How Old Does A Outboard Motor Have To Be Registered

Does A Boat With A Trolling Motor Need To Be Registered? (Explained)

UPDATED 15 JANUARY 2022

by Eric Bartlett

Since pocket-size vessels like inflatable boats, canoes, or kayaks don't demand to be registered in many states, this raises the question, practise you need to annals a vessel in this category if you add a trolling motor to it?

In most cases the answer is 'yes,' just at that place are a few exceptions that are worth checking out.

In this article nosotros'll summarize the rules in all 50 states, so you can effigy out what applies for you specifically.

Do You lot Accept To Register A Boat With A Trolling Motor?

Almost U.s.a. states crave all motorized boats to be registered, no affair the size of the boat, or the size of the motor. However, boat registration laws are slightly unlike in every United states country, and a few states offering exemptions from this requirement if the boat is operated on privately endemic lakes, or on non-federal waters. We'll encompass these exceptions in more detail below.

In improver to this, about states also provide exemptions for lifeboats, visiting boats registered in another state or country (and visiting for less than 30 to ninety days), racing boats, and boats owned by the United states Coast Guard, US government, or state regime. We'll cover these exemptions below as well.

What states require a gunkhole with a trolling motor to exist registered?

Land	Registration required for gunkhole with trolling motor?	Exemptions
Alabama	Yes	Boats registered in other states staying for less than 90 days
Alaska	Yeah	Lifeboats, vessels documented by United states Coast Baby-sit, or boats registered in other states staying for less than 90 days
Arizona	Yes	Lifeboats, vessels documented by Usa Coast Guard, or boats registered in other states staying for less than 90 days
Arkansas	Yep	Vessels documented by U.s. Coast Guard, or boats registered in other states staying for less than 90 days
California	Yes	Lifeboats, vessels documented by US Declension Guard, or boats registered in other states staying for less than 120 days
Colorado	Yes	Vessels documented by The states Coast Guard, or boats registered in other states staying for less than 60 days
Connecticut	Yes	Vessels documented past United states of america Declension Baby-sit, or boats registered in other states staying for less than lx days
Delaware	Yes	Vessels documented by US Coast Baby-sit, or boats registered in other states staying for less than 60 days
Florida	Yes	Vessels used exclusively in individual lakes, vessels owned by US or State Government, or boats registered in other states staying for less than ninety days
Georgia	Yep	Vessels used exclusively in individual lakes, or boats registered in other states staying for less than sixty days
Hawaii	Yes	Lifeboats, racing boats, vessels documented past US Coast Guard, vessels owned by Usa Government, or boats registered in other states staying for less than 60 days
Idaho	Yep	Vessels documented by U.s. Coast Guard, or boats registered in other states staying for less than lx days
Illinois	Yep	Lifeboats, racing boats, vessels owned by US or State Authorities, or boats registered in other states staying for less than 60 days
Indiana	Yep	Lifeboats, or boats registered in other states staying for less than 60 days
Iowa	Aye	Boats registered in other states staying for less than 60 days
Kansas	Yes	Boats registered in other states staying for less than 60 days
Kentucky	Yes	Vessels documented by US Coast Baby-sit, or boats registered in other states staying for less than 60 days
Louisiana	Yes	Vessels documented by US Coast Guard, or boats registered in other states staying for less than ninety days
Maine	Yes	Lifeboats, racing boats, vessels owned past U.s.a. Authorities, or boats registered in other states staying for less than 60 days
Maryland	Yeah	Vessels documented by US Coast Guard, or boats registered in other states staying for less than 30 days
Massachusetts	Yes	Vessels documented by US Coast Baby-sit, or boats registered in other states staying for less than 60 days
Michigan	Yes	Vessels registered in other states staying for less than 60 days
Minnesota	Yes	Vessels registered in other states staying for less than 90 days
Mississippi	Yes	Due north/A
Missouri	Yep	Lifeboats, vessels owned by US Government, or boats registered in other states staying for less than 60 days
Montana	Yes	Vessels documented by US Declension Guard, or boats registered in other states staying for less than 90 days
Nebraska	Yep	Vessels documented by Usa Declension Guard, racing boats, vessels endemic past Usa Government, or boats registered in other states staying for less than 60 days
Nevada	Yes	Lifeboats, or boats registered in other states staying for less than 60 days
New Hampshire	Yes	Vessels endemic by U.s. Government, or boats registered in other states staying for less than thirty days
New Jersey	Yeah	Lifeboats
New United mexican states	Yes	Vessels endemic by Usa or State Government, vessels documented by United states of america Coast Guard, or boats registered in other states staying for less than 90 days
New York	Yeah	Lifeboats, racing boats, or boats registered in other states staying for less than xc days
North Carolina	Yes	Boats registered in other states staying for less than 90 days
Due north Dakota	Yes	Vessels documented past US Declension Guard, or boats registered in other states staying for less than 90 days
Ohio	Yeah	Lifeboats, vessels endemic by US or State Regime, or boats registered in other states staying for less than 60 days
Oklahoma	Yes	Racing boats, vessels documented by US Coast Baby-sit, or boats registered in other states staying for less than 60 days
Oregon	Yeah	Boats registered in other states staying for less than 60 days
Pennsylvania	Yeah	N/A
Rhode Island	Yeah	Lifeboats, or boats registered in other states staying for less than 90 days
Southward Carolina	Yeah	Vessels documented past US Coast Guard
Southward Dakota	Yes	Vessels registered in other states staying for less than lx days
Tennessee	Yes	Vessels registered in other states staying for less than 60 days
Texas	Yes	Vessels registered in other states staying for less than 90 days
Utah	Yes	Lifeboats, vessels endemic past United states or State Government, vessels documented by US Coast Guard, or boats registered in other states staying for less than sixty days
Vermont	Aye	Vessels documented by The states Coast Baby-sit, or boats registered in other states staying for less than xc days
Virginia	Yep	Vessels documented by Usa Declension Guard, or boats registered in other states staying for less than 90 days
Washington	Yes	Vessels less than sixteen ft with a motor of 10 hp or less on non-federal waters, or boats registered in other states staying for less than 90 days
West Virginia	Yes	Vessels owned by Us or Land Government, or boats registered in other states staying for less than 60 days
Wisconsin	Yeah	Vessels registered in other states staying for less than 60 days
Wyoming	Yes	Vessels documented by United states of america Declension Baby-sit, vessels endemic by U.s. Government, or boats registered in other states staying for less than 90 days

The table to a higher place lists all Usa states that crave a boat with a trolling motor to be registered, as well every bit the vessels that are exempt in each state.

Does a trolling motor count every bit a motorized gunkhole?

Yep, a gunkhole with a trolling motor counts as a motorized boat in all US states. This ways that fifty-fifty if you take a kayak, canoe, or inflatable boat that normally doesn't require registration, as before long as yous add a trolling motor to it, the vessel counts every bit a motorized boat, and needs to be registered.

So brand sure to get the motorized boat registration before y'all outset using a trolling motor, or you run the run a risk of being fined.

See also: The best inexpensive trolling motors with spot lock

What states don't crave a boat with a trolling motor to be registered on individual lakes or non-federal waters?

Merely three states allow the employ of an unregistered boat with a trolling motor on privately owned lakes. These are Florida, Georgia, and Washington Land. Let'due south await at each of these more closely:

Florida: boats that are exclusively used on private ponds and lakes are exempt from having to be registered (click here for more than details).
Georgia: boats that are exclusively operated on private lakes and ponds are exempt (click here for more than information).
Washington: boats that are less than 16 ft in length, and powered by a motor with less than ten horsepower are exempt when operated on non-federal waters (click here for more details).

In the case of Washington Country, make certain to check with local authorities in your area to make up one's mind what lakes are considered federal or non-federal waters. If in doubt, it'south improve to go a registration, as that will set you back much less than getting a fine.

Do you need to register a trolling motor?

While all states crave you to register a gunkhole with a trolling motor in most circumstances, you don't demand to annals the actual trolling motor itself.

In full general, you only need to register an outboard motor with more than 10 horsepower, and since electrical trolling motors fall well beneath this threshold, they don't need to exist registered. But equally always, brand sure to check the regulations in your land specifically.

Practise yous have to register a kayak with a trolling motor?

Yeah, y'all accept to annals a kayak with a trolling motor in all states, no matter the size of the kayak or the motor. The only exceptions to this are private lakes in Florida and Georgia, or not-federal waters in Washington State.

It'southward important to be careful about adding a trolling motor to your kayak without registering it, since it's easy to forget checking about this if the kayak on its own, without a trolling motor, doesn't demand to exist registered.

Practice y'all have to register an inflatable boat with a trolling motor?

Yes, you take to register an inflatable boat with a trolling motor in all states. Even if your inflatable boat doesn't need to be registered without a motor, as soon as you add a trolling motor to it, information technology becomes a motorized vessel and needs to exist registered.

Does a canoe with a trolling motor need to exist registered?

Yes, a canoe with a trolling motor needs to be registered in all states. This holds true even if the canoe without a motor doesn't demand to be registered. Once yous add the motor to information technology, it counts every bit a motorized vessel that must exist registered.

Again, the only exceptions to this are Florida and Georgia, which don't require registration if you operate the canoe exclusively on a private lake, while Washington State doesn't require registration if you use the canoe exclusively on non-federal waters.

Final remarks

A great way to increase the speed and range of almost whatsoever small gunkhole, including jon boats, inflatable boats, kayaks, or canoes is by adding an electrical trolling motor to them.

But if you practise, make sure to annals your vessel with your local state authorities, since skipping this step tin can upshot in several hundred dollars of fines if yous get defenseless without registration.