Additional State Boating Regulations

BOAT REGISTRATION:

Every watercraft operated, moored, or anchored on the waterways of Arizona must be numbered.  The owner must file an application for number with the Arizona Game and Fish Department on forms provided.  The number issued must be displayed on each side of the bow along with the current registration decal issued by the Department.

"Watercraft" means any boat or other floating device of rigid or inflatable construction designed to carry people or cargo on the water and propelled by machinery, oars, paddles, or wind action on a sail, except seaplanes, makeshift contrivances constructed of innertubes or other floatable materials and not propelled by machinery, personal floatation devices worn or held in hand and other objects used as floating or swimming aids.

Exceptions to the registration requirement include non-motorized inflatables 12 ft or less and watercraft used solely as lifeboats and those documented under the marine inspection laws administered by the United States Coast Guard.

Non-resident watercraft may operate in Arizona for a period of 90 days without the Arizona Registration, provided the are in compliance with the numbering system of the U.S. Coast Guard or their home state.  If they continue to be operated on Arizona waters, they must be registered with the Department before the 90-day period ends.


REGISTRATION CERTIFICATE:

The registration certificate is proof that the boat is registered.  It is also proof of ownership unless the boat is documented by the U.S. Coast Guard. 

The law requires the operator of a registered boat to have the actual registration present on the boat to provide proof of registration.


REGISTRATION NUMBER:

The registration number consists of the letters AZ followed by no more than four numbers and two capital letters.  A space or dash must be left between the letters and the number.  Examples: AZ 1234 AA or AZ-1234-AA.

The number shall be painted on or attached to each side of the forward half of your watercraft.  It shall read from left to right, be in block letters not less than three inches high, and be of a color that contrasts with the color of your boat and should be visible from 100 feet away during daylight hours.  The number cannot be transferred to another boat.


REGISTRATION DECALS:

Two registration decals are issued for all boats having a valid Arizona registration.   They show the month and year the registration expires.


HULL IDENTIFICATION NUMBERS:

If you build a boat, or if you acquire a boat that was manufactured before November 1, 1972, and it does not have a hull identification number (HIN), you will be issued a 12-character hull identification number when you come into the Game and Fish Department to register the boat for the first time or when you transferred ownership of the boat.   This number would need to be permanently affixed to the boat.


PROOF OF OWNERSHIP:

When seeking to register a boat, you must provide as evidence of ownership:  A complete bill of sale showing amount of sales tax, a signed-off Arizona certificate of number, or a court decree.  If the watercraft has been registered in another state, you must provide the title (if a title state) or the registration (if a non-title state).

  1. If the bill of sale is presented, the following information must be on the bill of sale.
    a.  Buyer's name
    b.  Seller's name and signature
    c.  Manufacturer's name
    d.  Hull ID number (all crafts manufactured after 1972)
    e.  Previous registration number (if craft was registered before in Arizona or another state)
    d.  Purchase price, if sales tax was paid, must show amount paid
  2. If previously registered in Arizona, the Arizona watercraft certificate of number must be signed off by the previous owner and the new owner must complete the application on back.
  3. If registered in another state, the title or registration (original only) must be submitted and the back completed.


ADDITIONAL REGISTRATION INFORMATION:

No numbered watercraft may be bought, sold, or transferred without assignment of the current registration certificate of number or a complete bill of sale by the owner.   The person to whom assignment or transfer is made shall make application within 15 days and have the watercraft registered in their name.  Change of address shall be reported in writing to the Department within 15 days.  This must be signed.

An annual registration fee of $4.00 for residents and $10.00 for non-residents is required for each watercraft.  Watercraft will also be taxed on the basis of length:   .45 per foot up to and including 18 feet, and .68 per foot beyond 18 feet.   Non-residents will be charged $1.45 per foot up to and including 18 feet and $2.75 per foot over 18 feet.


STOLEN WATERCRAFT:

If a boat is stolen, lost abandoned,or destroyed, the owner should notify the nearest law enforcement agency.


LATE REGISTRATION:

A $5.00 penalty will be assessed on any watercraft not renewed by the current expiration date.  However, if ownership is transferred or more than 12 months have lapsed since the expiration date of the last registration or renewal, the penalty is waived.