Your kayak’s length, propulsion and use belong in the registration check. In Florida law, registration is the state’s operating license, issued with an identifying number, certificate and decal; a certificate of title is evidence of ownership. Those are separate checks. Florida Legislature, §327.02(41); §328.0015(1)(f).
This page summarizes published safety guidance. It is not a substitute for instruction, and conditions on your water may differ. Check the current rules for the state and water you paddle.
The rows summarize published rules on the dates shown. Your boat, its use and later changes in the rules can change the answer.
Key Takeaways
- Registration and titling are separate checks: the Florida Legislature exempts a nonmotorized kayak from registration, while its title law reaches one 16 feet (4.88 meters) or longer. §328.48(2)(d); §328.0015(1)(ee)3..
- Adding a motor can bring your kayak under registration, including an electric trolling motor. Arizona’s machinery definition covers propulsion whether or not it is the main means; an electric trolling motor is machinery in that sense. Check the motor column even for a clamp-on motor. Arizona Legislature, §5-301(8); §5-322(A).
- Length can decide the answer: Iowa, Minnesota and South Dakota tie a paddle-only kayak’s registration to its length. Iowa Legislature, §462A.6(7); Minnesota Revisor, §86B.301 subd. 2; South Dakota Legislature, §32-3A-3.
- Launch, park and invasive-species permits are separate from registration; the Pennsylvania and Idaho rows give examples. An empty cell means the confirmed official texts did not settle the column’s question. It does not mean no rule applies.
State registration table
The table covers Alabama through Wyoming. Empty cells are explained in the column note.
Column note: state; registration of an ordinary recreational kayak with no motor; separate titling; effect of adding a motor, including electric propulsion; examples of separate permits, passes, stickers and decals, such as park, launch, camping and invasive-species permits; recognition of a qualifying out-of-state registration; named official publishers and UTC check date. Permit examples are not a complete inventory of launch conditions. An empty registration, title, motor or reciprocity cell means the official texts confirmed for this guide did not settle that state’s rule for the column’s question. An empty permit cell means the official texts confirmed for this guide did not settle that state’s separate-permit rule for a paddle-only kayak. An empty cell does not mean that no rule applies. Check with the state’s boating agency. Parks, launch sites and lakes can set their own rules. See the launch-permit guide.
In Florida’s and California’s laws, a vessel means a watercraft capable of transportation on water, with the exclusions each law states. California’s undocumented vessel is one not required to have, and without, a valid federal marine document. Alaska’s term likewise distinguishes a boat without a valid United States Coast Guard documentation certificate. Florida Legislature, §327.02(46); California Legislature, §9840; Alaska Legislature, AS 05.25.100.
For Alabama and Florida titling, the state of principal use is the state on whose waters the boat is or will be used more than on another state’s waters during a calendar year. Alabama Legislature, §33-5B-2(a)(28); Florida Legislature, §328.0015(1)(bb).
Where a row says numbering, the cited law assigns the boat an identifying number and a certificate of number; South Carolina’s law calls that certificate the registration. South Carolina Legislature, §50-21-10(5). A motorboat in Kansas’s law is a vessel propelled by machinery, whether or not it is the main propulsion; the state notes explain the other cited definitions and exclusions. Kansas Legislature/Revisor, §32-1102(b).
| State | No-motor registration | No-motor title | Adding a motor | Separate permits | Reciprocity | Official sources; checked UTC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Not required for a paddle-only recreational kayak that is not for hire. The numbering exemption excludes sailboats and boats for hire. | Paddle-only boats under 18 feet (5.49 meters) are excluded from the title law. At 18 feet or longer, construction date and principal use matter; see the Alabama note. | A motor, including an electric motor, removes the exemption for boats not propelled by machinery. Registration is required on waters covered by the law unless another §33-5-19 exemption applies; see the Alabama note. | Not needed: your paddle-only recreational kayak that is not for hire needs no registration under §33-5-19(6), so there is nothing to recognize. | Alabama Legislature: Code §§33-5 and 33-5B; Alabama Law Enforcement Agency: boating rules; Alabama Department of Revenue: vessel titles; October 4, 2026 | |
| Alaska | Not required when the boat has no mechanical propulsion. | A title is optional for an undocumented boat 24 feet (7.32 meters) or shorter. | A motor, including an electric auxiliary motor, removes the no-mechanical-propulsion exemption. Registration is required unless another statutory exemption applies. | Not needed: your kayak with no mechanical propulsion needs no registration under AS 05.25.055(i)(4), so there is nothing to recognize. | Alaska Legislature: AS 05.25.055–.056; Alaska Division of Motor Vehicles: boats; October 4, 2026 | |
| Arizona | Registration and numbering duties in §§5-321–5-322 apply to motorized watercraft, so a paddle-only kayak is outside those duties. | The definition covers machinery whether or not it is the main propulsion; an electric trolling motor is machinery in that sense. A motorized kayak must be registered and numbered, subject to §5-322 exemptions. | Not needed: your paddle-only kayak needs no registration under §§5-321–5-322, so there is nothing to recognize. | Arizona Legislature: §5-301; Arizona Legislature: §5-321; Arizona Legislature: §5-322; October 4, 2026 | ||
| Arkansas | The numbering duty in §27-101-301 applies to motorboats, defined in §27-101-103(5) as vessels propelled by sail or machinery, even when machinery is not the main propulsion, excluding federally documented vessels. Your paddle-only kayak is outside that duty. | The titling subchapter applies only to motorboats manufactured on or after January 1, 2020 (§27-101-1002(b)); your paddle-only kayak is outside that scope. | For an undocumented kayak, machinery propulsion, including an electric motor, brings it within the motorboat numbering duty on the public waters defined in §27-101-103(13), subject to the numbering exemptions in §27-101-302. The owner of a motorboat manufactured on or after January 1, 2020 must apply for a title (§27-101-1004(a)); earlier motorboats are not eligible (§27-101-1002(d)(2)). Homemade motorboats and boats bearing a qualifying federal or other-state number that have not been in Arkansas more than 60 days are excluded from the titling subchapter (§27-101-1002(e)(1), (5)). See the Arkansas note for a newly purchased boat’s temporary numbering exemption. | Not needed: your paddle-only kayak needs no registration under §§27-101-103(5), 27-101-301, so there is nothing to recognize. | LexisNexis, Arkansas Code of 1987 Annotated Official Edition: Ark. Code Ann. §27-101-103; LexisNexis, Arkansas Code of 1987 Annotated Official Edition: Ark. Code Ann. §27-101-301; LexisNexis, Arkansas Code of 1987 Annotated Official Edition: Ark. Code Ann. §27-101-302; LexisNexis, Arkansas Code of 1987 Annotated Official Edition: Ark. Code Ann. §27-101-1002; LexisNexis, Arkansas Code of 1987 Annotated Official Edition: Ark. Code Ann. §27-101-1004; LexisNexis, Arkansas Code of 1987 Annotated Official Edition: Ark. Code Ann. §27-101-307; October 4, 2026 | |
| California | Not required for an undocumented kayak propelled solely by paddles or oars. | The paddle-or-oar exemption covers the registration chapter, including its state-title (certificate-of-ownership) provisions. | A motor, including an electric motor, ends the solely-paddle-or-oar exemption. An undocumented motorized kayak falls under numbering requirements unless another exemption applies. | Not needed: your undocumented paddle-or-oar-only kayak needs no registration under Vehicle Code §9873(e), so there is nothing to recognize. | California Legislature: Vehicle Code §9873; California Legislature: Vehicle Code §9850; California Legislature: Vehicle Code §9852; California Legislature: Vehicle Code §9853; California Department of Motor Vehicles: boat registration; October 4, 2026 | |
| Colorado | A state-park vehicle pass is separate from boat registration. Under Rule #700(1), except as otherwise provided by the regulations or Colorado Revised Statutes, “no motor vehicle shall be brought onto any state recreation area or state park unless a valid parks pass issued by the Division of Parks and Wildlife (Division) or the Department of Revenue (DOR) is properly attached, displayed, or carried in the vehicle.” Rule #700(2) lists the vehicle-pass exceptions. | Colorado Parks and Wildlife: Chapter P-7, #700; October 4, 2026 | ||||
| Connecticut | Contact-information sticker: Connecticut DEEP’s paddling page, updated October 2025, recommends an “IF FOUND” sticker for your kayak or other unregistered boat. Public Act 26-60, §3, marked “Effective from passage” and approved May 20, 2026, requires current, valid owner contact information legibly printed on or attached to a vessel as prescribed by DEEP, except a vessel whose owner holds a valid, effective certificate of number from Connecticut, another state or the federal government. | Connecticut General Assembly: Public Act 26-60, approved May 20, 2026; Connecticut DEEP: paddling, updated October 2025; October 4, 2026 | ||||
| Delaware | The registration and numbering rule covers mechanical power, so a paddle-only kayak is outside that rule. Section 2113(c) says: “Nonresident vessels using the waters of this State for principal use over 60 days and nonresidents owning a boat docked and/or stowed in waters of this State for over 60 days shall be required to register with the Department.” Read this with §2115(c), quoted in the Delaware note. Tidal access facilities have a separate registration-or-ramp-certificate condition; see that note. | The registration and numbering rule applies to mechanical power, explicitly including electric trolling motors, used or placed on state waters, except for the rule’s listed exemptions. It requires a displayed vessel number and a valid onboard certificate, with its reciprocity and temporary-certificate provisions. | Any vessel using DNREC tidal water boat access facilities must have Delaware registration or a boat ramp certificate, subject to the statute’s government and public-rescue exemptions. The certificate must be affixed to its boat and is not transferable. DNREC’s page describes this for motorboats. Read §2113(e) with §2115(c), quoted in the Delaware note. | Section 2113(c) says: “Nonresident vessels using the waters of this State for principal use over 60 days and nonresidents owning a boat docked and/or stowed in waters of this State for over 60 days shall be required to register with the Department.” Read this with §2115(c), quoted in the Delaware note. | Delaware General Assembly: 23 Del. C. §§2112–2115; Delaware DNREC/Office of the Registrar: 7 DE Admin. Code 3100 §§3.1–3.5; Delaware DNREC: boat registration; October 4, 2026 | |
| Florida | Not required for a nonmotorized kayak, regardless of length. | A nonmotorized boat under 16 feet (4.88 meters) is outside the title-law definition. At 16 feet or longer, a kayak falls within the title law; see the Florida note for use and visitor exceptions. | An electric or other motor ends the nonmotorized-kayak exemption. Registration is required for use, operation or storage on Florida waters, except for craft operated, used, and stored exclusively on private lakes and ponds and the other §328.48(2) exemptions. Title rules also apply separately. | Everglades National Park requires a wilderness/backcountry permit for camping at its listed designated sites. This is camping permission, separate from boat registration. | Not needed: your paddle-only kayak needs no registration under §328.48(2)(d), so there is nothing to recognize. | Florida Legislature: §328.48; Florida Legislature: §328.0015; Florida Legislature: §328.03; Florida Legislature: §328.58; Florida Legislature: §327.02; National Park Service: Everglades Compendium; National Park Service: wilderness camping; Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission: boating regulations; October 4, 2026 |
| Georgia | Not required for a kayak that is not motor propelled (§52-7-6(1)). | A vessel exempt from numbering under §52-7-4(a) is also exempt from titling under §52-7-4(b). That covers your paddle-only kayak under §52-7-6(1). | A power boat is propelled by mechanical rather than manual means, whether or not the propulsion device is integral to the boat (§52-7-3(20)); this includes an electric motor added to your kayak. Numbering and titling apply under §52-7-4, subject to §52-7-6 exemptions. These include exclusive racing use, qualifying temporary operation after a numbering application submitted within the previous 60 days, and exclusive use on privately owned ponds or lakes except those licensed by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. The owner must apply for a certificate of number. Section 52-7-5(a), in the version effective July 1, 2026, says: “The department shall maintain electronic records of title and furnish a physical certificate of title to the owner or lienholder upon request.” | Not needed: your paddle-only kayak needs no registration under §52-7-6(1), so there is nothing to recognize. | LexisNexis, Official Code of Georgia Annotated: O.C.G.A. §52-7-3; LexisNexis, Official Code of Georgia Annotated: O.C.G.A. §52-7-4; LexisNexis, Official Code of Georgia Annotated: O.C.G.A. §52-7-5; LexisNexis, Official Code of Georgia Annotated: O.C.G.A. §52-7-6; October 4, 2026 | |
| Hawaii | Not required for a manually propelled kayak; voluntary numbering is allowed. | Section 200A-6(a), beginning July 1, 2018 and except as provided in (c) and (d), states in (a)(1): “The owner of a vessel that does not have a valid certificate of number pursuant to section 200-31 or a valid certificate of title pursuant to this chapter shall comply with subsection (b)”. Subsection (b) says: “The owner of a vessel for which this State is the state of principal use shall deliver to the department an application for a certificate of title for the vessel, with the applicable fee, no later than twenty days after the later of: (1) The date of a transfer of ownership; or (2) The date this State becomes the state of principal use.” Principal use means use on that state’s waters more than on any other state’s during the calendar year. Section 200A-2 excludes from “vessel”: “A watercraft less than eight feet in length and propelled solely by sail, paddle, oar, or an engine of less than ten horsepower” (2.44 meters; 7.46 kilowatts). Hawaii DLNR’s Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation FAQ, last updated August 15, 2024, says: “Registration and titling of manually powered kayaks is optional.” Check with DOBOR; these statements are presented together without choosing between them. | An added motor, including electric propulsion, ends the manual-propulsion exemption. A motorboat whose propulsion machinery produces less than five horsepower (3.73 kilowatts) is separately exempt from numbering; otherwise registration is required unless another listed exemption applies. | In Hawaii state parks, “All persons, groups, organizations, or associations desiring to camp shall obtain a camping permit authorizing the use of specific camping areas and facilities”. This is camping permission, separate from boat registration. | Not needed: your manually propelled kayak needs no registration under HAR 13-241-2(b)(7), so there is nothing to recognize. Voluntary numbering remains available. | Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources: signed HAR 13-241; Hawaii DLNR: vessel numbering; Hawaii DLNR: kayak registration FAQ; Hawaii DLNR: HAR 13-146 state-park camping rule, §51(b); Hawaii DLNR State Parks: current rule index; October 4, 2026; Hawaii Legislative Reference Bureau: 2025 laws-affected table, read October 5, 2026; Hawaii Legislative Reference Bureau: 2026 laws-affected table, read October 5, 2026; Hawaii Legislature: HRS 200A-2, read October 5, 2026; Hawaii Legislature: HRS 200A-6, read October 5, 2026 |
| Idaho | Not required for your kayak without a motor: Idaho Code §67-7009(5) expressly exempts “kayaks without motors” from numbering. Sections 67-7008(1) and 67-7010 set the certificate-of-number and display duties for vessels requiring numbering. | Idaho Code §67-7040(2) expressly excepts kayaks from the Vessel Titling Act’s scope. Under §67-7040(3), once a vessel has been titled it remains a titled vessel and is subject to Title 49, Chapter 5. | Adding a motor, including an electric trolling motor, removes the “kayaks without motors” numbering exemption (§67-7009(5)); the certificate-of-number duties in §§67-7008 and 67-7010 then apply, subject to §67-7009’s other exceptions. Section 67-7003(14) defines a motorboat by machinery powered by an energy source other than human effort, even when that machinery is not its main propulsion. Titling follows §67-7040(2)–(3)’s scope and once-titled condition stated in the title column. | Before launching into Idaho’s public waters, your nonmotorized vessel must display a protection against invasive species sticker (§67-7008A(1)(b), (2)). Section 67-7008A(5)(d) excepts “small rafts and other inflatable vessels less than ten (10) feet in length” (3.05 meters). The sticker remains valid through December 31 of the year displayed (§67-7008A(3)). | Not needed: your kayak without a motor needs no registration under §67-7009(5), so there is nothing to recognize. | Idaho State Legislature: Title 67, Chapter 70, Internet Archive copy, captured July 9, 2026 (Internet Archive); October 4, 2026 |
| Illinois | ||||||
| Indiana | Not required for your occupant-powered kayak containing no mechanical propellant. IC 9-13-2-198.5(b) excludes that craft from the watercraft definition used by the registration law. | The watercraft title duties do not apply to your paddle-only kayak because it falls outside IC 9-13-2-198.5’s definition of watercraft. IC 9-17-1-0.5 requires titles for watercraft, subject to IC 9-17-1-1’s exclusions. | Adding a motor brings the kayak within the watercraft definition, which expressly covers electrical inboard or outboard motors as mechanical propellants. IC 9-18.1-14.5-1 requires registration and proof of registration unless a subsection (b) exception applies. IC 9-17-1-0.5 requires watercraft titles, subject to IC 9-17-1-1; the latter excludes watercraft not required to be registered and provides for voluntary titles that remain subject to the article until surrendered. | Not needed: your occupant-powered kayak with no mechanical propellant needs no registration under IC 9-13-2-198.5(b), so there is nothing to recognize. | Indiana General Assembly: Indiana Code 2026, Title 9, §§9-13-2-198.5, 9-17-1-0.5, 9-17-1-1 and 9-18.1-14.5-1, read October 4, 2026; Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles: watercraft registration explanation, read October 5, 2026; Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles: watercraft title explanation, read October 5, 2026 | |
| Iowa | A conventional-design kayak 13 feet (3.96 meters) or shorter with no motor or sail is exempt. Longer kayaks require registration on waters under the Natural Resource Commission, unless another exemption applies. The statute separately exempts nonpowered inflatable vessels seven feet (2.13 meters) or shorter. | A kayak is generally exempt from the certificate-of-title requirement regardless of length (§462A.77(1)). An owner may obtain a title voluntarily; once issued, the vessel remains subject to the title provisions as though titling were required (§462A.77(9)). On transfer, the assigned title must be delivered and the new owner must obtain a title in their name (§462A.77(8)). | A motor, including an electric motor, removes the nonpower exemption: register and number the kayak unless another exemption applies. The separate title exemption generally names kayaks regardless of length, but a voluntarily issued title remains binding, including on transfer (§462A.77(8)–(9)); see the title column. | Not needed for your kayak within §462A.6(7)’s no-motor exemptions, so there is nothing to recognize. For a kayak that needs registration, a current number from a federally approved other-state system is recognized if the boat has not been in Iowa for more than 60 days within one calendar year; the days need not be consecutive. | Iowa Legislature: Code Chapter 462A; Iowa Department of Natural Resources: boating registration; October 4, 2026 | |
| Kansas | The numbering duty applies to mechanically propelled or sailing vessels; a paddle-only recreational kayak is outside that duty. | The definition covers machinery whether or not it is the main propulsion; an electric trolling motor is machinery in that sense. An undocumented motorized kayak principally used in Kansas must be numbered, subject to the statutory exemptions. | A park and recreation motor vehicle permit is separate from boat registration. You need one to use a motor vehicle in designated, posted Kansas state parks or other designated areas, except where the law or rules provide an exception. A vehicle issued a plate under K.S.A. 8-1,206 serves as a state-park permit if its registration is current and unexpired and the plate is displayed as required by law (§32-901(a)(2)). | Not needed: your paddle-only kayak needs no registration under §32-1110, so there is nothing to recognize. | Kansas Legislature/Revisor: §32-1110; Kansas Legislature/Revisor: §32-1102; Kansas Legislature/Revisor: §32-1113; Kansas Legislature: K.S.A. 32-901 park vehicle permits; Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks: boating directory; October 4, 2026 | |
| Kentucky | The registration duty applies to motorboats; boats propelled by human hand or foot power are excluded from that definition. | The title-application duty in §235.050 applies to motorboats required to be registered and numbered, so it does not require a title for a paddle-only kayak. | The definition covers machinery whether or not it is the main propulsion; an electric trolling motor is machinery in that sense. Registration and title application are required unless an exception applies. A boat powered entirely by a direct-current battery motor on private waters is excluded from the motorboat definition. | Otter Creek Outdoor Recreation Area requires a daily or annual Area Entry Permit to be carried unless the person is permit-exempt. This is area access permission, separate from boat registration. | Not needed: your paddle-only kayak needs no registration under §§235.010(2),235.040, so there is nothing to recognize. | Kentucky Legislative Research Commission: §235.010; Kentucky LRC: §235.040; Kentucky LRC: §235.050; Kentucky LRC: §235.210; Kentucky LRC: 301 KAR 3:012; October 4, 2026 |
| Louisiana | Not required for an ordinary paddle-only kayak under §851.19. | An ordinary paddle-only kayak that is not required to be numbered is outside the separate vessel-title definition in §852.2. | A motor, including an electric motor, makes the kayak a motorboat even when machinery is not the main propulsion. Registration and numbering are required unless another statutory exemption applies. The separate title conditions in §§852.3(A)(1) and 851.20(M)(1) are quoted in the Louisiana note. | Not needed: your paddle-only kayak needs no registration under §851.19, so there is nothing to recognize. | Louisiana Legislature: §34:851.2; Louisiana Legislature: §34:851.19; Louisiana Legislature: §34:851.20; Louisiana Legislature: §34:851.22; Louisiana Legislature: §34:852.3; Louisiana Legislature: §34:852.2; Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries: boating directory; October 4, 2026 | |
| Maine | The certificate-of-number duty applies to motorboats; a paddle-only kayak may be numbered voluntarily. | Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife’s 2021 legislative summary says: “IFW does not title recreational vehicles or watercraft in Maine.” | An electric or other motor makes the kayak a motorboat even if temporarily attached or not the main propulsion. A motorboat principally used in Maine requires a certificate of number unless a listed exemption applies. | Not needed: your paddle-only kayak needs no registration under §13056, so there is nothing to recognize. Voluntary numbering remains available. | Maine Legislature: §13001; Maine Legislature: §13056; Maine Inland Fisheries and Wildlife: boating; Maine Inland Fisheries and Wildlife: 2021 legislative summary; October 4, 2026 | |
| Maryland | Not required for a manually propelled kayak under §8-712(a)(1)(viii). | The title duty applies to a boat principally used in Maryland and required to be numbered; a manually propelled kayak is outside that numbering duty. | The definition covers machinery whether or not it is the main propulsion; an electric trolling motor is machinery in that sense. A motorized kayak must be numbered unless an exemption applies; a kayak principally used in Maryland and required to be numbered also requires a title. | Not needed: your manually propelled kayak needs no registration under §8-712(a)(1)(viii), so there is nothing to recognize. | Maryland General Assembly: §8-712; Maryland General Assembly: §8-715; Maryland General Assembly: §8-701; Maryland Department of Natural Resources: boating directory; October 4, 2026 | |
| Massachusetts | ||||||
| Michigan | Not required for your nonmotorized kayak if it is not used for rental or other commercial purposes. MCL 324.80123(1)(g) exempts that class from numbering and displaying a decal; subsection (3) permits voluntary numbering. | MCL 324.80302(1)(d) excludes watercraft less than 20 feet (6.10 meters) long without permanently affixed engines from the watercraft title part, unless the owner, lessee or operator voluntarily wishes to become subject to it. | A motorboat is a vessel propelled wholly or in part by machinery, so adding an electric motor brings the kayak within that definition. MCL 324.80122 requires a certificate of number carried on board and display of the assigned number and decal, subject to the part’s exceptions; the nonmotorized-kayak exception in MCL 324.80123(1)(g) no longer applies. For titling, MCL 324.80302(1)(d) excludes watercraft less than 20 feet (6.10 meters) long without permanently affixed engines unless the owner, lessee or operator voluntarily wishes to become subject to that part. | Not needed: your nonmotorized kayak not used for rental or other commercial purposes needs no registration under MCL324.80123(1)(g), so there is nothing to recognize. | Michigan DNR: boating rules explanation; October 4, 2026; Michigan Legislature: MCL 324.80103, read October 5, 2026; Michigan Legislature: MCL 324.80122, read October 5, 2026; Michigan Legislature: MCL 324.80123, read October 5, 2026; Michigan Legislature: MCL 324.80302, read October 5, 2026 | |
| Minnesota | A nonmotorized kayak ten feet (3.05 meters) or shorter is exempt. A longer kayak needs a watercraft license and registration sticker unless another statutory exemption applies. | A kayak is excluded from the title-law definition of watercraft. Voluntary titling is allowed and remains binding. | The motorboat definition covers machinery propulsion, including temporarily attached detachable motors; an electric trolling motor is machinery in that sense. A motor removes the ten-foot nonmotorized exemption; a watercraft license is required unless another exemption applies. The title-law kayak exclusion is separate; voluntary titling remains available and binding. | The state-park motor vehicle permit or qualifying parks-and-trails plate is separate from boat registration. Section 85.053 subd. 2 states the entry requirement, opening with “Except as provided in section 85.054”. | Not needed for your nonmotorized kayak ten feet (3.05 meters) or shorter (§86B.301 subd. 2(9)), so there is nothing to recognize. For a longer kayak, a qualifying current federal or approved other-state license or number is recognized for no more than 90 consecutive days. This also covers an owner from a state that does not license that type of boat. Days laid up at dock over winter or for repairs at a Minnesota port are excluded. | Minnesota Revisor: §86B.301; Minnesota Revisor: §86B.401; Minnesota Revisor: §86B.820; Minnesota Revisor: §86B.825; Minnesota Revisor: §86B.005; Minnesota Revisor: §85.053; Minnesota Revisor: §85.054, the section §85.053 refers to; Minnesota DNR: boating directory; October 4, 2026 |
| Mississippi | Section 59-21-5 requires numbering for sailboats and undocumented vessels equipped with propulsion machinery, even when machinery is not the main propulsion. Here undocumented means a vessel without, and not required to have, a valid federal marine document (§59-21-3(k)). Your paddle-only kayak is outside that numbering duty. | Chapter 25 defines a vessel for its title provisions as watercraft required to be numbered under Chapter 21 (§59-25-1(o)). Your paddle-only kayak is outside that scope. | Machinery includes engines and all other types of motors or mechanical devices (§59-21-3(d)). An undocumented kayak equipped with an electric motor falls under §59-21-5’s numbering duty on the waters it covers, subject to its exceptions. Section 59-25-3(1) says: “Any owner of a vessel principally operated on the waters of the state and required to be numbered may apply to the department for a certificate of title for the vessel or the motor.” Once a vessel or motor has been titled by the department, §59-25-3(4) requires delivery of the assigned title on transfer and acquisition of a title in the new owner’s name. | Not needed: your paddle-only kayak needs no registration under §59-21-5, so there is nothing to recognize. | LexisNexis, Mississippi Code Annotated: Miss. Code Ann. §59-21-3; LexisNexis, Mississippi Code Annotated: Miss. Code Ann. §59-21-5; LexisNexis, Mississippi Code Annotated entry (for §59-25-1); LexisNexis, Mississippi Code Annotated: Miss. Code Ann. §59-25-3; Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks: boating rules explanation; October 4, 2026 | |
| Missouri | Not required for a kayak propelled only by paddles or oars: it is excluded from the chapter’s definition of vessel. | A paddle-or-oar-only kayak is outside the vessel title and numbering application in §306.030. | The definition covers machinery whether or not it is the main propulsion; an electric trolling motor is machinery in that sense. A motorized kayak falls under the vessel registration and title application unless an exemption applies. Separately, §306.530(1) requires the owner of an outboard motor kept in Missouri to register it with the director of revenue, who issues a title. The Missouri Department of Revenue page excludes trolling motors and electric outboard motors from that separate motor requirement. | At Busch (August A.) Memorial Conservation Area, 3 CSR 10-11.160(1)(A)4.A allows hand-launched canoes and kayaks on Lakes 6, 34, 35, 36 and 38 from April 1 through September 30 only with a valid area boating tag. Before launching, register your boat at area headquarters to obtain a tag and check out immediately after leaving the water. Tags are specific to the canoe or kayak and the lake; you cannot obtain a tag for more than one lake at a time or for a canoe or kayak already registered under a valid tag. Paragraph 4.B allows hand-launched canoes and kayaks on those lakes without an area boating tag from October 1 through March 31. | Not needed: your paddle-only kayak needs no registration under §§306.010,306.030, so there is nothing to recognize. | Missouri Revisor: §306.010; Missouri Revisor: §306.020; Missouri Revisor: §306.030; Missouri Department of Revenue: watercraft; Missouri Revisor: §306.530; Missouri Secretary of State: 3 CSR 10-11.160, Internet Archive copy, captured October 1, 2026 (Internet Archive); October 4, 2026 |
| Montana | The numbering and registration duty applies to motorboats and sailboats; an ordinary paddle-only kayak is outside those classes. | The title duty in §23-2-508(1) applies to “a motorboat or sailboat 12 feet in length or longer” (3.66 meters); an ordinary paddle-only kayak is neither. | The definition covers machinery whether or not it is the main propulsion; an electric trolling motor is machinery in that sense. A motorized kayak must be numbered and display a registration decal unless another exemption applies. For titling, §23-2-508(1) says: “Except as provided in subsection (3), a motorboat or sailboat 12 feet in length or longer may not be operated upon the waters of the state unless a certificate of title has first been obtained from the department of justice in accordance with the laws of this state.” (12 feet = 3.66 meters). | Before launching a nonmotorized kayak owned by a nonresident, its operator must possess the vessel’s aquatic invasive species prevention pass, available for inspection. The pass expires at the end of the calendar year and cannot be transferred to another boat. It is separate from boat registration. | Not needed: your paddle-only kayak needs no registration under §23-2-511(1), so there is nothing to recognize. | Montana Legislature: §23-2-511; Montana Legislature: §23-2-508; Montana Legislature: §61-1-101; Montana Legislature: §23-2-514; Montana Legislature: §23-2-541; Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks: boating rules; Montana FWP: visiting watercraft; October 4, 2026 |
| Nebraska | ||||||
| Nevada | The Nevada Department of Wildlife’s 2026 handbook lists canoes and kayaks without motors among the vessels exempt from registration (agency explanation, Internet Archive copy captured August 13, 2026). NRS 488.175(1)(e) allows the Department to exempt classes of vessels from numbering. | NRS 488.065(1) says: “Every power-driven vessel for which this State is the principal state of operation must be numbered and titled,” subject to subsection (5) and NRS 488.175. A power-driven vessel is propelled by machinery, whether or not machinery is its principal source of propulsion (§488.035(17)); a paddle-only kayak is not a power-driven vessel. The state of principal operation is where your vessel is or will be operated most during a calendar year (§488.035(22)). | A motor, including an electric trolling motor, makes your kayak a power-driven vessel under NRS 488.035(17)’s machinery definition. Section 488.065(1) requires numbering and titling when Nevada is its principal state of operation, subject to subsection (5) and §488.175. Section 488.065(4) prohibits operation of a power-driven vessel without a valid certificate of ownership; subsection (5) preserves its pre-January 1, 1972 ownership exception. Section 488.175(4) gives the other-state-title and federal-documentation exceptions. | Not needed for the kayak-without-a-motor exception in the NDOW 2026 handbook (agency explanation, Internet Archive copy captured August 13, 2026), so there is nothing to recognize. | Nevada Department of Wildlife: boating rules directory; Nevada Legislature: NRS chapter 488 (2025 compilation, revised April 15, 2026), Internet Archive copy, captured June 7, 2026 (Internet Archive); October 4, 2026; Nevada Department of Wildlife: 2026 boating handbook, page 26, Internet Archive copy, captured August 13, 2026 (Internet Archive); October 4, 2026 | |
| New Hampshire | ||||||
| New Jersey | ||||||
| New Mexico | State-park permits are separate from boat registration. Visitors must display applicable park permits at all times inside the park unless an exception in 19.5.2.32(B) NMAC applies. | New Mexico State Records Center and Archives: 19.5.2.32 NMAC; New Mexico State Parks: boating; October 4, 2026 | ||||
| New York | ||||||
| North Carolina | Not required for your manually paddled kayak: G.S. 75A-7(a)(7) exempts a vessel with no means of propulsion other than drifting or manual paddling, poling or rowing from numbering. Section 75A-4 requires numbering except for the vessels exempted by §75A-7. A certificate of number is the registration document (§75A-2(1a)); the chapter’s waters exclude private ponds as defined in §113-129. | G.S. 75A-34(a) says: “Any other vessel may be titled in this State at the owner’s option.” G.S. 75A-34(a) requires a title for an owner of “a motorized vessel or sailboat 14 feet or longer or any personal watercraft” (4.27 meters) applying for a number for the first time in North Carolina, and a new owner receiving such a vessel under §75A-5(c). An existing other-state title must be submitted; a federally documented vessel cannot be titled unless its documentation has expired or been deleted. | Adding a motor, including an electric trolling motor, removes the manual-only numbering exemption in §75A-7(a)(7); §75A-4’s all-vessel numbering duty then applies, subject to §75A-7’s other exceptions. Section 75A-2(1e) excludes an electric motor used as the only mechanical propulsion from its definition of “motorboat”; that definition does not replace the all-vessel numbering rule. For titles, §75A-34(a) states the motorized-vessel, sailboat and personal-watercraft scope and first-number or ownership-transfer conditions quoted in the title column. | Not needed: your manually paddled kayak needs no registration under G.S.75A-7(a)(7), so there is nothing to recognize. | North Carolina General Assembly: Chapter 75A, read October 5, 2026; North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission: boating directory; North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission: registration and titling explanation; October 4, 2026 | |
| North Dakota | Not required for a paddle-only kayak: the numbering and licensing duty applies to motorboats propelled by a motor. | North Dakota Game and Fish’s 2026–2028 Boating Safety Guide says: “North Dakota is a registration state and does not issue titles for any watercraft, motor or trailer.” | North Dakota Game and Fish’s 2026–2028 Boating Safety Guide describes a boat “powered by any motor (including electric motors)”. A motorized kayak must be numbered and licensed unless a statutory exemption applies. North Dakota Game and Fish’s 2026–2028 Boating Safety Guide says: “North Dakota is a registration state and does not issue titles for any watercraft, motor or trailer.” | Not needed: your paddle-only kayak needs no registration under §20.1-13-02, so there is nothing to recognize. | North Dakota Legislature: Chapter 20.1-13; North Dakota Legislature: §20.1-01-02; North Dakota Game and Fish: 2026–2028 guide; October 4, 2026 | |
| Ohio | Required for your ordinary recreational kayak on Ohio waters unless an exemption applies (§1547.531(A)). Section 1546.01 expressly includes kayaks as watercraft. Registration exceptions include qualifying out-of-state boats, specified government boats, emergency lifeboats, agency-exempted classes, race or special-event waivers, and exceptions for craft outside ordinary recreational use (§1547.531(B); §1547.53(B)–(G)). Section 1547.532(A) also exempts sailboards, kiteboards, paddleboards, and belly boats or float tubes, as defined in subsection (B); that list does not name kayaks. | Section 1548.01(B) says the title chapter does not apply to “(5) A canoe;” or “(6) A watercraft less than fourteen feet in length without a permanently affixed mechanical means of propulsion;” (4.27 meters). The list names canoes and does not name kayaks. ODNR’s Ohio Boat Operator’s Guide, Rev. 10/2024, lists “Canoes and kayaks” among watercraft exempt from the title requirement; its flow chart says of canoes or kayaks of any length, “A title is not required for these boats.” Check with ODNR; the statute and agency statements are presented together. | A motor, including an electric motor, makes the kayak a powercraft: a vessel propelled by machinery or a similar device. Registration and numbering apply, subject to the exceptions in §§1547.531 and 1547.53. Section 1548.01(B) says the title chapter does not apply to “(5) A canoe;” or “(6) A watercraft less than fourteen feet in length without a permanently affixed mechanical means of propulsion;” (4.27 meters). The list names canoes and does not name kayaks. ODNR’s Ohio Boat Operator’s Guide, Rev. 10/2024, lists “Canoes and kayaks” among watercraft exempt from the title requirement; its flow chart says of canoes or kayaks of any length, “A title is not required for these boats.” Check with ODNR; the statute and agency statements are presented together. Subsection (B)(7) also excepts “A watercraft less than fourteen feet in length with a permanently fixed mechanical means of propulsion of less than ten horsepower as determined by the manufacturer’s rating;” (4.27 meters; 7.46 kilowatts). The guide’s canoe-or-kayak category states no motor restriction. | Section 1547.53(B) exempts from Ohio numbering: “Those whose principal use is not on the waters in this state and that have not been used within this state for more than sixty days and have a valid number assigned under a federally approved numbering system by another state if the number is displayed in accordance with the requirements of that system and the certificate of number is available for inspection whenever the watercraft is on waters in this state;” A kayak without a valid number assigned under another state’s federally approved numbering system does not meet that condition. Section 1547.531(B)(1) also exempts qualifying boats from registration; subsection (D) defines principal use and has a separate active-duty military provision. | Ohio Department of Natural Resources: boat operator’s guide; October 4, 2026; Ohio Secretary of State: enacted acts and affected sections, 136th General Assembly, read October 5, 2026; Ohio Legislative Service Commission: §1546.01, read October 5, 2026; Ohio Legislative Service Commission: §1547.53, read October 5, 2026; Ohio Legislative Service Commission: §1547.531, read October 5, 2026; Ohio Legislative Service Commission: §1548.01, read October 5, 2026; Ohio Legislative Service Commission: §1547.532, read October 5, 2026 | |
| Oklahoma | Not required for a human-powered kayak within the statutory definition. An owner may request voluntary title and registration. | Not required for a human-powered kayak within the statutory definition. Voluntary titling is available. | Propulsion other than human power, including an electric motor, requires the kayak to be titled and registered. Separate title and registration apply to an internal-combustion outboard motor over ten horsepower (7.46 kilowatts), subject to the Act’s exemptions. | At McGee Creek’s Natural Scenic Recreation Area, a boater planning to access land beyond the immediate shoreline must obtain a permit before entering the quiet water zone. This is an area-specific access condition, separate from boat registration. | Not needed: your human-powered kayak within the statutory definition needs no registration under Title 63 §4005(A)(8), so there is nothing to recognize. Voluntary registration remains available. | Oklahoma Legislature: Title 63, §§4002, 4003, 4005; Service Oklahoma: boats and motors; Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department: administrative-rules index (rule 725:30-18-3); October 4, 2026 |
| Oregon | Operators age 14 or older must carry a Waterway Access Permit for a nonmotorized boat regardless of length. Exceptions include designated free boating days; rental boats when the rental business displays the required permit proof; federally designated wild and scenic rivers with a separate fee system; qualifying bordering-state residents launching from that state into bordering waters as defined by Marine Board rules; other-state permits or registrations accepted by Board rules; and members of federally recognized Oregon tribes engaged in tribal fishing or ceremonies. The rule also exempts qualifying charitable-organization-owned boats used for organization activities confirmed through documentation by a supervising adult, and nonmotorized boats on the Snake River with a valid Idaho invasive-species permit. A boat under ten feet (3.05 meters) qualifies for the whitewater exemption only while engaging in whitewater recreation on waterways in the Board’s current Whitewater Exempt Waterway map layer. | Oregon Legislative Assembly: ORS §830.624; Oregon State Marine Board: filed OAR 250-010-0760; Oregon State Marine Board: Waterway Access Permit explanation; October 4, 2026 | ||||
| Pennsylvania | The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission’s unpowered-boats page, captured October 4, 2026, states that registration is not required for unpowered boats, including kayaks. At Fish and Boat Commission lakes and access areas, registration or a qualifying unpowered-boat use, launch or mooring permit meets the access rule, subject to its exceptions. Overnight mooring in designated Commission areas requires registration; a use permit does not replace it. | Voluntary titling is available; once a boat is voluntarily titled, future titling is mandatory. If a boat titled in another state is brought to Pennsylvania as its state of principal use, its owner must obtain a Pennsylvania title when the boat is registered in Pennsylvania or ownership transfers, whichever occurs first. | At Commission lakes and access areas, a valid Commission use permit or recognized state-parks-and-forests launch or mooring permit can replace registration for the unpowered-boat access rule. The rule excepts noncommercial users of access areas on the West Branch of the Delaware River and on the Delaware River upstream of the Interstate 84 bridge, unpowered public-service boats, and boats in authorized events. | A boat validly numbered and registered under an approved system in its other state of principal operation meets the chapter’s requirements while temporarily operating in Pennsylvania. If Pennsylvania becomes its state of principal operation, the other-state number and registration are recognized for no more than 60 days from the move. | Pennsylvania Legislative Reference Bureau: 58 Pa. Code §53.8; Pennsylvania LRB: §53.27; Pennsylvania LRB: §§93.103, 93.111; Pennsylvania LRB: §93.11; Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission: unpowered boats; October 4, 2026 | |
| Rhode Island | Section 46-22-3 requires numbering for a “motorboat.” Section 46-22-2(2) defines that term to include a vessel with or without machinery, then excludes “houseboats as defined in § 44-5-25.1, canoes, and rowboats twelve feet (12′) in length or less” (3.66 meters). Neither the definition’s exclusions nor §46-22-6’s exemptions name kayaks; check with DEM’s Division of Boating Safety. The duty is subject to §46-22-6’s numbering exemptions. | The registration definition covers a vessel propelled by machinery, including an electric motor, as well as vessels without machinery. Its stated exclusions are those in the registration column. Section 46-22-3 requires numbering, a valid certificate and the number displayed on each side of the bow, subject to §46-22-6 exemptions. | Section 46-22-6(1) recognizes a number in full force and effect awarded under federal law or another state’s federally approved numbering system. If the boat will operate on Rhode Island waters for more than 90 days, its owner must record that number with DEM’s Division of Boating Safety under that section’s conditions. | Rhode Island DEM: boat registration directory; October 4, 2026; Rhode Island General Assembly: 2026 section list, read October 5, 2026; Rhode Island General Assembly: 2025 section list (filter for Title 46, Chapter 22), read October 5, 2026; Rhode Island General Assembly: §46-22-6, read October 5, 2026; Rhode Island General Assembly: §46-22-3, read October 5, 2026; Rhode Island General Assembly: §46-22-2, read October 5, 2026 | ||
| South Carolina | Not required for a paddle boat with no propulsion machinery installed or attached (§50-23-320(A)(2)). South Carolina DNR’s exempted-vessels page includes kayaks in that class. Voluntary numbering is allowed. | Not required for watercraft propelled exclusively by human power. | Installing or attaching propulsion machinery, including an electric motor, removes the paddle-boat numbering exemption. A motor-propelled kayak held or principally used in the state needs a boat title. A detachable outboard motor includes electric propulsion; one below five horsepower (3.73 kilowatts) or its equivalent is exempt from separate motor titling. | Not needed: your paddle-only kayak with no propulsion machinery installed or attached needs no registration under §50-23-320(A)(2), so there is nothing to recognize. Voluntary numbering remains available. | South Carolina Legislature: §§50-23-20, -30, -310, -320; South Carolina Legislature: §50-21-10; South Carolina DNR: title and registration; October 4, 2026; South Carolina DNR: exempted vessels | |
| South Dakota | On state waters, a paddle-only kayak over 12 feet (3.66 meters) must display registration validation decals; one over 18 feet (5.49 meters) must also be numbered. These are different thresholds. | Kayaks are excluded from the definition of large boat used by the title duty; that duty does not require an ordinary kayak title. | The definition covers machinery whether or not it is the main propulsion; an electric trolling motor is machinery in that sense. A motorized kayak must display registration validation decals and be numbered unless an exemption applies. The large-boat title definition still excludes kayaks. | A park entrance license is separate from boat registration. Its vehicle display rules depend on the license and vehicle type; a transferable license is hung on the rearview mirror when parked or placed visibly on the dash while driving in a park. | Not needed for your paddle-only kayak 12 feet (3.66 meters) or shorter: it is outside the registration-validation-decal and numbering duties (§32-3A-3). Section 32-3A-11 says a boat is not required to be numbered if it is “A boat covered by a number still in effect which was awarded pursuant to federal law or a federally approved numbering system of another state, and the boat has neither: (a) Been in this state for more than sixty consecutive days during any calendar year; nor (b) Been subject to a contract for a berth for a period of more than sixty consecutive days during any calendar year in marina facilities located within this state;” The cited chapter gives no visitor exception to §32-3A-3’s decal duty for a nonmotorized boat over 12 feet (3.66 meters). | South Dakota Legislature: Chapter 32-3A; South Dakota Legislature: ARSD 41:03:03:02; South Dakota Department of Revenue: boats; October 4, 2026 |
| Tennessee | Section 69-9-206(a) requires numbering for vessels propelled by sail or machinery, or both. Section 69-9-207(a) requires numbering “in accordance with this chapter”. Your paddle-only kayak is outside §69-9-206(a)’s propulsion scope. | The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency’s boating page, checked October 4, 2026, says boats are not titled in Tennessee. | A motorboat is propelled by machinery even when machinery is not the main propulsion (§69-9-204(13)); an electric motor brings your kayak within §69-9-206(a)’s numbering duty on the waters covered by the chapter, subject to its exceptions. The owner must apply for a number, and the certificate must be available for inspection during operation (§69-9-207(b)–(c)). The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency’s boating page, checked October 4, 2026, says boats are not titled in Tennessee. | Not needed: your paddle-only kayak needs no registration under §69-9-206(a), so there is nothing to recognize. | LexisNexis, Tennessee Code Annotated entry (for §69-9-204); LexisNexis, Tennessee Code Annotated: Tenn. Code Ann. §69-9-206; LexisNexis, Tennessee Code Annotated: Tenn. Code Ann. §69-9-207; LexisNexis, Tennessee Code Annotated: Tenn. Code Ann. §69-9-209; Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency: boating; October 4, 2026 | |
| Texas | Section 31.022(c) names canoes, kayaks, punts, rowboats, rubber rafts, or other vessels under 14 feet (4.27 meters) in its exemption when paddled, poled, oared or windblown. Texas Parks and Wildlife’s registration page says nonmotorized kayaks are exempt regardless of length. | A kayak exempt from numbering under §31.022(c) does not need a certificate of title under §31.045(d). | Texas Parks and Wildlife says adding an outboard or trolling motor to a canoe, kayak, punt, rowboat or rubber raft negates the exemption. Numbering and boat title provisions apply, subject to their exemptions and new-boat ownership documentation. A separately titled outboard motor is defined as an internal-combustion system; an electric trolling motor is outside that definition. | Not needed: your kayak when paddled, poled, oared or windblown needs no registration under §31.022(c) and TPWD’s registration explanation, so there is nothing to recognize. | Texas Legislature: Parks and Wildlife Code Chapter 31; Texas Parks and Wildlife: registration; Texas Parks and Wildlife: titling; October 4, 2026 | |
| Utah | Not required for an ordinary paddle-only kayak. The numbering and registration duties apply to motorboats and sailboats. | Utah’s motorboat definition includes a boat propelled by machinery even when the machinery is not its main propulsion. Adding an electric motor brings the kayak within the numbering and registration duties unless a registration exemption applies. Section 23A-10-304 imposes an annual resident aquatic invasive species fee on “a vessel required to be registered under Section 73-18-7”. It imposes an annual nonresident aquatic invasive species fee if the vessel is owned by a nonresident and “would otherwise be subject to registration requirements under Section 73-18-7 if the vessel were owned by a resident of this state”, subject to the section’s exemptions. Section 304(3)(b)’s exemption covers “a nonmotorized vessel or inflatable motorboat”. Section 304(4)(a)(ii) says “an individual who is 12 years old or older who operates a vessel shall successfully complete once every calendar year an aquatic invasive species education course approved by the division.” | Section 23A-10-304 imposes annual resident and qualifying nonresident aquatic invasive species fee duties on vessels tied to §73-18-7’s registration requirements, subject to its exemptions. Section 304(4)(a)(ii) requires an individual age 12 or older operating a vessel to complete the Division-approved aquatic invasive species education course once every calendar year. Section 23A-10-304(3)(b) says: “A resident or nonresident owner or operator of a nonmotorized vessel or inflatable motorboat is exempt from this section before launching or operating a nonmotorized vessel or inflatable motorboat on the waters of this state.” Utah Division of Wildlife Resources’ page, updated April 21, 2026, says all boaters, including those in human-powered kayaks, must take the annual mussel-aware course and have proof of completion in the launch vehicle; confirm with the Division. | Not needed: your paddle-only kayak needs no registration under §§73-18-6, 73-18-7, so there is nothing to recognize. | Utah State Legislature: §§73-18-2, 73-18-6, 73-18-7, 73-18-9; Utah State Legislature: §23A-10-304, effective May 6, 2026; Utah Division of Wildlife Resources: AIS explanation, updated April 21, 2026; October 4, 2026 | |
| Vermont | An ordinary paddle-only kayak is outside the motorboat numbering duty. | An ordinary paddle-only kayak is outside the title chapter’s machinery-equipped vessel definition; §3807(3) also expressly exempts kayaks designed for manual propulsion. | An electric motor makes the kayak machinery-equipped for the numbering duty, unless a numbering exemption applies. Section 3807(3) says no certificate of title need be obtained for “any vessel that is a canoe, kayak, or similar watercraft designed to be manually propelled or equipped with a motor not to exceed 10 horsepower” (7.46 kilowatts). The section also exempts any vessel under 16 feet (4.88 meters) and vessels more than 15 years old. | On Fish and Wildlife Department lands covered by Appendix §15, boating, launching and landing for fish-based or wildlife-based activities are authorized unless another law or rule prohibits them; the Department may also prohibit otherwise authorized activities. Activities not authorized by that rule require written permission from the Commissioner, who may issue a Special Use Permit, lease or license if the use will not adversely affect authorized activities or the primary purposes of the land. This rule does not cover Fishing Access Areas. | Not needed: your paddle-only kayak needs no registration under §3305(a), so there is nothing to recognize. | Vermont General Assembly: §§3302–3307a; Vermont General Assembly: §§3801, 3807; Vermont General Assembly: Fish and Wildlife land-use rule, Appendix §15; Vermont State Police: Marine Unit; October 4, 2026 |
| Virginia | An ordinary paddle-only kayak is outside the motorboat numbering duty. | An ordinary paddle-only kayak is outside the machinery-propelled watercraft definition used by the title article. | Virginia’s Department of Wildlife Resources describes registration for a boat with “a motor of any size/type”. A motorized kayak must be numbered unless exempt. Before operating a kayak subject to titling, its owner must have applied for a title or hold the specified valid temporary registration certificate; title exemptions remain separate. | Not needed: your paddle-only kayak needs no registration under §29.1-703, so there is nothing to recognize. | Virginia Legislative Information System: §29.1-703; Virginia LIS: §29.1-700; Virginia LIS: §29.1-733.2; Virginia LIS: §29.1-733.6; Virginia LIS: §29.1-710; Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources: boat titles/registration; October 4, 2026 | |
| Washington | Not required for a kayak with no propulsion machinery whose primary propulsion is human power. | The title rule covers vessels subject to registration; an ordinary human-powered kayak with no machinery is exempt from that registration duty. | An electric motor can trigger registration and boat titling. Exceptions include a boat under 16 feet (4.88 meters) with machinery of ten horsepower (7.46 kilowatts) or less on qualifying waters, and machinery drawing at most 250 watts and propelling the boat no faster than ten miles per hour (16.09 kilometers per hour) on qualifying waters. Both motor exceptions exclude use on waters under United States jurisdiction or the specified high seas. Title issuance has separate documented-vessel and ownership-paper exceptions. | Vehicle passes are separate from boat registration. At covered recreation sites or lands, a motor vehicle must display a Discover Pass, vehicle access pass, lifetime disabled veteran pass or day-use permit, subject to the statute’s exceptions and waivers. Covered sites include state parks and fish-and-wildlife water access areas. | Not needed: your kayak with no propulsion machinery whose primary propulsion is human power needs no registration under RCW 88.02.570(9), so there is nothing to recognize. | Washington Legislature: RCW 88.02.570; Washington Legislature: RCW 88.02.550; Washington Code Reviser: WAC 308-93-030; Washington Legislature: RCW 79A.80.080; Washington Legislature: RCW 79A.80.010; Washington Department of Licensing: boats; October 4, 2026 |
| West Virginia | Your paddle-only kayak is outside the numbering duty for motorboats. Section 20-7-11 defines a motorboat by motor propulsion, including an electrical motor even when it is not the main propulsion, and excludes a vessel with a qualifying federal marine document. Section 20-7-12 applies the duty to motorboats on public waters whose principal operation is in West Virginia. | Your paddle-only kayak is outside the motorboat category made subject to the title provisions by §17A-3-2(a)(6). That chapter’s motorboat definition requires an electrical or other motor, even if it is not the main propulsion (§17A-1-1(gg)). | An electric or other motor brings your kayak within the motorboat definition, unless it has the qualifying federal marine document. Numbering is required on public waters when West Virginia is its state of principal operation—the state where it is used more than in any other state during the calendar year—subject to §20-7-14 exemptions. Section 17A-3-2(a)(6) makes motorboats subject to the chapter’s title provisions regardless of highway use. | Not needed: your paddle-only kayak needs no registration under §§20-7-11,20-7-12, so there is nothing to recognize. | West Virginia Division of Natural Resources: boating explanation; October 4, 2026; West Virginia Legislature: 2026 Code Affected, regular session, read October 5, 2026; West Virginia Legislature: 2025 Code Affected, regular session, read October 5, 2026; West Virginia Legislature: §17A-3-2, read October 5, 2026; West Virginia Legislature: §17A-1-1, read October 5, 2026; West Virginia Legislature: §20-7-11, read October 5, 2026; West Virginia Legislature: §20-7-12, read October 5, 2026; West Virginia Legislature: §20-7-14, read October 5, 2026 | |
| Wisconsin | The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources’ general-information page, captured October 4, 2026, states that nonmotorized boats that are not sailboats do not require registration. | The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources’ general-information page, captured October 4, 2026, lists boats exempt from registration requirements and boats voluntarily registered as exempt from titling. | A motorboat is a boat equipped with propulsion machinery, even when it is not the principal source of propulsion; Wisconsin DNR’s boat-registration page expressly includes electric trolling motors. Wis. Stat. §30.51 requires numbering and registration unless an exemption applies. Section 30.531(1) requires the owner of a boat subject to registration or numbering to apply for a title upon acquiring it, or upon registering it when the owner does not hold a valid title, with exemptions for boats less than 16 feet (4.88 meters) long, boats exempted by §30.51(2)(a) or (b), boats voluntarily registered under §30.52(1)(b)1m, and nonresidents buying a boat to title and register in another state. | Not needed for your kayak with no motor or sail: Wisconsin DNR’s general-information page, captured October 4, 2026 says none is required, so there is nothing to recognize. | Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources: boat registration explanation; Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources: general information on boat registration and titling; October 4, 2026; Wisconsin Legislature: §30.50, read October 5, 2026; Wisconsin Legislature: §30.51, read October 5, 2026; Wisconsin Legislature: §30.531 title requirements and exemptions, read October 5, 2026 | |
| Wyoming | An ordinary paddle-only kayak is outside the machinery-powered motorboat numbering duty. | Game and Fish Commission Chapter 22 §3(o) defines motorized watercraft as “any watercraft powered by an internal combustion or electric engine”. A motorized kayak must be numbered unless exempt. First registration or an ownership transfer for registration requires a title in the applicant’s name with the correct hull identification number. | A rigid paddle-only kayak needs an aquatic invasive species program decal valid for the current calendar year before contacting Wyoming waters. Affix it visibly on the bow. This decal is separate from motorboat registration. An inflatable kayak with no motor is exempt from this decal provision if it is “ten (10) feet in length or less” (3.05 meters). Proof of decal purchase can replace a properly affixed decal for “up to thirty (30) days from date of purchase”. | Not needed: your paddle-only kayak needs no registration under §41-13-102(a), so there is nothing to recognize. | Wyoming Legislature: Title 31 §§31-1-101(a)(ix), 31-2-101–102; Wyoming Legislature: Title 41 Chapter 13; Wyoming Game and Fish Commission: Chapter 22; Wyoming Game and Fish Commission: Chapter 62, read October 4, 2026; Wyoming Game and Fish: aquatic invasive species; October 4, 2026 |
Registration and title conditions
Alabama. Under the Alabama Legislature’s §33-5B-2(a)(31)(C), the title-law definition excludes a boat under 18 feet (5.49 meters) propelled solely by paddle, oar, sail or an engine under 75 horsepower (55.93 kilowatts). For a boat within the definition, with Alabama as its state of principal use, §33-5B-6 requires a title application, subject to its exceptions for craft outside ordinary recreational use. Section 33-5B-29 excludes boats whose construction was completed by December 31, 2023; subsection (d)’s voluntary-title exception to that exclusion applies only to vessels 26 feet (7.92 meters) or longer. Principal use here means use on Alabama waters more than on another state’s waters during a calendar year. Registration uses a different definition: private ponds not used for boat rentals or fishing charges are outside “waters of this state,” and boats 12 feet (3.66 meters) or shorter used solely on farm ponds under 50 acres (20.23 hectares) are outside “vessel.” Alabama Legislature, §§33-5-2–3, 33-5B-2, 33-5B-6 and 33-5B-29; Alabama Department of Revenue, vessel-title FAQ.
Florida. The Florida Legislature’s §328.03(1) applies titling to a vessel operated, used or stored on state waters and directs an owner whose boat is principally used in Florida to apply for a title. Here principal use is use on one state’s waters more than on another state’s waters during the calendar year. The exclusions include boats operated, used, or stored exclusively on private lakes and ponds and a qualifying other-state number when the boat is not in Florida more than 90 consecutive days. The section also has exceptions for craft outside ordinary recreational use. These title provisions do not change the separate registration exemption for a nonmotorized kayak of any length. Florida Legislature, §328.03(1)–(3); §328.0015(1)(bb), (ee); §328.48(2)(d).
Arkansas. Section 27-101-302(6) exempts a newly purchased motorboat from numbering for up to 20 working days from the date of purchase if a bill of sale or acceptable purchase proof is aboard, showing the purchase date, owner’s name and address, vessel description and hull identification number. LexisNexis, Arkansas Code of 1987 Annotated Official Edition, §27-101-302.
Delaware. Read §2113(c)’s nonresident conditions and §2113(e)’s tidal-access condition with §2115(c): “No vessel propelled safely by wind power or physical exertion shall be subject to the licensing and registration fee of this subchapter, but shall be subject to all safety requirements referred to in § 2114 of this title.” These are the statute’s words, without a further conclusion about a paddle-only kayak. Delaware General Assembly, §§2113, 2115(c).
Louisiana. Section 852.3(A)(1) says a qualifying person “may apply” for a title for “A vessel valued in excess of two thousand five hundred dollars and required to be numbered and transferred for the first time on or after July 1, 2008.” This applies to a purchase or possession for principal operation on state waters, excluding inventory for sale or lease. Section 851.20(M)(1) says: “Persons shall be required to obtain titles for such approved outboard motors and vessels at the time of application.” That condition follows the subsection’s inspection and approval of the listed missing or altered identifying-number and homemade or length-altered cases. Louisiana Legislature, §34:852.3; §34:851.20(M).
State-specific definitions
For Kansas, Maine and Maryland, state of principal use likewise means the state or jurisdiction where the boat is used most during a calendar year. Kansas uses undocumented for a boat without, and not required to have, a valid United States Coast Guard marine document. Kansas Legislature/Revisor, §32-1102(k), (v); Maine Legislature, §13001(26); Maryland General Assembly, §8-701(p).
In the Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine and Maryland provisions below, the motorboat definitions include machinery propulsion even when machinery is not the main propulsion. Louisiana, Maine and Maryland also include boats equipped with machinery. Kentucky’s exclusions include human-powered boats and boats powered entirely by direct-current battery motors on private waters. Kansas Legislature/Revisor, §32-1102(b); Kentucky LRC, §235.010(2); Louisiana Legislature, §34:851.2(4); Maine Legislature, §13001(16); Maryland General Assembly, §8-701(h).
Minnesota defines motorboat as a watercraft propelled by machinery, including one temporarily fitted with a detachable motor. Its license is the state’s document identifying the numbers assigned to the boat. Missouri’s vessel definition excludes a craft propelled only by paddles or oars; its motorboat definition includes machinery that is not the main propulsion. Minnesota Revisor, §86B.005 subd. 7, 9; Missouri Revisor, §306.010(1), (8).
Montana’s motorboat definition covers any machinery, motor or engine, whether or not it is the principal source of propulsion, and includes temporary detachable motors, and excludes vessels with a valid federal marine document. Its sailboat definition excludes a canoe or kayak propelled by wind. Montana Legislature, §61-1-101(42), (67).
North Dakota’s motorboat means a craft propelled by machinery even when machinery is not its main propulsion, excluding a boat with a valid federal marine document. North Dakota Legislature, §20.1-01-02(30).
Oklahoma’s kayak definition covers a light, narrow vessel with typically pointed ends, propelled by human effort using double-bladed paddles, hand cranks or pedals. Its outboard motor definition covers an externally mounted internal-combustion engine. South Carolina’s outboard motor includes a detachable combustion engine or electric propulsion system; its certificate of number means registration. South Carolina’s boating-law waters of the State exclude private lakes and ponds. Oklahoma Legislature, §4002(20), (27); South Carolina Legislature, §50-21-10(5), (17), (29).
South Dakota’s large boat title definition excludes kayaks; its motorboat definition includes machinery even when it is not the main propulsion. Texas’s motorboat means a vessel propelled or designed to be propelled by machinery, whether or not the machinery is permanently or temporarily affixed or is the principal source of propulsion; its separately titled outboard motor means a detachable internal-combustion system. South Dakota Legislature, §32-3A-2(5), (6); Texas Legislature, §31.003(3), (13).
Vermont’s motorboat means a craft equipped with machinery capable of propulsion, even as an auxiliary source. Virginia’s motorboat registration definition and watercraft title definition likewise include machinery that is not the main propulsion. Wyoming’s motorboat means watercraft “propelled in any respect by propulsion machinery powered by an energy source other than human effort”. A hull identification number (HIN) in Chapter 22 §3(m) meets the specifications in Title 33 of the Code of Federal Regulations; §4(d)’s title-with-correct-number condition applies to motorized-watercraft first registration and transfers. Vermont General Assembly, §3302(6); Virginia LIS, §29.1-700; Virginia LIS, §29.1-733.2; Wyoming Legislature, §41-13-101(a)(iii); Wyoming Game and Fish Commission, Chapter 22 §§3(m), 4(d).
Related trip checks
Use the state-rule checking guide to find the responsible agency for your water. The launch-permit guide and invasive-species permit guide cover separate access programs. Read the river-access guide for its Montana and Texas access examples. Keep the life-jacket rules guide and the safety hub alongside the registration check.