Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
Texas boat registration
Texas Parks and Wildlife registers and titles boats. A Texas registration is valid for two years. On public water, including a boat that is only docked or stored, TPWD requires registration for every motorized vessel, every non-motorized vessel 14 feet or longer, and Coast Guard-documented vessels, with a short list of exemptions on the registration page.
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
Registration is for two years. It can be renewed as early as 90 days before it expires, online, by mail, or at a TPWD law enforcement office or a participating county tax assessor-collector. Documented vessels cannot renew online, because TPWD needs a copy of the current Coast Guard documentation.
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Under 16 feet (Class A), two-year registration | $32 |
| 16 feet to less than 26 feet (Class 1) | $53 |
| 26 feet to less than 40 feet (Class 2) | $110 |
| 40 feet or more (Class 3) | $150 |
| Transfer of ownership on an existing Texas record | $11 |
| Certificate of title, including a transfer title | $27 |
| New resident tax | $15 |
| Sales and use tax | 6.25% |
TPWD's fee chart lists a two-year registration of $32 under 16 feet, $53 from 16 to under 26, $110 from 26 to under 40, and $150 at 40 feet or more. A title or title transfer is $27. Transferring an existing Texas registration record is $11. Boat and outboard-motor sales tax is 6.25 percent, capped at $18,750 for purchases in Texas on or after September 1, 2019, and it is due within 45 working days.
Transferring the boat
A signed bill of sale is required on every transfer. One of these satisfies it: a completed PWD 143 or 144 signed by the seller, a handwritten receipt with the date, price excluding the trailer, a description of the boat or motor, the buyer's name, and the seller's signature, or the back of a current brown TPWD title filled in with the price, the buyer, and the owner's signature.
Sales and use tax is 6.25 percent of the price. For a vessel bought in Texas on or after September 1, 2019, TPWD caps that tax at $18,750. Tax is due within 45 working days of the sale or of the day the boat is brought into Texas. The trailer is a separate filing at the county tax office.
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 Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
Coast Guard documented boats
Since January 1, 2004, TPWD has required Coast Guard-documented vessels to carry Texas registration, except commercial tugboats, vessels longer than 115 feet, and certain pilot or crew boats. Online renewal is not available for documented vessels.
What this page does not pin down
- Outboard-motor title fees beyond the shared $27 title line are on the TPWD chart and are not repeated row by row here.
- Penalty and interest amounts for late tax are on form PWD 930, not calculated here.
Texas registration questions
Where do I register a boat in Texas?
Texas Parks and Wildlife registers and titles boats. A Texas registration is valid for two years. On public water, including a boat that is only docked or stored, TPWD requires registration for every motorized vessel, every non-motorized vessel 14 feet or longer, and Coast Guard-documented vessels, with a short list of exemptions on the registration page.
How much does Texas boat registration cost?
TPWD's fee chart lists a two-year registration of $32 under 16 feet, $53 from 16 to under 26, $110 from 26 to under 40, and $150 at 40 feet or more. A title or title transfer is $27. Transferring an existing Texas registration record is $11. Boat and outboard-motor sales tax is 6.25 percent, capped at $18,750 for purchases in Texas on or after September 1, 2019, and it is due within 45 working days.
How do I transfer a boat title or registration in Texas?
TPWD requires a signed bill of sale or invoice for every ownership transfer. Form PWD 143 can be that bill of sale if the price, date, and trade-in are filled in and the seller signs it. A handwritten receipt has to show the date, the price without the trailer, the make, serial number, and model year, the purchaser's name, and the seller's signature. The trailer is titled and registered at the county tax office, not by TPWD. Do not buy a used boat without the original title signed by the person named on it.
Does a documented boat still need Texas registration?
Yes, in general. TPWD says Coast Guard-documented vessels need Texas registration. The exemptions on that page are commercial tugboats, vessels over 115 feet, and pilot or crew boats serving cargo ships or offshore oil infrastructure. Documented boats cannot renew online.
Official pages
TPWD registration requirementsTPWD fee chartTPWD tax and bill of sale rulesTPWD forms, including PWD 143TPWD registration and title FAQTPWD online boat transactions
Check Texas harbor conditionsToday's Go or Nope callAll ten state pagesBoat bill of sale
Reviewed October 24, 2026. Source date code 2026-10-24.