How to register a boat in Wisconsin
Apply through Go Wild or by mail
You register and title with the DNR, not a county office. If your boat is exempt from titling (under 16 feet), you can complete a registration-only application online through the Go Wild portal at GoWild.WI.Gov. Boats that must be titled (16 feet and over) are handled on Form 9400-193, the Boat Registration and Titling Application, submitted with your documents to the DNR Processing Center, PO Box 78701, Milwaukee, WI 53278-0701.
Bring proof of ownership
For a used boat coming from a titling state, submit the original Certificate of Title properly assigned to you; from a non-titling state, submit the registration card plus a bill of sale. For a brand-new boat, submit the original Manufacturer's Statement of Origin (MSO). A home-built boat is documented with receipts for the materials used to build it. Any lien must be cleared with a release from the lienholder.
Pay the fee and applicable sales tax
You pay the registration fee for your boat's length class (see the fee table), plus the $5 title fee if the boat is 16 feet or longer, and any lien-filing fee. Wisconsin sales/use tax on the purchase price is collected separately and varies by your county and municipality.
Display your WS number and decals
You receive a certificate of registration (a wallet card), two expiration decals, and — for boats 16 feet and over — a certificate of title. Wisconsin registration numbers use the format "WS 1234 AB." Paint or apply them to each side of the forward half (bow) of the hull in block letters at least 3 inches high, in a color that contrasts with the hull, reading left to right, with a 2-inch space between the letter groups. Place each expiration decal 3 inches aft of (behind) the number, in line with it. Federally documented vessels do not display a WS number.
Wisconsin registration fees
Wisconsin sets the boat registration fee by length class, and the fee covers the full 3-year registration period (not a single year). Motorized boats pay by length; a non-motorized sailboat over 12 feet pays a flat rate; and a boat that only needs voluntary registration pays a reduced rate. Titling adds a separate $5 fee.
| Class | Vessel length | Base fee |
|---|---|---|
| Motorized — under 16 ft | Less than 16 ft | $22 |
| Motorized — 16 to under 26 ft | 16 ft to less than 26 ft | $32 |
| Motorized — 26 to under 40 ft | 26 ft to less than 40 ft | $60 |
| Motorized — 40 ft and over | 40 ft and over | $100 |
| Non-motorized sailboat | Over 12 ft (sail only) | $17 |
| Voluntary registration | Any (not otherwise required) | $11 |
Fees are for the full 3-year period. Separate charges apply: $5 title issuance (boats 16 ft and over), $3.75 registration transfer, $5 lien filing, and $2.50 to replace a lost certificate or decal. Sales/use tax on the purchase is collected separately and varies by locality. Confirm current amounts on the DNR registration-fees page or Form 9400-193.
Titling in Wisconsin
Wisconsin does title boats — but only above a size threshold. A boat 16 feet in length or longer must be titled, and the title is the ownership record the DNR issues alongside the registration. Boats under 16 feet are registration-only: Wisconsin does not issue a title for them. Also exempt from titling are voluntarily registered boats and boats a nonresident buys in Wisconsin intending to register them in another state.
A federally documented vessel is not state-titled, because the USCG Certificate of Documentation is the ownership record — but it still must be registered in Wisconsin if it is kept or used on Wisconsin waters. This is the classic "documented but not titled" situation explained in state registration vs USCG documentation; the documented vessel carries its Coast Guard name and hailing port instead of a WS bow number, but it must display the Wisconsin registration decals.
HIN requirements
Wisconsin records the 12-character Hull Identification Number (HIN) — the code the manufacturer stamped on the hull for boats built after 1972 — on the registration and title, and it is separate from the WS registration number painted on the bow.
A hull-number inspection is not part of a routine registration. It is triggered only when a boat has no HIN, has a HIN that is missing, altered, or questionable, or when the paperwork does not match the hull. In those cases a law-enforcement officer, such as a DNR conservation warden, inspects the hull to verify or establish the number before the boat can be titled or registered.
Home-built boats and boats with no valid factory HIN are assigned a state hull number by the DNR (the WSZ-prefixed series). If your boat already carries a hull number, decode it first with the HIN decoder to confirm the manufacturer and model year line up with the ownership documents you are submitting.
Renewal
Wisconsin boat registration runs on a fixed 3-year cycle, and every registration in a given cohort shares the same calendar dates rather than tracking the owner's birthday. The period begins April 1 of the year it is issued or renewed and expires March 31 of the third year after that. You renew online through Go Wild or by mail, and you should renew before the March 31 expiration to avoid operating with an expired registration. If you move, sell, or junk the boat, state law requires you to notify the DNR within 15 days.
Exemptions
Non-motorized craft — canoes, kayaks, rowboats, and paddleboards — do not need to be registered, and sailboats 12 feet and under are also exempt. A boat registered in another state may be used on Wisconsin waters for up to 60 consecutive days without a Wisconsin registration (out-of-state reciprocity). Also outside the requirement: boats operated under a valid 60-day temporary operating receipt, foreign vessels temporarily in state waters, military and public/government vessels and their lifeboats, and boats entered in a sanctioned race for up to 10 days. Federally documented vessels are exempt from Wisconsin titling but are not exempt from registration.
Frequently asked questions
Does Wisconsin title boats?
Yes, but only boats 16 feet in length or longer. A boat 16 feet and over must be titled by the DNR in addition to being registered, with a separate $5 title fee. Boats under 16 feet are registration-only and do not get a title. Voluntarily registered boats and nonresident purchases bound for another state are also exempt from titling.
Do I have to register my boat in Wisconsin if it is USCG documented?
Yes. A federally documented vessel is not state-titled — the Coast Guard document is the ownership record — but it still must be registered with the Wisconsin DNR if it is kept or used on Wisconsin waters. It displays its documented name and hailing port instead of a WS bow number, but it must carry the Wisconsin registration decals.
How much does boat registration cost in Wisconsin?
The fee depends on length and covers the full 3-year period: $22 for a motorized boat under 16 feet, $32 for 16 to under 26 feet, $60 for 26 to under 40 feet, and $100 for 40 feet and over. A non-motorized sailboat over 12 feet is $17, and voluntary registration is $11. Titling a boat 16 feet or longer adds $5, and sales tax on the purchase is charged separately.
When does my Wisconsin boat registration expire?
Wisconsin uses a fixed 3-year cycle, not your birthday. The registration begins April 1 and expires March 31 of the third year after it is issued or renewed. Renew online through Go Wild or by mail before the March 31 expiration.
Do I need to register a kayak or canoe in Wisconsin?
No. Non-motorized paddle craft — canoes, kayaks, and rowboats — do not require registration in Wisconsin. But the moment you add a motor, including a small electric trolling motor, the boat becomes a motorized vessel and must be registered with the DNR.
Primary sources
Last verified .
- Wisconsin DNR — Boat registration and titling (hub) (retrieved 2026-07-16)
- Wisconsin DNR — General information on boat registration and titling (retrieved 2026-07-16)
- Wisconsin DNR — Boat registration (how to register / documents) (retrieved 2026-07-16)
- Wisconsin DNR — Registration fees (retrieved 2026-07-16)
- Wisconsin DNR — What you should know before you operate your boat (number display, decals) (retrieved 2026-07-16)
- Wisconsin DNR — Boat Registration and Titling Application (Form 9400-193) (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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