Boat Registration Requirements in Kentucky

To legally operate a motorized boat in Kentucky, the boat must be registered. Boats are registered at the County Clerk’s office and are valid on a yearly basis, expiring on April 30th, of each year.

Upon registering your boat, you will be provided with a Kentucky Certificate of Registration and registration decals. The Certificate of Registration must be carried on board during operation and be available for inspection by law enforcement, if required.

Upon purchasing a boat, the boat owner will be required to apply for a title within 15 days of of the boat purchase/transfer of ownership.

Exemptions:

• Human-powered craft.
• Boats that have been federally documented by the Coast Guard.
• Boats that have been registered in another state and are using Kentucky waters for 60 days or less.

Boat Registration Numbers and Decal Placement:

• Numbers must be painted or permanently affixed to the forward half of each side of the boat where it can be easily seen (boat owners are not permitted to display any other numbers in this area).
• The number must be read from left to right.
• The number must be in vertical block letters that are at least 3 inches high, and in a color that contrasts with the color of the boat.
• The numbers must be separated from the letters by a hyphen or equivalent space.
• Decals must be placed towards the stern of the boat (behind the registration number) and must be within 6 inches of the registration number and in line with it.
• The same placement requirements apply to personal watercraft (PWCs).

Kentucky’s Hull Identification Requirements

Owners of homemade boats must apply to the Kentucky Department of Transportation in order to obtain a Hull Identification Number.

Other Boat Registration Information

The County Clerk must be notified within 15 days if the owner of a registered boat changes their address, or if a boat is sold, abandoned, stolen or destroyed.

If a Certificate of Registration or decal is lost or destroyed, the boat owner must pay a fee and apply to the County Clerk to obtain a replacement.

Kentucky’s Titling Requirements

Kentucky issues titles for all registered boats except those which are federally documented by the Coast Guard.

Whenever a boat is transferred or purchased, the seller shall, within 15 days, give the county clerk notice of the transfer of ownership.

For more information on Kentucky’s Boat Registration requirements, visit the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources website.