Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
Minnesota boat registration
Minnesota DNR licenses watercraft for three calendar years, ending December 31 of the last year. You can register at a deputy registrar (the same offices that license cars), at the DNR License Center in St. Paul, or online for a renewal. The DNR's boating guide says a Coast Guard-documented vessel is not state-registered.
Figures checked October 24, 2026. This is a summary of the official pages linked below, not legal advice and not a bill.
Print or fill in
Print this before you file
Free PDF
Registration prep checklist
Proof of ownership, ID, hull ID, and a blank line for the fee on the official chart. This page does not print a dollar amount for you.
Download the registration checklistFree PDF
Boat transfer checklist
Bill of sale, title versus registration versus CG-1340, the handoff, and a reminder to check your state before you file.
Download the transfer checklistSamples only. State rules vary. This is not legal advice, and it is not the form your agency may require.
Fees from the official chart
The registration fee is only part of the bill. Add the aquatic invasive species surcharge, then the issuing fee. A new registration or a transfer charges an $8.50 issuing fee. A renewal alone, or a duplicate card and decals, charges $6. The DNR page says renewing and transferring together is $4.50 plus $8.50.
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Pleasure craft under 17 feet | $36 + $25 |
| 17 feet through 19 feet | $59 + $29 |
| Over 19 feet and under 26 feet | $113 + $38 |
| 26 feet to under 40 feet | $164 + $50 |
| 40 feet and over | $209 + $62 |
| Issuing fee, new or transfer only | $8.50 |
| Issuing fee, renewal only | $6 |
| Transfer without renewal, on the fee table | $4.50 |
| Transfer fee named for a Minnesota-titled boat | $17 |
For a pleasure boat, the DNR lists a registration fee plus an aquatic invasive species surcharge: $36 plus $25 under 17 feet, $59 plus $29 from 17 through 19 feet, $113 plus $38 over 19 and under 26, then $164 plus $50, and $209 plus $62 at 40 feet and over. Add an issuing fee of $8.50 for a new registration or transfer, or $6 for a renewal. The same page also names a $17 transfer fee for a Minnesota-titled boat and a $4.50 transfer-without-renewal line. Both numbers are on the DNR page. This summary does not decide which one the clerk will charge.
Transferring the boat
Titles: the seller signs the front, the buyer signs the back, and the DNR page calls the transfer fee $17. If a lien is printed on the title, you need a lien release that names the lienholder, the owner, and the hull identification number.
The fee table also lists "Transfer without renewal" at $4.50 plus an issuing fee. Those two transfer amounts are both on the official page. Ask the deputy registrar which line matches your paperwork instead of adding them together.
A dealer licenses a new boat longer than 16 feet, other than a kayak or canoe, and is the one who files the title and registration.
The national boat bill of sale and title transfer guide explains the difference between a bill of sale, a title, and a registration. File with Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.
Coast Guard documented boats
The DNR boating guide says a Coast Guard-documented watercraft is not given a state registration. The license page is still the right place to confirm the boat in front of you is actually documented.
What this page does not pin down
- The DNR page has a "Watercraft title fees" heading. The title-certificate amount under that heading was not readable as a dollar figure in the text reviewed, so it is not copied here. The $17 figure is the transfer fee the private-seller section states.
- Minnesota sales tax is not listed here.
- This page does not choose between the $4.50 transfer line and the $17 titled-boat transfer fee.
Minnesota registration questions
Where do I register a boat in Minnesota?
Minnesota DNR licenses watercraft for three calendar years, ending December 31 of the last year. You can register at a deputy registrar (the same offices that license cars), at the DNR License Center in St. Paul, or online for a renewal. The DNR's boating guide says a Coast Guard-documented vessel is not state-registered.
How much does Minnesota boat registration cost?
For a pleasure boat, the DNR lists a registration fee plus an aquatic invasive species surcharge: $36 plus $25 under 17 feet, $59 plus $29 from 17 through 19 feet, $113 plus $38 over 19 and under 26, then $164 plus $50, and $209 plus $62 at 40 feet and over. Add an issuing fee of $8.50 for a new registration or transfer, or $6 for a renewal. The same page also names a $17 transfer fee for a Minnesota-titled boat and a $4.50 transfer-without-renewal line. Both numbers are on the DNR page. This summary does not decide which one the clerk will charge.
How do I transfer a boat title or registration in Minnesota?
For a boat titled in Minnesota, the seller signs the front of the title and the buyer signs the back. The DNR page says that transfer fee is $17. A boat from a title state needs the signed title. A boat from a state that does not title boats needs the registration card and a bill of sale. A Minnesota boat that was registered but not titled needs a bill of sale with the year, make, hull identification number, and the seller's printed name and signature. A new boat uses the manufacturer's statement of origin. You generally cannot use the boat until the new card and decals arrive, unless a DNR-authorized dealer handed you a permit.
Are Coast Guard-documented boats registered in Minnesota?
The Minnesota DNR boating guide lists Coast Guard-documented watercraft as an exception to the state license. Documentation papers from the Coast Guard are used instead of state registration. Nonmotorized boats of 10 feet or less are also exempt. Confirm the exception list in the current boating guide before you rely on it.
Official pages
Minnesota DNR watercraft registration and feesMinnesota Statutes s. 86B.415, license feesMinnesota boating guide (PDF)
Check Minnesota harbor conditionsToday's Go or Nope callAll ten state pagesBoat bill of sale
Reviewed October 24, 2026. Source date code 2026-10-24.