Ah, you finally have your own boat. Wild and free, you can explore the four corners of the earth, coming and going as you please, answering to no man.

Uh, no, actually. Yes, there’s a lot of “wild and free” in your future, but you do have a little red tape to deal with first. Boats are just like cars: they need to be titled and registered, and the specifics vary from state to state.

Here’s some good news: The Boat Yard Inc will take care of all your paperwork including registrations, and title transfers if you finance your new/used boat through us. Here are some guidelines on registering a boat in Louisiana from The Boat Yard, your boat dealer in Marrero, just across the river from New Orleans.

Boat Registration in Louisiana: Who Administers What?

• Department of Wildlife and Fisheries in Baton Rouge: Issues registrations and titles for all non-exempt boats and outboard motors operating within the state.
• Division of Motor Vehicles: Administers boat trailer registrations and titles. (Pro tip: the process for trailer registration is just like that for car registration. This link will take you to registration for new and used trailers, renewing registration, and duplicate/replacement registration in Louisiana.)

What Are the Marine Registration Requirements in Louisiana?

• All motorized boats including sailboats 12 feet or longer must be registered in Louisiana unless they are exempt.
• Non-motorized houseboats require registration.
• U.S. Coast Guard-documented vessels require registration.
• Louisiana issues titles for boats and outboard motors of 25 horsepower or more that are financed or currently titled in another state.
• This state has no provisions for bonded boat titles, conditional boat registrations.
• There is no process available for registering or titling abandoned boats.
• Stolen boats must be reported within 5 days.
• Ownership transfers, abandonments, and destructions must be reported to the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries within 15 days.
• A visitation period of 90 days is allowed for boats that are registered in another state, Coast Guard documented, or registered in a foreign country.
• Any boat used in Louisiana waters must be registered with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LWF). This requires verification that all state, municipal, school board, and/or parish sales taxes have been paid. The Louisiana Department of Revenue (LDR) can verify state taxes have been paid with Form R-1331 – Boat Registration Tax Payment Certification.

How Does Boat Registration Work in Louisiana?

Once your application is processed, you will be issued a registration certificate stating the number assigned to your boat, and two decals. Your registration certificate must be aboard the vessel at all times. (Pro tip: Keep it in a waterproof container in a safe but easily accessible place.) You must paint or attach the number to your boat and attach the decals, both according to LDWF requirements.

Registration cost varies from $36 to $99, based on the length of your boat. Boat registrations are valid for three years from the date they are issued. The expiration date is printed on your registration certificate.

You must renew your boat registration within 60 days of the expiration date; you will receive a renewal notice in the mail. If you do not renew in time, your boat registration will be canceled. When you sell your boat, you must notify LDWF within 15 days of the date of sale.

Whew, after all that we need to take the boat out for a spin just to clear our head! But seriously, it’s not as complicated as it sounds, and it’s for the good of the boating community.

And don’t forget, The Boat Yard Inc will take care of all your paperwork including registrations, and title transfers if you finance your vessel through us. If you have any questions, we can help you out at The Boat Yard in Marrero, Louisiana.