Register within 45 days
Register and title within 45 days of buying the boat. 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 from out of state?
Visiting from out of state? You can use your home-state registration for up to 90 days. After that, register in Texas or buy a 90-day temporary permit ($150).
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
Do I need 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 course - online or in person - runs about $10 to $35. 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.
How old to drive 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 June 2026
- Last reviewed:
- June 15, 2026
- TPWD Boat Registration & Titling - Register and title your boat
- TPWD Boating Fees
- TPWD Mandatory Boater Education - Who needs it and how
Caution: Fees and a few details change. The official TPWD registration and boater education pages are the final word.
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