Titles, Registration and Tax

Titling Requirements

Parks and Wildlife Code states:

"Sec. 31.045. OWNERSHIP OF VESSELS AND OUTBOARD MOTORS; CERTIFICATES OF TITLE.

a. The ownership of a vessel or of an outboard motor is evidenced by a certificate of title issued by the department, unless the vessel or the outboard motor is new.
b. The ownership of a new vessel or a new outboard motor is evidenced by a manufacturer's or an importer's certificate executed on a form prescribed by the department.
c. Separate certificates of title are required for vessels and for outboard motors.”

Effective January 1, 1994, all motorboats and all outboard motors must be titled. Also sailboats 14 feet and over in length must be titled.

• All motorized boats, regardless of length;
• All sailboats 14 feet in length or longer or any sailboat with an auxiliary engine(s); and
• All internal combustion (gasoline/diesel/propane powered) outboard motors must be titled.

Purchasing Used Vessels/Outboard Motors: DO NOT purchase a used vessel/boat or outboard motor without receiving a title signed on the front and back along with a bill of sale from the person(s) listed on the title or from their legally documented representative. If a legal representative signs the title for the recorded owner(s), you must obtain a copy of the documentation authorizing them to act on behalf of the owner(s).

Exempted vessels:

• USCG Documented vessels are exempt from titling with the State.
• Non-motorized canoes, kayaks, punts, rowboats, or rubber rafts (regardless of length) when paddled, poled, or oared and sailboats under 14 feet in length when windblown. Adding an outboard or trolling motor to one of these types requires titling and registration.
• A non-motorized vessel may have previously been titled as a motorboat. You can check whether a title has been issued for free - Query Ownership

Registration Requirements

The following vessels/boats when on Texas public water are required to have current registration, including when docked, moored, or stored:

• All motorized boats, regardless of length;
• All sailboats 14 feet in length or longer or any sailboat with an auxiliary engine(s); and
• USCG Documented vessels.

Registration is valid for a two-year period.

Exempted vessels:

• Non-motorized canoes, kayaks, punts, rowboats, or rubber rafts (regardless of length) when paddled, poled, or oared and sailboats under 14 feet in length when windblown. Adding an outboard or trolling motor to one of these types requires titling and registration.
• An exempt vessel may have previously been titled as a motorboat. You can check whether a title has been issued for free - Query Ownership

Registration of USCG Documented Vessels

Effective January 1, 2004, vessels documented by the U.S. Coast Guard are required to have state registration.

USCG Documented Exempted Vessels:

• Commercial tugboats;
• Vessels exceeding 115 feet in length; and
• Pilot or crew boats transporting freight, supplies, or personnel to or from cargo ships, freighters, or offshore oil infrastructure.

Placement of TX Number and Decal on Vessels:

• TX # and validation decal to be placed each side of the vessel, near the bow, in such a position as to provide easy identification.
• The number must read from left to right, be in block characters of good proportion not less than three inches in height and be of a color that contrasts with the color of the vessel.
• The numerals must be separated from the prefix and suffix by hyphens or equivalent spaces such as the following example: TX 0001 GG or TX-0001-GG.
• The validation decal must be affixed in a line and within three (3) inches towards the rear of the boat from the registration number (an example is shown on the decal document).
• Vessels registered as antique boats are permitted to display the registration decal on the left portion of the windshield. In the absence of a windshield, the registration decal must be attached to the certificate of number and made available for inspection when the boat is operated on public water.

USCG Documented Vessels:

• May display ONLY the validation decal (not the Registration (TX) Number) on both sides of the bow of the vessel; and
• Must maintain current USCG Documentation.

Certificate of Number (registration) ID Card

A Certificate of Number ID Card is issued at the time of registration (with decals).

• Must always be aboard and available for inspection by an enforcement officer;
• Is valid for the two-year period shown on the card; and
• Must also be aboard USCG Documented vessels that require registration.

Tax and Bill of Sale Requirements

Boat and Motor Tax:

TPWD is required by law to collect tax for vessels/boats (65 feet or less in length*) and outboard motors purchased in Texas or first used in Texas on or after January 1, 2000. The tax rate is 6.25% of the sales price. Tax is assessed at the time of registration/title transfer and is due within 20 days from the date of sale or date brought to Texas. Applications filed later than 20 working days are subject to tax penalties and interest. A bill of sale or invoice is required for every transfer of ownership. Trailers are handled through your local County Tax office and the price of the trailer must be separated from the price of the boat and motor. One of the following is acceptable to meet the bill of sale or invoice requirement:

• Form PWD 143/144 application - sales price (not including trailer), date of sale, and trade-in information must be completed and signed by the seller.
• Handwritten Receipt or Sales Invoice - must contain date of sale, sales price (not including trailer), description of vessel and/or outboard motor (make, serial number, and model year), purchaser’s name(s), and seller's signature(s).
• Back of TPWD (brown) title completed with sales price, the name of the purchaser(s) and signature of the owner(s) listed on the front of the title or from their legally documented representative. (Older blue and green title formats do not have spaces for the bill of sale on the back).

*The purchaser of a vessel longer than 65 feet is required to pay sales and use tax to a permitted seller or directly to the Texas State Comptroller of Public Accounts (not TPWD).

New Resident Tax - $15.00 New Resident tax is assessed (not sales tax) for owners bringing their previously titled or registered boat and/or outboard motor from another state into Texas.

Fees, Tax Calculator and Forms:

A fee chart (form PWD 1253), tax calculator (form PWD 930), and all titling and registration forms are available at http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/fishboat/boat/forms/.

For more specific information and requirements for boating in Texas, please refer to the navigation links in the left column of this page.

Forms and Supporting Document Requirements for Specific Transactions

Vessels and Outboard Motors

These documents are in the Adobe® Acrobat® (PDF) format. Adobe® Reader® is required to open the files and is available as a free download.

• New From Dealer/Manufacturer or New Homemade - This matrix provides the requirements for titling/registration of a brand new boat/outboard motor or a newly built homemade boat.
• Not Currently Titled and/or Registered Through TPWD -This matrix provides the requirements for titling/registration of a boat/outboard motor which is currently not titled/registered through Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
• Transfer of Boat/Outboard Motor With Existing Title and/or Registration Through TPWD - This matrix provides the requirements for transferring ownership of a boat/outboard motor which is titled/registered through the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
• Maintenance of Boat/Outboard Motor With Existing Title and/or Registration Through TPWD - This matrix provides the requirements for maintenance events by the existing owner to a boat/outboard motor which is titled/registered through TPWD. Maintenance events include: renewal of registration; replacement of title(s), registration decals or Certificate of Number ID Card; additional ID card(s); and change or correction to name, address or vessel/outboard motor description.
• Registration of USCG Documented Vessels - This matrix provides the requirements for registering or transferring registration of a boat/vessel which has been documented through the United States Coast Guard (USCG).
• Sold Under Statutory Lien Foreclosure - This matrix provides the requirements for titling/registration of a boat/outboard motor which is being sold for non-payment of storage/mechanic fees.
• Sales Tax Only - This matrix provides the requirements for paying Sales Tax Only. This applies when the boat/outboard motor is exempt from title and/or registration through Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

The same information in the HTML format will be posted here soon.