Tennessee's Titling and Registration Requirements

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Boat Registration Requirements

Tennessee's boat registration regulations stipulate that to legally operate a motorized boat in Tennessee (including federally documented boats) and sailboats primarily used in Tennessee, you lot must register the boat past obtaining a Certificate of Number. The Document of Number must exist on lath at all times and be bachelor for inspection by law enforcement. Boats are not required to be titled in Tennessee.

To register a boat, y'all must complete a registration form, available through a Canton Clerk'due south office or from the dealer that sold y'all the boat.

Illustration of a boat displaying boat registration numbers

Exemptions:

  • Currently registered boats from other states that are using Tennessee water for 60 days or less.
  • Human-powered craft (such equally canoes and kayaks).

Boat Registration Number and Decal Placement:

  • The numbers must be painted or otherwise permanently affixed to each side of the forward half of the boat.
  • The color of the registration number must contrast with the color of the boat.
  • The numbers must be in plain, vertical cake letters and be at to the lowest degree 3 inches high.
  • The numbers must be read from left to right.
  • Numbers and letters must exist separated by a hyphen or by an equivalent space.
  • Validation decals must be placed on each side of the bow immediately preceding or post-obit the registration number.
  • The same placement requirements utilise to personal watercraft (PWCs).

Other Boat Registration Data

A Certificate of Number is valid for 1, two, or 3 years, at the selection of the owner.

The owner of a numbered boat must notify the Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency (TWRA) within 15 days if:

  • They alter their address.
  • The gunkhole is lost, stolen and/or recovered, destroyed, abandoned, or sold.

Annotation: If you lose or destroy your Certificate of Number or validation decals, you lot must apply to the TWRA for a replacement and submit a processing fee.

Federally Documented Boats

Boats that have been federally documented by the Declension Guard must be registered in Tennessee and must carry the Document of Number on board, merely they are not required to display the registration number.

The validation decals must be placed on both sides of the documented gunkhole on the windows closest to the main operator station. If the boat does not have windows, the decals must be placed in the immediate vicinity of the operator and must exist clearly visible to enforcement officers.

Note: Documented sailboats may identify the decals on both sides of the lesser of the chief mast.