How to Register a Boat in Nevada: Fees, Documents, and AIS Decal

To register a boat in Nevada, file an application with the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) that includes proof of ownership, your hull identification number, and proof that sales or use tax has been paid, then pay a length-based registration fee of $20 to $100, a $20 title fee, and $13 for an Aquatic Invasive Species decal. Every motorboat on Nevada waters must be both numbered and titled before it is operated.¹

Which Boats Need to Be Registered

Nevada defines a motorboat as any vessel propelled by machinery, whether that machinery is a gas engine, an electric trolling motor, or an auxiliary outboard on a sailboat. The motor does not have to be the primary means of propulsion.²

Kayaks, canoes, rowboats, and paddleboards do not need registration as long as they stay non-motorized. Bolt a motor on, and the registration requirement applies.³

Two exceptions matter. A boat documented with the U.S. Coast Guard is exempt from Nevada’s titling requirement but still needs a Nevada registration number. And a boat with a valid out-of-state number can be used on Nevada waters for up to 90 consecutive days before it has to be registered here.⁴

What It Costs

Registration fees are set by vessel length:

Under 13 feet: $20
13 to under 18 feet: $25
18 to under 22 feet: $40
22 to under 26 feet: $55
26 to under 31 feet: $75
31 feet and over: $100

Add a $20 certificate of ownership (title) and a $1 application fee for a new registration, plus the $13 annual AIS decal for motorized vessels.⁵⁶ For the smallest boats, the first-time total starts at $54. Everything is due when you submit the application.

Documents and Information You Need

The application form is available through NDOW’s website or at any NDOW office. You will need:⁷

Owner information, including name, Social Security number or business tax ID, and current address.
The Hull Identification Number (HIN) from the transom.
Vessel details: manufacturer, year built, overall length, hull material, type of propulsion, and intended use.
Proof of ownership. For a new boat, that’s the manufacturer’s certificate of origin. For a used boat, a notarized bill of sale plus the previous title and registration from the seller’s state.
Proof that Nevada sales or use tax has been paid, or documentation of an exemption.⁸

NDOW can require a physical inspection of the hull identification number when a vessel is transferred or sold, unless the documents already clearly describe the boat.⁸

Sales or Use Tax Clearance

NDOW will not process a registration until any sales or use tax owed on the boat has been settled. Nevada’s base sales tax rate is 6.85%, and combined state-and-local rates run from 7.10% to 8.375%. Clark County is at the top of that range at 8.375%.⁹

A Nevada dealer typically collects sales tax at the point of sale. If you bought out of state, you owe Nevada use tax on the full purchase price, including accessories, with a credit for any sales tax you already paid to the other state.¹⁰ Bring a receipt showing the tax paid or exemption paperwork along with your application.

Where to Submit the Application

You can file in person at any NDOW office:¹¹

Reno (Western Region): 1100 Valley Road, Reno, NV 89512 — (775) 688-1506
Las Vegas (Southern Region): 3373 Pepper Lane, Las Vegas, NV 89120 — (702) 486-5127
Elko (Eastern Region): 60 Youth Center Road, Elko, NV 89801 — (775) 777-2300
Ely: 1218 North Alpha Street, Ely, NV 89301 — (775) 289-1655
Fallon: 4082 Reno Highway, Fallon, NV 89406 — (775) 688-1820
Winnemucca: 405 4th Street, Suite A, Winnemucca, NV 89445 — (775) 623-6565

NDOW also accepts mailed applications at the Reno office and offers some functions online. If you’re doing a first-time registration with original documents that need verification, plan on visiting an office. The department issues registration materials once it has verified the HIN and the tax clearance.

Getting on the Water Before the Paperwork Arrives

You don’t have to wait. NDOW can issue a temporary certificate of number valid for up to 60 days while your application is processed. For applications started by phone or online, the department may issue a 10-day temporary authorization number instead.⁸

Authorized dealers can issue a 10-day temporary operating permit at the time of sale. If you’re waiting on U.S. Coast Guard documentation, NDOW can issue a separate temporary permit valid for up to 90 days.⁸

Aquatic Invasive Species Decal

Every watercraft on Nevada waters needs an annual AIS decal, which funds prevention of species like quagga mussels. Motorized watercraft pay $13; non-motorized watercraft pay $6.⁶ Kayakers and paddleboarders need the decal even though they don’t need registration. You can buy it in the same transaction as your registration or renewal.³

Boater Education

If you were born on or after January 1, 1983, you must complete an NDOW-approved boater education course before operating any motorboat over 15 horsepower on interstate waters such as Lake Tahoe, Lake Mead, and the Colorado River.³ If you were born before that date, the requirement does not apply.

Displaying the Registration Number

Once your certificate of number arrives, display the assigned number on both sides of the bow.¹ Characters must be at least three inches tall, painted or permanently affixed, and in a color that contrasts with the hull. Place the validation decal within six inches of the number.⁸

Renewals, Moves, and Sales

Nevada boat registrations expire on December 31 of the year they were issued. NDOW mails renewal notices to the address on file, but the obligation to renew is yours whether or not the notice arrives. Renewals use the same length-based fee schedule and require a new AIS decal each year.

If you move, notify NDOW of the new address; holders of a certificate of number or ownership are required to report address changes to the department.² On a sale, the seller should report the transfer and the buyer must apply for a new certificate of ownership. Title transfer paperwork must be reviewed by NDOW staff at one of the offices above.¹¹

Trailer Registration Is Separate

Your boat trailer is registered through the Nevada DMV, not NDOW.¹² Bring the signed title or dealer’s report of sale and proof of Nevada insurance. Registration fees are based on unladen weight: $12 per year for trailers 1,000 pounds or lighter and $24 for trailers over 1,000 pounds, plus Governmental Services Tax at four cents per dollar of depreciated value with a $16 minimum. A first-time Nevada title for the trailer costs $28.25.¹³ A custom or home-built trailer needs a physical inspection before the DMV will register and title it.

1
Nevada Legislature. Nevada Code NRS 488.065 – Operation of Unnumbered or Uncertified Motorboat Prohibited
2
Nevada Legislature. Nevada Revised Statutes Chapter 488 – Watercraft
3
Nevada Department of Wildlife. How to Register Your Boat in Nevada
4
Nevada Legislature. Nevada Code NRS 488.175 – Exemption From Requirements for Numbering and Titling
5
Nevada Department of Wildlife. Apply and Buy – Boat Titling, Registration and More
6
Nevada Department of Wildlife. AIS Prevention – Nevada Aquatic Invasive Species
7
State of Nevada Legislature. NAC 488.100 – Application for Certificate of Number or Certificate of Ownership
8
Nevada Legislature. NAC Chapter 488 – Watercraft
9
State of Nevada – Nevada Department of Taxation. Sales Tax and Use Tax
10
State of Nevada – Nevada Department of Taxation. Sales Tax FAQs
11
Nevada Department of Wildlife. How to Transfer a Nevada Vessel Title
12
Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles. Vehicle Registration
13
Nevada DMV. Nevada Vehicle Registration Fees