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Oregon’s Boat Registration Requirements

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Oregon’s Boat Registration and Titling Requirements

According to Oregon’s boat registratio requiremetns, in order to legally operate a boat in the state of Oregon you must obtain a Certificate of Title, a Certificate of Number and validation decals. It’s illegal to operate a boat has not been registered and numbered, unless the operator has a valid temporary permit on board.

The following boats are required to be registered and titled:

All motorized boats, regardless of length.
Sailboats that are 12 feet in length or longer.

Oregon’s Boat Registration Exemptions:

Human-powered craft.
Sailboats under 12 feet in length.
Federally documented boats that are operated primarily in another state.
Boats registered in another state that are being operated in Oregon for 60 days or less.

Boat operators are required to carry their Certificate of Number on board the boat during operation and must have it available for law enforcement to inspect.

A person can obtain their registration documentation by providing the required documentation, fee and application to the Oregon State Marine Board or to an authorized boat registration agent.

Certificates of Number are valid for 2 years and expire on December 31st of the year indicated.

Registration Number and Decal Placement:

The numbers must be applied as a decal, painted or permanently affixed to the forward half of each side of the bow (boat owners are not permitted to display any other numbers in this area).
The numbers must be affixed above the waterline, where they can be easily seen.
The number must be in block letters that are at least 3 inches high and in a color that contrasts with the color of the boat.
The number must be read from left to right.
The numbers must be separated from the letters by a space.
Validation decals must be affixed to each side of the boat, in line with the registration number and 3 inches toward the stern.
These placement requirements also apply to personal watercraft (PWCs).

Other Registration Info

The Oregon State Marine Board must be notified within 30 days if the owner of a registered boat updates or changes their address. Boat owners can provide this notification by mail, phone, email or by logging into the boat owner’s online account: https://apps3.oregon.gov/application/osmb/elicense/.

If registration documentation has been lost or destroyed (i.e. the Certificate of Title, Number, or validation decal), replacements can be obtained through the Oregon State Marine Board for a processing fee.

If a registered boat is stolen, abandoned or destroyed, the owner must file a report with the Oregon State Marine Board within 30 days. For stolen boats, you should first file a report with the Sheriff’s Department, prior to reporting the theft the Oregon State Marine Board.