North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission
North Carolina boat registration
The Wildlife Resources Commission registers and titles vessels. The October 2026 VL-1 form says every motorized vessel on public waters has to be registered, including a boat that uses only an electric trolling motor, and including Coast Guard-documented vessels. Sailboats longer than 14 feet at the load waterline are included. A titled vessel has to be registered. Titling is required at 14 feet or longer, for personal watercraft, and when there is a lien.
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
You can register for one year or three years. The VL-1 form says the printed fees change when you register online or by phone, so treat the table as the form's mail and agent amounts.
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| New or transfer registration and title, under 26 feet | $73 / $137 |
| New or transfer registration and title, 26 feet or more | $111 / $251 |
| Registration without a title, under 14 feet | $38 / $102 |
| Coast Guard documented vessel, 26 feet or more | $76 / $216 |
| Renewal, under 26 feet | $36 / $100 |
| Renewal, 26 feet or more | $74 / $214 |
| Duplicate registration | $10 |
| Add a title to a registered vessel | $36 |
| Duplicate title | $16 |
On the October 2026 VL-1 form, a new or transfer registration with title is $73 for one year or $137 for three years under 26 feet, and $111 or $251 at 26 feet or more. Renewal is $36 or $100 under 26 feet, and $74 or $214 at 26 feet or more. The form says transaction fees vary online or by phone, so the number you pay on gooutdoorsnorthcarolina.com can differ from this table.
Transferring the boat
VL-1 is the registration and title application. New and transfer requests are signed. Mail goes to 1709 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-1700, payable to NCWRC. The form says mail can take 4 to 6 weeks and that applying online is faster.
The one-year and three-year prices on this page are the ones printed on VL-1 dated October 2026. Do not treat them as the online checkout total.
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 North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission.
Coast Guard documented boats
The current VL-1 says documented vessels are part of the registration requirement and prints a fee line for a documented vessel of 26 feet or more. It does not, in the fee block reviewed here, repeat an older form's sentence that a documented vessel cannot be titled. Use the current form.
What this page does not pin down
- Online and phone totals are not listed, because the form says they vary.
- North Carolina sales tax is not listed here.
North Carolina registration questions
Where do I register a boat in North Carolina?
The Wildlife Resources Commission registers and titles vessels. The October 2026 VL-1 form says every motorized vessel on public waters has to be registered, including a boat that uses only an electric trolling motor, and including Coast Guard-documented vessels. Sailboats longer than 14 feet at the load waterline are included. A titled vessel has to be registered. Titling is required at 14 feet or longer, for personal watercraft, and when there is a lien.
How much does North Carolina boat registration cost?
On the October 2026 VL-1 form, a new or transfer registration with title is $73 for one year or $137 for three years under 26 feet, and $111 or $251 at 26 feet or more. Renewal is $36 or $100 under 26 feet, and $74 or $214 at 26 feet or more. The form says transaction fees vary online or by phone, so the number you pay on gooutdoorsnorthcarolina.com can differ from this table.
How do I transfer a boat title or registration in North Carolina?
File a VL-1 with the Wildlife Resources Commission, online, at a wildlife service agent, or by mail. A new or transfer registration has to be signed. Titling is required for a vessel 14 feet or longer, a personal watercraft, or a vessel with a lien. Bring the ownership paper the form asks for. The form's own fee lines are the ones to circle, and the online total may not match the printed dollar amounts.
Does North Carolina register a documented boat?
Yes. The October 2026 VL-1 form says registration includes U.S. Coast Guard documented vessels, and it prints a separate one-year and three-year fee for a documented vessel of 26 feet or more ($76 or $216). The form also says fees can differ online or by phone.
Official pages
NC Wildlife: registration and titlingVL-1 registration and title application (October 2026)
Check North Carolina harbor conditionsToday's Go or Nope callAll ten state pagesBoat bill of sale
Reviewed October 24, 2026. Source date code 2026-10-24.