How To Register Kayak In Pa

Gunkhole REGISTRATION & TITLING FAQs

i. Practice I need to register or title my boat?

REGISTRATION

Boats that must be registered:

Whatsoever boat powered past a gasoline, diesel or electric motor.
Vessels documented by the U.S. Coast Guard for recreational purposes. Documented vessels are big pleasure boats, such as yachts.
Boats such as sailboats that employ gasoline, diesel or electric motors for auxiliary power.

Boat - the Commission defines a boat as: Every description of watercraft constructed or sold for the primary purpose of being used as a means of transportation on the water. The term does not include:

Surfboards and other similar nonpowered contrivances used primarily as pond aids.
Commercial craft subject to Federal manning and inspection requirements.

Go to our Registration/Titling page to find out how to register or championship a boat.

UNPOWERED BOATS

Unpowered boats are boats without motors such every bit certain kayaks, canoes, rowboats, sailboats, rafts or inflatable boats. Unpowered boats are not required to be registered – unless used at a Fish & Boat Committee access area or lake, or at Pennsylvania state parks and country forests; or required by the possessor.

Commission admission areas
DCNR listing of PA land parks
Register or championship a boat in PA

Another choice for unpowered boats (only) is a Use (Boat Launch) Let from the Fish & Boat Commission, or a Launch or Mooring Permit from the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Bureau of State Parks.

Permits tin also be purchased at huntfish.pa.gov, our secure eastward-commerce site.

TITLING

Any boat purchased, transferred or sold, must be titled if the boat is:

Powered by an inboard motor, including personal watercraft, 1997 model year or newer.
Powered by an outboard motor, fourteen anxiety or longer, 1997 model year or newer.
Currently titled in Pennsylvania.
Currently titled in another state when Pennsylvania becomes the state of primary uses.

One time a gunkhole is titled, information technology must remain titled by all future owners.

Any boat can be voluntarily titled. Boat titling assures the heir-apparent of a boat that the seller has clear ownership of a gunkhole offered for sale. Some lenders won't finance a gunkhole without a championship, so securing a loan to purchase a boat may be easier if the boat is titled. Titling is also a deterrent to gunkhole theft. Boat dealers and other purchasers are more certain that someone offering a boat for sale has the legal right to do then.

two. What is the departure between a registration and title?

A boat registration is similar to a car registration. A registration carte du jour is issued and must be carried on the boat as proof of registration. It is valid for and renewed every two (2) years. Registrations elapse March 31 of the 2nd year. Registering your boat allows you to boat in all other states and Canada. A boat must exist registered in the land of primary use. Registration is not a secure ownership document.

A boat championship is similar to a car title. A boat championship is a legal certificate proving buying; a registration does not prove buying. Titles are often required past lenders to prove the seller has clear ownership of the gunkhole. A title needs to be purchased only once. Boat titles are only issued by the Fish & Boat Committee.

3. Where can I get a registration or championship?

PA gunkhole registrations and titles are issued exclusively by the Fish and Boat Commission.

In nearly cases, new boat owners volition want a Temporary Registration and so they can apply their boats while registration documents are processed. Temporary registrations are issued by approved Gunkhole Registration Agents, canton treasurers and Committee region offices. To find locations, consult our online listing, or call cost-free: 866-262-8734.

In one case at that place, yous must complete an Awarding for Boat Registration/Title, REV-336. This form and other registration and titling forms are available at many marine dealers, county treasurer offices and Commission regional offices. Most forms are also bachelor online or you tin can view Commission region function locations.

4. Tin can I use my boat while I'g waiting for my registration to be processed?

In most cases, new gunkhole owners will want a temporary registration so they can employ the boat while the awarding is processed. Only approved boat registration agents can result a temporary registration.

5. How much does it price?

REGISTRATION FEES

Fees cover a 2-year menstruum, which expires March 31 of the 2nd year.

Unpowered Boats - 2 years

$22

Motorboats nether 16 feet

$26

Motorboats 16 anxiety to less than 20 feet

$39

Motorboats xx feet and over

$52

Commercial Passenger

$fifty

Transfer of Registration Fee - same possessor with a current registration buys a new boat

Amanuensis Fee(for issuing temporary registration)

TITLING FEES

Document of Title (new or corrected)

$fifteen

Lien recording

Indistinguishable

LAUNCH PERMIT FEES

Unpowered boats only.

1 year

$13.97

ii years

$23.97

*Pricing includes $1.00 agent fee and $0.97 transcation fee.

The post-obit boats are required to register but are exempt from registration fees:

Motorboats owned or operated by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Motorboats owned by public service organizations canonical by the Commission and used exclusively for training, educational activity, water safe and other public service functions.
Motorboats owned by political subdivisions and quasi-public organizations, such as police departments, volunteer burn down departments and river rescue units, and used exclusively in the performance of their work in enforcement or public safety.

6. Tin can I renew my registration online?

Aye. The renewal procedure tin exist completed online at huntfish.pa.gov. Subsequently completing the required fields, your boat registration will be mailed to the address that is currently on file with the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (accost will be displayed for confirmation). A $2 fee is assessed for each gunkhole renewal done at huntfish.pa.gov.

New registrations and boat transfers cannot be completed at huntfish.pa.gov, these must be done by mail service.....download REV-336 for new boat registrations and boat registration transfers.

7. What forms practise I need?

NEW REGISTRATION

Form REV-336 must be completed and signed by all parties. Proof of ownership must exist provided in the form of a title from Pennsylvania or some other state, or the manufacturer's certificate of origin* and a copy of the bill of sale.

* An bidder for initial registration of a boat with a retail value of less than $2,000 that is existence registered voluntarily may substitute the original receipt issued past a dealer or other retailer for the manufacturer's certificate of origin.

REGISTRATION RENEWAL

Course PFBC-730A is mailed to gunkhole owners several months earlier the current registration expires. Check the form carefully and correct any errors. Point the estimated gallons of gasoline used from the previous boating season. Betoken any duplicates y'all demand and return the form with the applicable fee.

Form PFBC-730A is the automatic renewal application mailed each December. If the gunkhole owner doesn't receive this form or the registration has been expired for several years, then form PFBC-733 is the supplemental renewal class to employ.

TRANSFER OF OWNERSHIP

The last registered owner and applicant (new owner) must complete and sign grade REV-336 to transfer ownership of the boat. A bill of sale, signed by the last registered owner selling the boat, may be substituted for the seller's signature on form REV-336. Transferring ownership of a titled boat is just similar transferring a car title. The titled owner must sign the back of the championship and have it notarized. The new possessor must complete, sign and submit course REV-336 with the applicative fee..

Pennsylvania State Sales Revenue enhancement: Sales tax is half-dozen percent (6%), a local sales tax applies to boats and related accessories purchased by residents of Allegheny and Philadelphia Counties. Allegheny County residents are subject to i percent local sales taxation, and Philadelphia residents are subject field to 2 percent local sales tax. Credit may be given for tax paid in another state.

viii. What if I lose my boat decals, registration bill of fare or championship?

A duplicate registration menu is $3; a indistinguishable title is $five. There is no charge for replacement decals. Duplicate registration cards, decals and titles tin be obtained simply from the Commission Licensing and Registration Section. Utilize form PFBC-732 for a duplicate registration card and/or decals and form PFBC-T1 for a indistinguishable championship.

9. What if I never received my boat registration and decals?

If the Commission is notified within 90 days of issuing a registration certificate and validation decals that the intended recipient has not received them within 90 days, the Commission volition issue a replacement registration certificate and a set of replacement validation decals at no cost to the customer.

If the Commission does non receive notification within 90 days of issuing a registration certificate and validation decals that the intended recipient has non received them, the customer shall be required to purchase a indistinguishable registration card at the cost of $iii and shall exist issued a set of replacement validation decals at no cost.

Duplicate registration cards, decals and titles can be obtained only from the Commission Licensing and Registration Section. Use form PFBC-732 for a indistinguishable registration carte and/or decals.

10. Do I need to report a change of address?

Yeah. You must study the post-obit changes within 15 days to the Licensing and Registration Section using grade PFBC-732.

Modify of accost.
Change of buying.
Lost, stolen, destroyed or abandoned watercraft.

11. What is a Hull Identification Number (HIN)?

All boats built for sale since 1972 have a Hull Identification Number (HIN) assigned past the manufacturer. The HIN is located on the exterior of the transom (rear) on the starboard (right) side above the waterline. If the boat is bootleg or built before 1972, the Committee will assign a HIN to the boat.

Example of a Hull Identification Number

12. How do I display the registration number?

The numbers and letters must:

Be painted or permanently fastened to each side of the boat'due south forward one-half.
Read from left to correct.
Be bold, block letters and numbers, at least 3 inches high, and be a contrasting color to the background.
Be separated by a dash or space equal to the width of any letter or number except "I" or "1."

Example of how to display boat registration numbers

The validation decal must exist displayed within 6 inches of the number (before or following) on the aforementioned level. Follow these guidelines to remove the decals from the backing material:

Bend the 3"10 3" decals along the center score
Skin the decal away from the backing material starting from the heart and working toward the outside edges.
Bend (practise not fold) the 1"ten 1" decal in the middle. Pare off the decal starting from the inside edge working toward the outside border.

Note: The Commission does not supply the actual messages and numbers. The owner is responsible for purchasing and displaying the registration number. Hardware stores and gunkhole dealers, for case, sell these kinds of letters and numbers.

xiii. Is my out-of-country registration valid in Pennsylvania?

In almost cases, yes.

It is legal to operate a boat registered in another state on Pennsylvania waters. Boats must be registered in the state of master utilise. The land of main use is the state where a boat is on the water more it is on the water of any other state. It does not matter where you lot live. If you use your boat more often in Pennsylvania than your home land, PA is your primary state of use. The law allows for the occasional apply of a boat in states other than those where the boat is registered.

Out-of-country boaters with a gunkhole validly registered in their home country are granted reciprocal privileges to gunkhole in Pennsylvania for up to 60 days. Persons who may use their boats in this land for greater than 60 days are required to register their boats in Pennsylvania.

Annotation that dissimilar states may accept different requirements. For instance some states may permit unpowered boats on country parks and other country-endemic facilities to boat without a registration. In Pennsylvania, unpowered boats using land parks and Commission accesses are required to exist registered or to have a use (launch) let.

14. Are there any other requirements or laws I should know well-nigh?

Yes. An overview of Pennsylvania canoeing can be institute in the PA Boating Handbook. It provides detailed explanations of boating regulations, safe data and much more.

Impress (paper) copies are besides available, gratis of charge, at Commission offices, county treasurers and approved boat registration issuing agents. Call 888-723-4741 to go any of these publications.

While not a regulation or law guide, our Boating FAQ may besides be useful. It provides information almost boating in general, canoeing regulations and canoeing safety didactics.

xv. Why do I have to written report how much fuel I used?

Fuel usage reports from registered boat owners allow the Committee to recover a portion of the taxes paid when the fuel was purchased. The Committee uses this money to support its boating programs. Under-reporting, or not reporting whatever fuel, decreases the corporeality of money available to support canoeing facilities and boating programs in Pennsylvania. Registered boat owners should attempt to be as accurate as possible when providing this information.

16. How do I sell my gunkhole?

The most of import office of the sale is to certificate the transaction accurately past including dates, costs, descriptions, signatures, etc. You need to sign the proper registration and championship forms as the seller, and the purchaser needs to do the same. For any registration and/or championship awarding, all parties must complete and sign class REV-336.

17. Can I register my homemade boat?

Homemade BOATS MAY Non BE SOLD OR OFFERED FOR Sale IN THIS Commonwealth

The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) will only accept applications from the original builder for their personal use for bootleg boats that have been constructed from blue prints, kits or parts of various boats by a more often than not recognized manufacturer. Building a boat from blue prints may require a marine survey and stability test by a certified marine surveyor. Customers may contact PFBC prior to construction for boosted details.

The regulations are specifically outlined regarding the definition of a specially synthetic boat which is ane of the post-obit:

(i) A boat not originally constructed past a generally recognized manufacturer of boats nether a distinctive proper name and not materially altered from its original structure, but assembled from parts of diverse boats or kits or both, and that would be ordinarily known equally a "bootleg" boat.

(ii) A boat that has been materially altered by the removal, addition or exchange of essential parts derived from various other makes and models and that the Commission determines cannot be readily identified as a boat of a generally recognized brand or model.

xviii. How many boats does the committee annals?

The Commission provides a report that shows the number of boat registrations sold.