Your state boating agency
Who registers and titles my boat?
Your state, not the federal government. Each state agency publishes its own registration and titling rules, forms and renewals.
Where to find your boat requirements in the United States
Who sets each requirement for a recreational sailboat, and the official page where you read it. This page restates no rule: requirements depend on your state, your boat and the date, so the source is the only safe answer.
Federal and state, both. The US Coast Guard sets the federal minimum for equipment and identification. Your state sets registration, titling and operator education, and may add rules for its waters.
Owning the boat
USCG National Vessel Documentation Center
Should my boat be documented instead?
Federal documentation is an alternative to state numbering for eligible vessels, and lenders often ask for it. The Documentation Center sets eligibility and handles applications.
US Coast Guard
Where is the hull identification number defined?
The federal regulation on boat identification sets the format of the hull identification number and where it is marked. Read it off the hull and compare it with your paperwork.
Before you go out
US Coast Guard, plus your state
What safety equipment must be aboard?
The Coast Guard's federal guide sets the minimum equipment by boat type and length, and your state may add to it. Note which edition you read.
Your state boating agency
Do I need a boating education card?
Operator education is set by each state, so the answer depends on where you sail and who is at the helm. Your state agency has the current rule; the Coast Guard lists courses.
NOAA SARSAT
Where do I register my EPIRB or PLB?
An EPIRB or PLB is registered in NOAA's online database, and the owner keeps the entry current when details, ownership or the boat change.
FCC and US Coast Guard
Do I need a radio license or an MMSI?
The FCC sets when a ship station needs a licence. The Coast Guard Navigation Center explains how recreational owners obtain an MMSI and keep its details current.
US EPA, with the US Coast Guard
What are the rules for sewage and holding tanks?
The EPA publishes the discharge rules and the no-discharge zones; marine sanitation devices are certified under Coast Guard rules. Your state may designate further zones.
Going offshore or abroad
US Customs and Border Protection
How do I report when I return by boat?
CBP sets how pleasure boats report their arrival from a foreign port, including its ROAM reporting app and the user fee decal.
Frequently asked questions
Do I follow federal or state boating rules?
Both. Federal rules from the US Coast Guard set the minimum for equipment and identification. Your state sets registration, titling and operator education, and may add equipment rules for its waters.
Why does this page not list the requirements?
Because they depend on your state, your boat and the date you read them, and they change. A copied list goes out of date without telling you; the official source does not.
How should I keep track of my boat requirements?
Write each one on the reference page of your record: the authority, the page you read, and the date. Next season you check the source again rather than relying on memory.