Register within 45 working days
Submit the title transfer and tax within 45 working days of buying the boat (file late and tax penalties and interest apply). Registration is good for 2 years, then you renew.
Boating / Getting legal
Register, title, and learn.
The routine part of boating. Here's who has to register, what it costs, the boater education some people must have, and how old you have to be to drive.
The basics
Title your boat
A title (the proof of ownership) costs about $27.
Sales tax
Texas charges 6.25% sales/use tax on a boat purchase, capped at $18,750 per boat (the outboard motor is taxed separately, with its own cap). A new Texas resident pays a one-time $15 fee instead.
Display your numbers
Put your TX registration numbers on both sides of the bow in 3-inch block letters, in a color that contrasts with the hull, with the validation decal just behind them.
Visiting boaters from out of state
A boat with current registration from another state may operate in Texas for up to 90 consecutive days. Staying longer means transferring the registration and title to Texas. The separate $150 temporary use-tax permit only delays use tax for a qualifying boat or motor that will leave Texas; it does not extend registration or permission to operate.
Trailers are separate
Your boat trailer is separate. Register and renew it yearly through the Texas DMV / your county tax office - not TPWD - the same way you would a car.
Registration fees by length
| Class | Boat length | 2-year fee |
|---|---|---|
| Class A | Under 16 ft | $32 |
| Class 1 | 16 to under 26 ft | $53 |
| Class 2 | 26 to under 40 ft | $110 |
| Class 3 | 40 ft and longer | $150 |
Two-year registration fees by boat length, plus about $27 for the title. Fees can change - confirm on the TPWD fee page.
TPWD Boating Fees ->Boater education
Boater education
If you were born on or after September 1, 1993, you must pass a boater education course to operate certain boats.
- A motorboat with a motor over 15 horsepower
- A jet ski (personal watercraft)
- A wind-powered boat (sailboat) over 14 feet
Carry proof: Carry your boater education card and a photo ID whenever you operate.
Cost: The online course runs about $11 to $85, depending on the provider - every course includes a $10 TPWD fee. Classroom courses are offered too. Take it once. The card never expires.
Out of state: Out-of-state visitors must meet this too; an approved card from another state counts.
Exempt? Born before September 1, 1993? You're exempt - but the course is still a smart idea.
Minimum age to operate a boat
Minimum age: 13
To operate a motorboat over 15 hp or a jet ski on your own, you must be at least 13 years old.
Education is separate
That's a separate requirement from boater education - if you were born on or after Sept. 1, 1993, you need the card too.
Under 13: supervised only
Younger than 13? You can still operate, but only if an adult 18 or older - who can legally operate the boat - is on board with you while it's moving.
Jet skis
A child under 13 may never operate a jet ski unless that 18-or-older adult is on board with them.
Keep going
Official sources
Registration, titling, fees, and boater education all come from TPWD. Boat trailers are handled separately by the Texas DMV.
- Data vintage:
- Fees and rules as reviewed July 2026
- Last reviewed:
- July 10, 2026
- TPWD Boat Registration & Titling - Register and title your boat
- TPWD Boating Fees
- TPWD Mandatory Boater Education - Who needs it and how
Before you act: Fees and a few details change. The official TPWD registration and boater education pages are the final word. How to use Texas Porch carefully.
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