Link to Division of Parks - Boating Safety

General Information:

On January 1st, 2001, the Division of Motor Vehicles assumed the boat registration program from the U.S. Coast Guard.  House Bill 108, passed in the 2000 legislative session, authorized this registration program and a comprehensive boating safety program.  Prior to January 1st, 2001, the Coast Guard has registered powered boats that are used on navigable waterways of the state.  These registrations are valid for three years and a Certificate of Number issued by the USCG will still be valid until the expiration date, unless the boat changes ownership.   When the USCG issued registration expires, boat owners must renew the registration with DMV.

Prior to June 4th, 2004, non-powered boats 10 feet or greater in length used on any water of the state were required to be registered.  These boats are no longer required to be registered; however, you may register a non-powered boat if you wish to.

What Must Be Registered:

• All powered boats (including non-powered boats with auxiliary power units) used on any water of the state.  (This includes all rivers, streams, and lakes, regardless of size, and all salt water within 3 miles of land.)

• Effective February 10th, 2005
  All sport fishing guides will be required to register both powered and non-powered boats.

NOTE:   "Boat" means a watercraft used or capable of being used as a means of transportation on water, except for:

• A ship's lifeboat

• A seaplane

• An inspected passenger vessel

• A single air mattress, single inner tube or other water toy

NOTE:   Tenders are boats that are used exclusively for transportation from a boat to shore.  Under the previous USCG registration program, tenders did not have to be registered.  This changes under the state program.  Tenders must be registered unless they are non-powered.

What Cannot Be Registered in Alaska:

Boats that are not principally used in Alaska.  (Alaska residents such as military members or college student that live outside of the state cannot register their boats in Alaska.  They must register them in the state where they are currently living or using the boat.  This is required by federal law and there is no exemption for any group.)

Exempt from Registration in Alaska:

• A boat with a valid registration from another state or country that is not operated more than 90 consecutive days in Alaska.

• A boat owned by any government agency at the federal, state or local level.

• Non-powered boats.   (Effective 2/10/05, Sport Fishing Guides will be required to register their non-powered boats.)

• A documented boat.  The documentation may be either from the U.S. or a foreign country.

Fees:

• $24.00 for powered boats

• $10.00 for non-powered boats   (Registration is no longer required on non-powered boats as of June 4th, 2004.   You may register a non-powered boat if you wish to.)

A registration is valid for three years and will expire at the end of the month in which the boat is first registered.   The Certificate of Number must be carried aboard the boat whenever it is in operation.

NOTE:  If you register your boat as a powered boat and remove the source of power at a later time, you may wait until renewal to change to a non-powered boat class, or you may disregard the renewal notice, as non-powered boats are no longer required to be registered in Alaska.  If you register as a non-powered boat and then obtain auxiliary power, you must submit a change with DMV and pay the $24.00 fee for a powered boat.  The registration period will start over and there will not be any refund given for any unused portion of the registration.

Items Required to Register a Boat:

• Application

• Fees

• Ownership document.  Must be one of the following:

  • Manufacture Statement of Origin (MSO)
  • Carpenter's Certificate
  • Bill of sale from previous owner or dealer
  • Title or registration from a previous state
  • Affidavit of ownership

The first time a boat is registered in Alaska, or when there is a transfer of ownership, the paperwork must be submitted in person.  Renewals, duplicate stickers and duplicate certificate of number can be requested through the mail.

Lost Certificate of Number or Validation Sticker:

• Must apply for a duplicate within 15 days

• Complete an application if any information has changed

• Fees of $5.00

Address Change:

• Must notify DMV within 15 days, in writing, by one of the following methods:

  • Mailed or delivered to any DMV office

  • E-mail to DMV webmaster

• Notice must contain the boat number or HIN, name of the owner, new address.

Transfer of Ownership:

• New owner must apply for a Certificate of Number within 30 days of purchase

• Registration starts over and full fees must be paid.

NOTE:  If a registered owner is adding or deleting an owner's name from the registration record, this is not considered a transfer of ownership.  Complete an application and pay fees of $5.00 for the duplicate Certificate of Number.  No other fees are required unless the registration is being renewed at the same time.  In this case, the $5.00 fee is not required as a new Certificate of Number will be issued when the boat registration is renewed.

Renewal of Registration:

Renewal notices will be mailed approximately 60 days prior to the expiration date.  Renewal can be processed:

• Over the Internet Registration Renewal.  Payment by Visa or MasterCard only

• Over the telephone (Must have a registration renewal number).  Payment by Visa or MasterCard only

  • 1-888-DMV-KWIK  (1-888-368-5945)
    Only within the State of Alaska (Other than Anchorage)

  • 269-5590 - Anchorage

• By Mail:

  Division of Motor Vehicles
  ATTN:  CORRESPONDENCE
  1300 West Benson Blvd, Ste 200
  Anchorage AK  99503-3600

• At any DMV office

Boat Number Information:

• Cannot be transferred to another boat

• Assigned by computer.  No special request number will be issued

• Display of boat number is required for POWERED boats.  (Optional for non-powered boats)  Painted or permanently attached to each side of the forward half of the boat.

  • in plain vertical block characters, 3 inches or more in height

  • contrast with the color of the background and be distinctly visible and legible

  • have spaces or hyphens that are equal to the width of a letter other than "I" or a number other than "1" between the letter and number groupings.
    (Example:  AK-1234-AA or AK 1234 AA)

  • read from left to right

NOTE:  It is illegal to operate a boat with a number other than the assigned boat number on the forward half of the boat.  The boat number must be removed when the boat is documented by the USCG or when the boat is no longer principally used in Alaska.

Validation Sticker Information:

• Powered boats:  Two stickers issued.   Must be affixed within six inches of the Boat Number on boat sides of the forward half of the boat.

• Non-powered boats:  Single sticker issued.  Non-powered boats do not require registration.  If you choose to register a non-powered boat, the sticker must be displayed in a location that is visible when the boat is in operation, on the top or side of the forward half of the boat.

Boats Purchased From a Boat Dealer:

State law requires a boat dealer to have the purchaser of a new or used boat sold at retail complete an application and pay the registration fee before the boat leaves the dealer's premises, other than exempt boats.   The following are included in addition to regular boat or marine dealers:

• Dealers and consignment businesses who act as an agent for the owner

• Car dealers that take boats in trade

• Warehouse and department stores that sell boats

• Hobbyists who build or recondition boats and sell more than three boats in a year

Lienholder Information:

DMV does not record lienholders for boats.   Contact the Recorder's Office for information on Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) filing procedures.