Boating in Washington
Registration, titles, boater education and taxes, from Washington Department of Licensing (registration/title); State Parks Boating Program (education) and other official sources.
| Registering agency | Washington Department of Licensing (registration/title); State Parks Boating Program (education) |
| Registration fees | Annual vessel registration fee $10.50 + $4.50 filing fee + $0.25 plate technology fee + $0.50 license service fee (RCW 88.02.560). Plus a $8 service fee if done by subagent (per search summary; not confirmed in PDF). Plus watercraft excise tax of 0.5% of value. |
| Renewal | annual (expires June 30) |
| Title | yes (Vessel Title Application) |
| Boater education | operators of boats with 15 hp or more need WA Boater Education Card (per state program; survey column has details); operators of boats 15 hp or more; minimum age 12 [per USCG-hosted NASBLA survey; may be outdated] |
| Sales/use tax | 6.5% state + local -- sales/use tax at local rate; proof required; cap: none found: sales/use tax at combined rate plus 0.5% recreational vessel tax; no cap stated |
| Property tax | watercraft excise instead |
| Forms | Official forms |
Sources
Checked 2026-10-24. Rules change; confirm with the agency.
Places in Washington
Top boating cities in Washington
Burien (#4) · Bremerton (#5) · Edmonds (#6) · Seattle (#7) · Kirkland (#8) · Renton (#9) · Shoreline (#10) · Kent (#11) · Federal Way (#12) · Lynnwood (#13) · Bellevue (#14) · Bothell (#17) · Redmond (#21) · Auburn (#59) · Sammamish (#60) · Everett (#108) · Vancouver (#112) · Tacoma (#119) · Lakewood (#191) · Puyallup (#218) · All 250 boating cities
Registration, titling and documentation guide · Boater education by state