BOATING INFORMATION

BOATING APPLICATION ONLINE!

Available Applications:
Wyoming Watercraft Application - Use this form to register your boat, including renewals.
1-Year Registration is $15, 3-Year is $40.

Resident & Nonresident Multi-Purpose License Application - Fishing, bear, lion, small game, pheasant & goose special management permit

To view and print this Wyoming Watercraft Application Form you need to have the
Adobe Acrobat Plugin for your browser.
The Adobe Acrobat Reader is available free by clicking the Get Acrobat icon.

Check out the Personal Watercraft Safety School http://pwcsafetyschool.com
This link will open in a new window and take you away from the Wyoming Game and Fish Website.

Click here for information about Aquatic Invasive Species and how to protect your boat and equipment.

WHAT MUST BE LICENSED

All motorboats powered by propulsion machinery of any type and operated on the waters of this state shall be numbered by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, Watercraft Section. The types of watercraft that must be licensed include but are not limited to, motorboats, rowboats, sailboats, sailboards, canoes, kayaks, paddle boats, rowing shells, or sculls, all terrain vehicles used in the water, and inflatable craft.

Exceptions to this law are as follows:
1. Watercraft currently registered in another state and not kept in Wyoming for more than 90 consecutive days.
2. Watercraft from a country other than the United States and not kept in Wyoming for more than 90 consecutive days.
3. Watercraft owned by the United States government, a state or a subdivision thereof, except those used for recreational purposes.
4. Watercraft documented with the United State Coast Guard. (Note: Documentation is a process where official papers on the craft net five tons or larger are issued by the Coast Guard instead of state registration.)

Unless a license is issued and in effect, it's against the law to operate or permit the operation of any watercraft which requires a license.

MEASURING YOUR WATERCRAFT

It is important that you list the exact length of your vessel in feet AND inches. Length is the straight-line distance form the foremost part of the boat (bow) to the rearmost part of the boat (stern). Bowsprits, outboard motor bracket, rudders, and other attachments are not included in the measurement.

Motorboats are divided into four (4) class lengths as follows:
CLASS A: Less than sixteen (16) feet in length.
CLASS B: Sixteen (16) feet or over and less than twenty-six (26) feet in length.
CLASS C: Twenty-six (26) feet or over and less than forty (40) feet in length.
CLASS D: Forty (40) feet or over.

PROOF OF OWNERSHIP

Before a boat can be registered in Wyoming, proof of ownership must be provided. The following is accepted as proof of ownership:
1. A bill of sale which states the seller of the watercraft, purchaser of the watercraft, and a description of the boat. When a watercraft is sold between private parties, the bill of sale must be notarized by a notary public who is not a party of the transaction.
2. Be sure to check the bill of sale for a complete description of the watercraft, all signatures of the previous owners who appeared on the previous registration, and the name of the seller and purchasing parties.
3. An invoice from the boat dealer. The invoice does not have to be notarized if it is received from a dealer.
4. A watercraft registration or certificate of title from another state. A watercraft which has been registered in another state can be registered in Wyoming with a copy of the registration from the other state, or certificate of title from another state. The registration or certificate of title must be in the same name(s) as the person(s) requesting registration in Wyoming.
5. If none of the above can be provided, a notarized affidavit of ownership may be accepted. The affidavit shall be a written testimony about the history of the watercraft, complete description of the watercraft and how the watercraft was acquired.

IF THE ORIGINAL PROOF OF OWNERSHIP DOCUMENTATION IS SENT IN, IT WILL NOT BE RETURNED. PLEASE SEND IN A PHOTOCOPY.

Having the previous owner's boat registration certificate notarized will not be accepted in place of a notarized bill of sale.

Proof of ownership for homemade boats shall consist of a PHOTOCOPY of a notarized affidavit by the builder and the date construction is completed. Builders of homemade boats can receive hull numbering information from the Wyoming Game and Fish department watercraft officer in Cheyenne.

For special cases in providing proof of ownership, i.e. divorces, death of previous owner or the watercraft being given as a gift, please contact the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, Watercraft Section, 777-4575, for proper registration procedures.

PROOF OF WYOMING SALES /USE TAX

Proof of paying Wyoming Sales /Use Tax must be provided for ALL watercraft transactions except watercraft renewal transactions. Proof shall consist of ONE of the following:

1. An official receipt from the County Treasurer indicating that taxes have been paid for the watercraft.
2. An official receipt from the Department of Revenue indicating that the taxes have been paid for the watercraft.

Contact: Tax Payer Services
Department of Revenue
Herschler Building
2nd Floor West Wing
Cheyenne Wyoming
777-5200, Fax 777-3632

3. An official sales invoice from a Wyoming Vendor. The sales invoice must have sales tax itemized separately on the invoice. A sales invoice from an out-of- state vendor showing sales tax paid WILL NOT be accepted as proof of Wyoming sales/use tax payment.
4. A boat registration certificate or title from a state other than Wyoming. The registration or certificate of title must be in the same name(s) as the person(s) requesting the registration in Wyoming.
5. An official Wyoming watercraft registration card form a prior year. The registration or certificate of title must be in the same name(s) as the person(s) requesting registration in Wyoming.

INFORMATION THAT MUST BE SUBMITTED WITH APPLICATION

1. Proof of Ownership.
2. Proof of Wyoming Sales/Use Tax.
3. Registration fee.

If you have a watercraft that has been registered in Wyoming within the last five years and there has been no change in ownership, the following information may be submitted:
1. A watercraft renewal notice OR a properly completed watercraft application form.
2. Registration Fee.

· When a watercraft is purchased, the new owner must submit a watercraft application to transfer ownership within 30 days after the transfer actually occurs. Unless the application is made and fee paid within 30 days, it shall be deemed unlawful for any person to operate the watercraft until proper registration certificate is issued.
· Problems can arise if you have purchased a boat form an individual who has not had the boat registration transferred into his/her name. If you have purchased such a boat, i.e. the seller is not the same person/person(s) to which the boat was last registered, please contact the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, Watercraft Section, 777-4575 for the proper registration instructions.
· If you have purchased a boat and are unable to obtain a boat certificate, OR you are uncertain of the registration status of the boat, please contact the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, Watercraft Section, 777-4575 or the proper instructions.
· If you have purchased a boat form a dealer or rental company, the dealer's boat number cannot be transferred into the new owners name.

DEALER'S WATERCRAFT REGISTRATION

In order for a watercraft to be registered under dealer numbers, the following must be submitted:

1. A properly completed watercraft registration application form (DEALER box checked).
2. A properly completed ETS-101 Exemption Certificate form. This form can be obtained from the Department of Revenue. The form indicates that the watercraft is being purchased for resale and the purchase was exempt from sales/use tax. The dealer's sales tax license number must appear on the form. The Watercraft Section will verify the sales tax license number with the Department of Revenue prior to issuing the registration.
3. Registration fee of $3.00

EXPIRATION OF WATERCRAFT

Watercraft can be registered for a one-year period or a three year period. All watercraft registrations expire on December 31, for the period registered. The numbers on the decal will be the last two digits of the year of expiration.
Normally you will receive a notice by mail to renew your registration. But, even if you don not receive notification, you are responsible for renewing the registration for your watercraft. The license number assigned to your watercraft remains the same if you renew it continuously. If you allow two or more years to pass without renewing your watercraft registration, PLEASE BE ADVISED that the numbers assigned to your boat will be dropped from our files and may be reassigned to another party. It is to your advantage to keep your registration current.

Want to know the rules? Check out our Watercraft Regulations.

You can get a free copy of the Wyoming Boating Guide by calling 1-307-777-4600.

Most Frequently Violated Boating Laws

No person shall operate or be in actual physical control of a numbered motorcraft in this state unless the person is at least 16 years of age or is accompanied by an adult. This includes personal watercraft, i.e., jet skis, wave runners.

Watercraft 16 feet and over in length shall have one approved throwable device (ring buoy or buoyant cushion) in addition to an approved wearable personal flotation device of a suitable size for each person.

All persons being towed on water skis, barefoot or other devices by a watercraft shall wear a Coast Guard approved personal flotation device while engaged in such activity.

Operators of motorboats shall ensure that a fluorescent orange flag be displayed above the vessel anytime towed persons are down in the water, so as to warn other boaters of the situation.

All watercraft operators should be aware that there are two flags used to indicate the presence of a person engaged in diving in the immediate area. The official flag, Alpha, which is blue and white, is internationally recognized for all diving operations. The second flag, is the red flag with a white diagonal stripe. No person shall operate or permit the operation of any motor powered watercraft on the waters of the state of Wyoming within 50 feet of the display of the above described "diver down" flag. All motor powered watercraft approaching such flags shall do so at a no wake speed.

Alcohol-related boating accidents are increasing every year. Alcohol is the number one contributor to boating-related deaths. If you are going to drink alcohol, designate someone to operate your watercraft who is not drinking. Wyoming Game & Fish Department officers are increasing efforts to ensure complianceof the statute for boating while under the influence of alcohol.