Confused about boat registration requirements in NJ

[drabina]

It looks like due to the Covid situation, there are going to be no camps, hotel trips, etc for me and my kids this Summer. As they love to fish, I thought of getting an inflatable boat to take them fishing on the weekends. Unfortunately, the NJ requirements for boat registration/title/licensing get me confused. Some help would be appreciated.

From what I understand, any boat less than 12ft doesn't need to be registered. Then there is the list of exceptions that states that inflatable boats don't have to be registered (no length is specified so I assume that i.e. 14ft inflatable doesn't have to be registered). Is that a correct assumption? Also, I know that once I put any motor on the boat, I have to register it. This brings me to another question: If the boat is less than 12ft and needs to be registered due to the motor, does that mean, I need to title it as well?

Last question. For inflatable boats less than 12" with a small motor, do I need any boating license, certificate or course?

I would really appreciate some help here. I do know that the MVC is closed so I won't be able to register now anyway but I can use the paddles until they open.

[Capt. Debbie]

Your question is simple. ANY boat with an electric or gas motor needs to be registered. And anything over 12 feet with a bunch of likely unpowered exceptions listed

Those exceptions are to eliminate over 12 footers that are normally not motorized like kayak, canoes, sunfish, etc.

Your personal short answer is inflatables do NOT need to be registered. But if you add that MOTOR youre screwed.

Hows that? I teach this stuff for NJSP approved classes.




It looks like due to the Covid situation, there are going to be no camps, hotel trips, etc for me and my kids this Summer. As they love to fish, I thought of getting an inflatable boat to take them fishing on the weekends. Unfortunately, the NJ requirements for boat registration/title/licensing get me confused. Some help would be appreciated.

From what I understand, any boat less than 12ft doesn't need to be registered. Then there is the list of exceptions that states that inflatable boats don't have to be registered (no length is specified so I assume that i.e. 14ft inflatable doesn't have to be registered). Is that a correct assumption? Also, I know that once I put any motor on the boat, I have to register it. This brings me to another question: If the boat is less than 12ft and needs to be registered due to the motor, does that mean, I need to title it as well?

Last question. For inflatable boats less than 12" with a small motor, do I need any boating license, certificate or course?

I would really appreciate some help here. I do know that the MVC is closed so I won't be able to register now anyway but I can use the paddles until they open.

[drabina]

Thank you for clarifying that.

Do you know if for registered boats under 12ft (when the motor is added) I need any boating license or get any certificates?

[Capt. Debbie]

The NJ Boater Safety Certificate is needed by anyone with a motor(elect or gas) in NJ. That's the State Police program and it's one and done forever.

AFTER you do and pass the NJSP Boater Safety Certificate course thats it. Unless you do public lakes with boats over 9.9 hp or more than 12vdc. If you exceed that, you must go to DMV and pay $18 more for the boat endorsement to put it on your DL

The DMV stuff is totally unnecesary if you don't do NJ lakes (aka non-tidal waters) with motorized boats.


Thank you for clarifying that.

Do you know if for registered boats under 12ft (when the motor is added) I need any boating license or get any certificates?

[drabina]

Thank you! All clear now.