Boating in Connecticut
Registration, titles, boater education and taxes, from Connecticut DMV (registration); DEEP Boating Division (education) and other official sources.
| Registering agency | Connecticut DMV (registration); DEEP Boating Division (education) |
| Registration fees | By length, fiberglass/metal hull: <12 ft $7.50; 12-13 $11.25; 13-14 $15; 14-15 $18.75; 15-16 $22.50; 16-17 $30; ... 25-26 $97.50; ... 39-40 $247.50; ... 64-65 $480; 65+ $525. Wood hull 15-24 yrs old 50%, 25+ yrs 25%. Pontoon $40; canoe $7.50; low-power (<15 ft and <15 hp) $7.50. |
| Renewal | annual: certificates expire the last day of April of the year following issuance (CGS ch. 268) |
| Title | yes for vessels 19.5 ft or longer (statutory exceptions) |
| Boater education | Connecticut residents, Connecticut property owners and anyone operating a Connecticut-registered vessel need a Safe Boating Certificate (or a USCG operator license) to operate any boat with a motor or a sailboat 19½ ft or longer; PWC operators need a Certificate of Personal Watercraft Operation (CT DEEP, Who Needs a Boating Certificate); under 16 with a CPWO may operate a PWC only with onboard supervision by a person 18+ holding a CPWO; under 16 may not operate a vessel engaged in tubing or water-skiing; under 16 may operate a non-PWC without a certificate only under direct supervision of a person 18+ who has held a boating certificate for at least 2 years; under 12 with a certificate may not operate a vessel over 10 hp unless accompanied by a person 18+ with a certificate (CT DEEP, Who Needs a Boating Certificate); NASBLA-approved courses: Partly: nonresidents who do not own Connecticut property or a CT-registered boat need no certificate for boats other than PWC; PWC operators need a Connecticut CPWO or a PWC certificate from a reciprocal state (NY, MA, NH or RI); residents need a CT certificate from an approved course or the DEEP equivalency exam (CT DEEP, Who Needs a Boating Certificate, updated Jan. 23, 2025) (source: portal.ct.gov, checked 2026-11-04) |
| Sales/use tax | 2.99% reduced rate for vessels required to register with DMV; cap: No dollar cap; reduced 2.99% rate for vessels, vessel motors and vessel trailers (exempt if docked in CT 60 days or fewer per year, CERT-143) |
| Property tax | yes (local, town of record) |
| Forms | Official forms |
Sources
Checked 2026-10-25. Rules change; confirm with the agency.
Places in Connecticut
Top boating cities in Connecticut
Norwich (#24) · Middletown (#26) · Stamford (#44) · Bridgeport (#58) · Meriden (#68) · Waterbury (#87) · Norwalk (#96) · Shelton (#97) · New Haven (#130) · Milford (#136) · West Haven (#155) · Danbury (#223) · All 250 boating cities
Upcoming boat shows
Dated shows in Connecticut from the official Discover Boating calendar and each show’s organizer site. Confirm dates on the organizer page before you travel. Boat show shopping guide
- Hartford Boat Show at Mohegan Sun — January 28-31, 2027
- Norwalk Boat Show — September 23-26, 2027 · NMMA-produced
Registration, titling and documentation guide · Boater education by state
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