How to register a boat in Virginia
Confirm your boat needs a Virginia title and number
Any motorboat — including one powered only by an electric motor — that is principally used on the public waters of Virginia must be titled and registered in Virginia. A sailboat longer than 18 feet must be titled but does not have to be registered unless it also carries a motor. Boats kept on private waters and human-powered craft without a motor are outside the requirement.
Start online, then mail the originals
You can begin the title-and-registration application online at GoOutdoorsVirginia.com, but Virginia still needs the original ownership documents on paper: mail the completed application and originals to DWR Boat Section, P.O. Box 9930, Henrico, VA 23228, or hand them in at the DWR headquarters in Henrico (Monday–Friday, 9:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.). There is no local county-office option — the Boat Section is the single point of processing.
Bring proof of ownership and the boat's description
For a new boat, provide the original Manufacturer's or Importer's Certificate of Origin with the First Assignment completed, plus a sales invoice showing the gross purchase price and the watercraft sales tax paid. For a used boat, provide the original Virginia title assigned to you, or — for a boat that was previously registered but never titled — a dated bill of sale. The application also records the 12-character hull identification number, the make, length, model year, hull material, and propulsion, plus the motor's make, horsepower, and serial number if it exceeds 25 hp.
Pay the title fee, sales tax, and three-year registration fee
The certificate-of-title fee is $10. Virginia charges a 2% watercraft sales tax on the gross purchase price of the boat and motor, capped at $2,000. The registration (certificate of number) fee is set by length for a full three-year term — see the fee table.
Display your number and decals correctly
The registration number must be painted or applied to both sides of the bow in block characters at least 3 inches high that read left to right and contrast with the hull. The "VA" prefix is separated from the digits and the suffix letters by a space or a hyphen (for example, VA 4696 AF or VA-4696-AF). The validation decals go on each side within 6 inches of, and in line with, the number; remove expired decals. A federally documented vessel instead displays its name and hailing port and carries no bow number.
Virginia registration fees
Virginia sets the registration (certificate of number) fee by the boat's length, and each fee covers a full three-year registration term rather than a single year. The title fee ($10) and the 2% watercraft sales tax (capped at $2,000) are charged separately from the registration fee below.
| Class | Vessel length | Base fee |
|---|---|---|
| Under 16 ft | Less than 16 ft | $32 |
| 16 ft to 20 ft | 16 ft to less than 20 ft | $36 |
| 20 ft to 40 ft | 20 ft to less than 40 ft | $42 |
| 40 ft and over | 40 ft and longer | $50 |
Three-year registration fees by length from DWR. The $10 title fee and the 2% watercraft sales tax (maximum $2,000) are additional. Confirm current amounts with the DWR Boat Section (866-721-6911 or [email protected]) or the official registration page before you file.
Titling in Virginia
Virginia titles watercraft, and a certificate of title is issued at the same time as the registration for any motorboat, regardless of length or motor size. A sailboat over 18 feet must also be titled even though it does not have to be registered. The title fee is $10, and a duplicate is $7.
A federally documented vessel is the important exception: because the U.S. Coast Guard Certificate of Documentation is the ownership record, Virginia does not — and cannot — issue a state title for a documented vessel. The vessel may still be registered with DWR (submitting the Certificate of Documentation and abstract of title, proof of any lien release, and a bill of sale), which produces a registration and decals without a state title. This is the classic "documented but not titled" arrangement explained in state registration vs USCG documentation.
HIN requirements
Virginia records the 12-character hull identification number (HIN) on every titled and registered watercraft, and the number must match the code the manufacturer molded into the hull for a boat built after 1972. Decode any existing hull number with the HIN decoder first to confirm the manufacturer and model year line up with the paperwork before you file.
Virginia does not require a routine hull-number inspection; a physical check is triggered only when there is a discrepancy, and a watercraft may be subject to inspection by a law enforcement officer at that point.
Homemade boats and boats with no factory HIN cannot be registered until the state assigns a hull number. DWR issues a state-assigned HIN prefixed with the letters "VAZ"; for a homemade boat you submit an affidavit stating you built it (in lieu of a Certificate of Origin), receipts for the building materials, and photographs of the boat from all sides. A homemade boat cannot be sold within 10 years of the date its state-assigned HIN was issued, though it may be gifted at any time.
Renewal
Virginia boat registrations are valid for three years and expire at the end of that term. DWR mails a renewal reminder about 45 days before expiration, and you can renew online through Go Outdoors Virginia, by mail, or in person. There are no late fees for renewing a past-due registration, but operating with an expired registration is still unlawful, so renew before you launch.
Exemptions
Human-powered craft with no motor — canoes, kayaks, rowboats, and paddleboards — are exempt from Virginia registration; note that adding any motor, even a small electric one, ends the exemption and makes the boat registrable. Sailboats under 18 feet with no motor need neither title nor registration, and sailboats over 18 feet must be titled but not registered. A boat currently registered in another state and not kept in Virginia for more than 90 consecutive days may operate on its valid out-of-state registration without registering in Virginia. When you buy a boat that was already Virginia-registered, you may operate it for 30 days on a dated bill of sale together with the seller's valid registration while your paperwork is processed. Boats used only on private waters are also outside the requirement.
Frequently asked questions
Does Virginia require me to register a USCG documented vessel?
Virginia cannot title a federally documented vessel, because the Coast Guard Certificate of Documentation is the ownership record. The vessel may still be registered with DWR if you want a Virginia registration — you submit the Certificate of Documentation and abstract of title, proof of any lien release, and a bill of sale. It then carries registration decals and displays its name and hailing port rather than a VA bow number.
Do I have to register a kayak or canoe in Virginia?
No — human-powered craft such as canoes, kayaks, and rowboats do not require registration in Virginia. The moment you attach a motor of any kind, including an electric trolling motor, the boat must be titled and registered.
How long is a Virginia boat registration good for, and what does it cost?
Virginia registrations run on a three-year cycle. The registration fee is set by length — $32 for a boat under 16 feet, $36 for 16 to 20 feet, $42 for 20 to 40 feet, and $50 for 40 feet and over — plus a $10 title fee and a 2% watercraft sales tax (capped at $2,000) on the purchase.
Do I need to title a sailboat in Virginia?
A sailboat longer than 18 feet must be titled in Virginia even if it has no motor, but it does not have to be registered. A sailboat 18 feet or shorter with no motor needs neither. Add a motor of any size and the boat must be both titled and registered.
What if my boat is homemade or has no HIN?
You must get a hull identification number before you can register it. DWR assigns a state HIN prefixed "VAZ" — for a homemade boat you provide an affidavit that you built it, receipts for the building materials, and photos of the boat from all sides. Routine hull inspections are not required unless there is a discrepancy, and a homemade boat cannot be sold within 10 years of the date its state HIN was issued.
Primary sources
Last verified .
- Virginia DWR — Boat Registration & Titling (retrieved 2026-07-16)
- Virginia DWR — Registering & Titling Your Watercraft (procedure) (retrieved 2026-07-16)
- Virginia DWR — Watercraft Titling and Sales Tax Laws (retrieved 2026-07-16)
- Virginia DWR — Boat Registration & Titling FAQs (retrieved 2026-07-16)
- Code of Virginia § 29.1-703 — Identification numbers required; decals (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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