How to Register a Boat in Arizona: Documents, Fees, and Decals

To register a boat in Arizona, submit a Watercraft Registration Application to the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) with proof of ownership, your hull and engine details, and a fee based on the boat’s length. Registration lasts 12 months, and once approved you’ll receive a Certificate of Number, an assigned “AZ” number, and validation decals that must be displayed on the hull before you launch.

Whether Your Boat Needs to Be Registered

Arizona requires registration for every motorized watercraft on state waters. That means any vessel propelled by machinery, whether or not the motor is the primary source of power.¹ A sailboat with a trolling motor, an inflatable with an outboard, and a canoe rigged with an electric motor all qualify.

Non-motorized boats — canoes, kayaks, paddleboards, and sailboats without engines — do not need Arizona registration.² A handful of other categories are also exempt, including U.S. Coast Guard-documented vessels numbered under federal rules, lifeboats, and foreign watercraft using Arizona waters temporarily.³

Visiting with a boat registered in another state? You can operate on Arizona waterways for up to 90 days per year on your home-state registration, which must be current and on board.⁴ Past 90 days, or if Arizona becomes the boat’s principal state of operation, you need to register with the AZGFD.

Documents You’ll Need

Gathering paperwork before you start saves a return trip. Applications stall most often on missing ownership records.

Proof of ownership. For a new boat, that’s the Manufacturer’s Statement of Origin (MSO). For a used boat, bring the bill of sale together with the previous registration or title documents.
For a boat coming from another state, the original title signed over by the prior owner. If the previous state doesn’t title watercraft, the original signed registration works instead.
The Hull Identification Number (HIN), usually stamped on the transom.
Vessel details: make, model, year, and length measured bow to transom (don’t count the outboard or a swim platform).
Engine details: make, horsepower, and serial number.
Your name, address, and date of birth for the application form.

Arizona does not issue separate titles for watercraft. Your Certificate of Number is the registration document, and it must be on board and available for inspection whenever the boat is in use.

How to Submit the Application

Once your application and supporting documents are ready, you have three ways to file with the AZGFD:⁵

In person at any AZGFD office.
By mail. Processing can take up to 30 days, so don’t count on getting on the water quickly this way.
Through an authorized third-party provider, which is often the easiest option if there’s no AZGFD office nearby.

After approval, you’ll receive the Certificate of Number, your assigned AZ number, and current validation decals.

Registration Fees

Fees are set by vessel length. For Arizona residents, the schedule starts at $20 for boats 12 feet and under and $22 for boats between 12 feet 1 inch and 16 feet, scaling up to $66 for boats 64 feet 1 inch and longer.⁵ For lengths in between, check the AZGFD fee schedule for the exact figure in your bracket.

Non-residents registering in Arizona pay the standard fee plus the Nonresident Boating Safety Infrastructure Fee (NBSIF), which must be paid before putting the boat on Arizona waterways.⁴ The NBSIF ranges from $80 for boats 12 feet and under up to $429 for the largest vessels, so a non-resident with a 12-foot boat pays $100 total ($20 plus $80).⁵

A $13 transfer fee applies when a registered boat changes hands.⁶ Dealer purchases also trigger Arizona transaction privilege tax, which should be shown on the bill of sale.

Displaying the AZ Number and Decals

Displaying the number correctly is part of registration, and it’s an easy place to draw a citation. Arizona’s rules are specific:⁷

Place the AZ number on each side of the forward half of the boat, on a non-removable part of the hull.
Use block letters, at least 3 inches tall (not counting any outline), reading left to right.
The color must contrast with the hull so the number is readable at a distance.
Separate the “AZ” prefix from the number groupings with a hyphen or an equivalent space.
Place validation decals 3 inches in front of the AZ number on both sides.

Painted numbers hold up better than adhesive letters on boats that sit in strong sun on lakes like Powell, Havasu, or Pleasant. Whichever method you use, the number has to be permanently attached.

Renewal and Late Fees

Arizona registrations are valid for 12 months. Your first period may be adjusted to somewhere between 7 and 18 months to fit the state’s staggered renewal calendar, with fees prorated accordingly.⁶ After that, renewals run on a standard 12-month cycle.⁸

The AZGFD emails renewal notices about six weeks before expiration.⁴ You can renew online through the watercraft portal, by mail, or in person at an AZGFD office or authorized third party. Online renewal gives you immediate proof, which helps if you’re heading to the lake that weekend.

Miss the deadline and there’s a $5 late penalty on top of the renewal fee. The penalty doesn’t apply if you mailed your renewal before expiration (postmark counts) or if expiration fell on a weekend or state holiday and you renewed by close of business the next working day. If more than 12 months have passed since expiration, the penalty and any back fees are waived.⁹

Ownership Transfers and Address Changes

When a registered boat is sold, both sides have 15 days. The buyer applies to the AZGFD to register the boat in their name within 15 days of purchase. Separately, the seller notifies the AZGFD of the sale within 15 days.⁹ A sold-notice form is available on the AZGFD website.⁵ If you’re the seller, don’t skip that step. If the new owner picks up a citation or gets into an accident before transferring the registration, the boat is still tied to your name.

If you move, report the new address to the AZGFD within 15 days so renewal notices reach you and your registration records stay current.

1
Arizona Legislature. Arizona Revised Statutes – House Bill 2322
2
Legal Information Institute. Arizona Code R12-4-502 – Application for Watercraft Registration
3
Arizona Legislature. Arizona Revised Statutes Title 5 – 5-322
4
Arizona Game and Fish Department. Watercraft Registration Renewal System
5
Arizona Game & Fish Department. Fees and Forms for Arizona Boating
6
Legal Information Institute. Arizona Code R12-4-504 – Watercraft Fees; Penalty for Late Registration; Staggered Registration Schedule
7
Legal Information Institute. Arizona Code R12-4-515 – Display of AZ Numbers and Registration Decals
8
Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 5-321.01 – Staggered Watercraft Registration; Rules
9
Arizona Legislature. Arizona Revised Statutes 5-321 – Numbering; Registration Fees; Exemption from Taxation; Penalty; Procedures