Which Boats Require Registration?

Requirements for vessel registration vary from state to state. In Hawaii, you must have a Hawaii Certificate of Number and registration stickers to operate your vessel legally on waters of the state. The only exceptions are:

• Manually propelled recreational vessels
• Recreational vessels that are eight feet or less in length and propelled solely by sail
• Vessels registered in other states or countries using Hawaii waters for 60 days or less
• Recreational vessels documented by the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG)
• Vessels owned by the United States government
• A vessel’s lifeboat used solely for lifesaving purposes
• Motorboats used exclusively for racing
• Vessels with a valid temporary Certificate of Number
• Motorboats whose propulsion machinery produces less than 5 horsepower