New York State Department of Motor Vehicles
New York boat registration
New York DMV registers boats and titles the ones that qualify. Registrations are issued for three years. The fee is based on length. A title is a separate $50 fee when the boat qualifies.
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
A boat registration is good for three years. The fees below are the three-year registration amounts from the DMV boat page. They do not include the title or a lien fee.
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Less than 16 feet, three-year registration | $22.50 |
| 16 feet to less than 26 feet | $45 |
| 26 feet or longer | $75 |
| Title, when a title is issued | $50 |
| Lien fee, paid by the lender | $5 |
NY DMV charges $22.50, $45, or $75 for a three-year registration, depending on whether the boat is under 16 feet, 16 to under 26, or 26 feet and longer. A title is $50 for a boat that is model year 1987 or newer, at least 14 feet long, and registered in New York. The $5 lien fee is paid by the lender, not the buyer.
Transferring the boat
File MV-82B with proof of identity and proof of ownership. A new boat uses the manufacturer's statement of origin. A used boat usually uses the title, or a transferable registration and a bill of sale if it comes from a state that does not title boats.
DMV's dealer instructions say a bill of sale from a New York boat dealer has to show that sales tax was paid or that the buyer is exempt. The online fee estimator does not cover boats, so use the length table on the boat registration page.
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 New York State Department of Motor Vehicles.
Coast Guard documented boats
DMV does not issue a New York title for a Coast Guard-documented boat. The boat page also says that when no title is issued, the transferable registration is the proof of ownership, unless the boat is documented. Whether a documented boat still needs a New York registration number is a question for that DMV page, and this summary does not answer it.
What this page does not pin down
- The New York sales-tax rate on a boat is not listed here.
- This page does not say whether a Coast Guard-documented boat must also be registered with DMV.
New York registration questions
Where do I register a boat in New York?
New York DMV registers boats and titles the ones that qualify. Registrations are issued for three years. The fee is based on length. A title is a separate $50 fee when the boat qualifies.
How much does New York boat registration cost?
NY DMV charges $22.50, $45, or $75 for a three-year registration, depending on whether the boat is under 16 feet, 16 to under 26, or 26 feet and longer. A title is $50 for a boat that is model year 1987 or newer, at least 14 feet long, and registered in New York. The $5 lien fee is paid by the lender, not the buyer.
How do I transfer a boat title or registration in New York?
The application is the Boat Registration/Title Application (MV-82B). Boats from model year 1987 that are 14 feet or longer and registered in New York get a title, and that title is the proof of ownership. Older or shorter boats use the transferable registration as proof of ownership. DMV does not title a boat that is documented with the Coast Guard. Sales-tax clearance is part of the filing. This page does not quote a New York sales-tax rate.
Which New York boats get a title?
DMV titles motorboats that are model year 1987 or newer, at least 14 feet long, and registered in New York. It does not title boats outside that description, and it does not title a boat documented with the U.S. Coast Guard. The title fee is $50.
Official pages
NY DMV: register a boatMV-82.1B registering and titling instructions (PDF)NY DMV certificate of title
Check New York harbor conditionsToday's Go or Nope callAll ten state pagesBoat bill of sale
Reviewed October 24, 2026. Source date code 2026-10-24.