If you’re a canoe owner and you’re not familiar with titles, registration, and other legal documents for vehicles, it’s okay. A canoe is a small sea vessel, so most laws don’t apply to it, anyway. Most canoe owners don’t know for sure the legal requirements of their vehicles.
For example, do canoes have titles? Do they need registration?
Well, to answer your question, canoes don’t need titles. They may need registration in some states, but it’s not required in most states.
Here’s everything you need to know about the matter.
Do Canoes Have Titles?
When a boat has a title, it means there’s a legal document that proves you’re the owner. Having a title issued in your name and the boat’s model means that you’re the owner. It’s a legal practice that ensures your vehicle is protected against theft.
In most states, small boats powered by oars, sails, or paddles don’t need a title. You can still get a title for your boat for security purposes, but it’s not legally required.
Canoes don’t need titles because they’re small sea vessels that have no motors. So, most canoes don’t have titles, and if they do, then their owners decided to do it for their own sake.
Other sea vessels that don’t need titles are rowboats, kayaks, and most man-powered vessels. If you decide to motorize your canoe or kayak, it may require a title, though. It depends on the state’s laws.
What Boats Require Titles?
If you’re wondering which boats need titles, it totally depends on the state you live in. Different states have different legal requirements. However, most states require motorized boats and boats that are more than 12-feet long to have titles.
Other states will only have that law for boats measuring more than 20 feet. On the other hand, some states may list a horsepower requirement. The majority have the same rules, though.
What’s the Difference Between Registration and Titles?
Most people don’t know the difference between titles and registration, and it’s totally understandable. They’re both legal requirements for vehicles, so it’s easy to use them interchangeably without knowing the difference.
Well, a title is a legal document that proves your ownership of the vessel. It’s essential when you need to sell your vehicle because you can’t sell it without confirming it’s yours. On top of that, the new owner will need it to prove his ownership. That only applies if the vehicle is legally required to have a title, though.
On the other hand, registration is merely documentation for the vehicle in the state it’s used in. So you don’t need a registration to sell your boat, but you need to have it on board while you’re using it.
If you’re stopped by the authorities, not having the registration can get you in trouble.
Do Canoes Need Registration?
In most states, canoes don’t need registration. The states that require it are Iowa, Ohio, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Pennsylvania. Here’s a roundup of all these states and their laws.
Iowa
In Iowa, you need to register your canoe if it’s longer than 13 feet. It doesn’t cost much, though. You won’t need to pay more than $20 for registering your canoe or kayak. If your canoe is 13–15 feet long, you’ll pay around $10. If it’s 16–18 feet long, you’ll need to pay about $12.
Iowa also doesn’t require renewing the registration every year. You’ll only have to do it once every three years.
Ohio
In Ohio, you need registration for any boat you have, regardless of its size and power. This goes for recreational sea vessels as well.
If your canoe is shorter than 16 feet long, you’ll need around $22 to register it for three years. There’s also a two-year registration available for $15 and a one-year registration available for $9.
If your boat is longer than 16 feet, you’ll need to pay $14 for one year, $25 for two, and $36 for three.
Minnesota
In Minnesota, you can rent your canoe from the state. This way, you won’t need to get it registered. Such a facility is available because registration is a bit expensive in Minnesota.
To renew the registration, you’ll need to pay around $11 above the base fee, and they’ll require an extra Aquatic Invasive Species fee of $5.
The registration itself costs around $16 or so.
Wisconsin
Wisconsin requires all sea vessels to be registered, regardless of their size or power.
If your canoe is shorter than 16-feet long, you’ll have to pay $22 for registration, plus an extra transfer fee of $3.75.
If the canoe is longer than 16 feet, you’ll pay $37, plus an extra transfer fee of $8.85. In addition, they’ll give you a decal that lasts for three years, and it’ll be accompanied by instructions for putting it on your boat.
For example, you need to place it so that the numbers are on both sides of the boat’s forward half. Plus, they need to be read from left to right.
Illinois
If an organization already owns your canoe, you don’t need to register it in Illinois. You also don’t need to have it registered if you only use it in sanctioned events.
However, in all other cases, you need to get a registration for it. It costs only $13, and it lasts for three years.
Pennsylvania
In Pennsylvania, you must register your canoe if you intend to use it in the state parks. If you don’t, then you don’t need a registration for it.
If you don’t want to register the canoe, you can instead get a launching permit that lasts for one or two years. It allows you to use your canoe in absolutely any watery area in the state without registering it.
To Wrap Up
To wrap up, canoes don’t need titles. However, they do need registration in a few states. The registration doesn’t cost much. You’ll only have to pay an average of $10–$15 for a three-year registration, which is a pretty good deal.