD — Fee Chart for Boats and Outboard Motors (retrieved 2026-07-16)
- TPWD — Placement of TX Number and Decal on Vessels (retrieved 2026-07-16)
- TPWD — Boat Registration and Titles FAQ (retrieved 2026-07-16)
- Texas Comptroller — Boat and Boat Motor Taxes (6.25%, $18,750 cap) (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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