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Insurance and Registration
It's the Law: Before Going Out on Your Vessel
Includes: Registering a Motorboat, Where to Register, Registration Fees, Liability Insurance, and Other Facts
All vessel operators are required to obey laws that regulate the vessel's registration and operation.
NOTE: Arkansas law defines a motorboat as any vessel operated upon water that is propelled by sail or machinery, whether or not the machinery is the principal source of propulsion.
Registering a Motorboat
You must have an Arkansas Certificate of Number (registration) and validation decals to operate a motorboat on Arkansas' public waters. The only exceptions are:
- Vessels not propelled by an engine or sail
- Vessels properly registered in another state and using Arkansas waters for 90 or fewer consecutive days
- Vessels documented by the U.S. Coast Guard.
The Certificate of Number (pocket-sized registration card) must be on board and available for inspection by an enforcement officer whenever the motorboat is operated.
The registration number and validation decals must be displayed as follows:
- Number must be painted, decaled or otherwise affixed to the forward half of each side of the motorboat, placed to be clearly visible.
- Number must read from left to right on both sides of the motorboat.
- Number must be in at least 3-inch high, bold, block letters.
- Numbers' colors must contrast with their background.
- Letters must be separated from the numbers by a space or hyphen: AR 3717 ZW, AR-3717-ZW, AR 123 ABC or AR-123-ABC.
- No other numbers or letters may be displayed on either side of the bow.
- Decals must be affixed on each side of the motorboat, toward the stern of the registration number, 3 inches from and in line with the number.
It is illegal to operate or allow others to operate your motorboat unless it is registered and numbered as described above.
Where to Register
Registration application and renewal forms can be obtained from:
- The Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration.
- County Revenue Offices. Boaters may register in their county of residence or the county of principal use.
Submit your registration application and fee to your County Revenue Office or to:
Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration
PO Box 1272
Little Rock, AR 72203
Fees to Register Your Motorboat
Registration of Motorboat (original or renewal)
- Motorboat less than 16 ft. long - $7.50
- Motorboat 16 ft. to less than 26 ft. long - $15.00
- Motorboat 26 ft. to less than 40 ft. long - $51.00
- Motorboat 40 ft. or longer - $105.00
Other Registration Facts
- The owner of a motorboat that requires registration must apply for the registration within 20 working days of the date of purchase. The motorboat may be operated during this period if the owner carries a dated proof of purchase.
- A Certificate of Number is valid for three years.
- If an outboard engine is purchased for a previously registered motorboat, the serial number of the engine must be provided to the Department of Finance and Administration (DFA).
- If ownership of a numbered motorboat changes, the new owner must apply to the DFA for the transfer of the registration within 10 working days of the change.
- If a numbered motorboat is abandoned or destroyed, the owner must notify the DFA within 15 days of the event and the certificate will be terminated.
- If you lose or destroy your registration card or decals, you must apply for a duplicate with a processing fee.
- Larger recreational vessels owned by U.S. citizens, may (at the option of the owner) be documented by the U.S. Coast Guard. (Call the U.S. Coast Guard at 1-800-799-8362.)
Note: Documentation through the U.S. Coast Guard does not relieve the owner of his or her responsibility to assess the motorboat for personal property taxes.
How to Apply for Registration
Requests for registration require a completed application along with other documentation shown below and the proper fee.
- Proof of ownership such as a current registration or bill of sale
- Proof of personal property assessment and proof of current paid taxes
- Proof of insurance
Note: Homemade vessels without a Hull Identification Number (see Hull Identification Number) applying for new registration must first be inspected.
Liability Insurance Requirement
All personal watercraft and motorboats powered by engines of more than 50 horsepower must be covered by a liability insurance policy issued by an insurance company authorized to do business in Arkansas.
- The policy must provide at least $50,000 of liability coverage per occurrence.
- It is illegal for the owner of such vessels to operate or allow others to operate unless the vessel has the required insurance.
- The insurance requirement does not apply to vessels properly registered in another state.
Proof of insurance must be carried on board the vessel and be available for inspection by an enforcement officer.
Registration applications for vessels requiring liability insurance must be accompanied by proof of the insurance policy.
Registration Questions?
Call the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration at 1-800-662-8247 or (501) 682-4703. Also, you can call or visit your county revenue office, or visit the Department of Finance and Administration at www.ark.org/dfa.