Do You Have to Register a Paddle Board?

Written by Steve W in Paddle Boarding

Do You Have to Register a Paddle Board

Believe it or not, stand up paddle board registration is required in a handful of US states. And no, surprisingly, California’s not one of them. But if you want to paddle board legally in the states where you have to register a paddle board, we’ve summarized what you’ll need to know.

Do you have to register a paddle board? You have to register a paddle board in Iowa, Minnesota, and South Dakota. Most requirements for registering a paddle board are based on length, but there are also states with other specialized SUP registration requirements, like Idaho.

Stick with me, because ya know, death, taxes … and paddle board registration. You don’t have to like it, you just have to do it.

Paddle Board Registration – State by State

Most states don’t require paddle board registration, but the few that do have some specific rules. Read up and be prepared to have your registration checked.

For those states that don’t currently require paddle board registration, we’ve included links to state agencies, statutes, and state boater education if you want to learn the specifics around paddle board registration.

DISCLAIMER: We’re not lawyers, so we encourage you to do your own research. This content is provided for informational purposes only. It is not legal advice. It represents the best available information we could find on paddle board registration at the publishing date of this article.

ALABAMA Paddle Board Registration

Do you have to register a paddle board in Alabama? You do not have to register a paddle board in Alabama. Section 33-5-19 of the Alabama Code states that “A vessel not propelled by machinery…” is exempt from numbering and registration.

ALASKA Paddle Board Registration

Do you have to register a paddle board in Alaska? You do not have to register a paddle board in Alaska. Alaska Statue AS 05.25.055 states that “…(4) a boat that is not equipped with mechanical propulsion…” is exempt from numbering and registration provisions.

ARKANSAS Paddle Board Registration

Do you have to register a paddle board in Arkansas? You do not have to register a paddle board in Arkansas. The Code of Arkansas Title 27, Subtitle 7, Chapter 101, Subchapter 3 (Motorboat Registration and Numbering) states that all “motorboats” shall be numbered. This excludes “vessels” that are not powered by sail or motor—paddle boards.

ARIZONA Paddle Board Registration

Do you have to register a paddle board in Arizona? You do not have to register a paddle board in Arizona. Chapter 3 section 5-321 of the Arizona Revised Statutes states that all “motorboats” must be numbered and registered. As paddle boards are non-motorized, they do not have to be registered.

CALIFORNIA Paddle Board Registration

Do you have to register a paddle board in California? You do not have to register a paddle board in California. “Vessels propelled solely by oars or paddles do not have to be registered in California.” So paddle boards don’t have to be registered.

COLORADO Paddle Board Registration

Do you have to register a paddle board in Colorado? You do not have to register a paddle board in Colorado. Canoes, Kayaks and non-motorized rafts (paddle boards) are exempted from registration under Colorado Revised Statutes 33-13-103.

CONNECTICUT Paddle Board Registration

Do you have to register a paddle board in Connecticut? You do not have to register a paddle board in Connecticut. “Non-motorized boats” (paddle boards) are exempted from boating registration in Connecticut.

DELAWARE Paddle Board Registration

Do you have to register a paddle board in Delaware? You do not have to register a paddle board in Delaware. According to Delaware Code Title 23, Chapter 21, 2115, “No vessel propelled safely by wind power or physical exertion shall be subject to the licensing and registration fee…” (paddle boards) are exempted from registration in Delaware.

FLORIDA Paddle Board Registration

Do you have to register a paddle board in Florida? You do not have to register a paddle board in Florida. According to Florida Statutes “A non-motor-powered vessel less than 16 feet in length or a non-motor-powered canoe, kayak, racing shell, or rowing scull, regardless of length” are exempted from registration at the FLHSMV.

GEORGIA Paddle Board Registration

Do you have to register a paddle board in Georgia? You do not have to register a paddle board in Georgia. Georgia DNR and Georgia Statute Title 52, CH 7, Article 1 do not require “Canoes, kayaks, rowboats, and rafts with no mechanical propulsion … not motor propelled” to be registered.

HAWAII Paddle Board Registration

Do you have to register a paddle board in Hawaii? You do not have to register a paddle board at the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation. Manually propelled vessels like paddle boards are exempted from registration.

IDAHO Paddle Board Registration

Do you have to register a paddle board in Idaho? You don’t have to register a paddle board in Idaho. Paddle boards are manually propelled vessels and are not subject to registration. However, paddle boards are required to have an invasive species sticker—motor boats, jet boats, canoes, kayaks, rafts (paddle boards), and drift boats are included.

ILLINOIS Paddle Board Registration

Do you have to register a paddle board in Illinois? You do not have to register a paddle board in Illinois. And as of June, 2018 the Illinois Department of Natural Resources repealed the water usage stamp and registration requirements for non-motorized watercraft.

INDIANA Paddle Board Registration

Do you have to register a paddle board in Indiana? You do not have to register a paddle board in Indiana. Non-motorized vessels like canoes, rowboats, and paddle boards without sails are exempt from Indiana vessel registration.

IOWA Paddle Board Registration

Do you have to register a paddle board in Iowa? Yes, in Iowa you must register your paddle board with Iowa DNR Boating Registration if it’s longer than 13′ in length. In Iowa, vessels without motor or sail, and longer than 13′, are still required to be registered to operate legally on Iowa waterways.

KANSAS Paddle Board Registration

Do you have to register a paddle board in Kansas? You do not have to register a paddle board in Kansas. Vessels without any kind of motor or sail aren’t required to be registered with Kansas Wildlife, Parks and Tourism.

KENTUCKY Paddle Board Registration

Do you have to register a paddle board in Kentucky? You do not have to register a paddle board in Kentucky. Non-motorized vessels like paddle boards don’t require boating registration in Kentucky.

LOUISIANA Paddle Board Registration

Do you have to register a paddle board in Louisiana? You do not have to register a paddle board in Louisiana. All motorized vessels must be registered with Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries, so paddle boards that have no motor or sail are exempted from Louisiana paddle board registration.

MAINE Paddle Board Registration

Do you have to register a paddle board in Maine? You do not have to register a paddle board in Maine. Registration in Maine is only required for paddle boards that have a motor attached to them. All motorized paddle craft must register with Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife in Augusta or online.

MARYLAND Paddle Board Registration

Do you have to register a paddle board in Maryland? You do not have to register a paddle board in Maryland. Registration in Maryland is not required for paddle boards that have no primary or auxiliary mechanical means or propulsion attached to them. Manually propelled vessels are exempt from registration

MASSACHUSETTS Paddle Board Registration

MICHIGAN Paddle Board Registration

MINNESOTA Paddle Board Registration

MISSISSIPPI Paddle Board Registration

MISSOURI Paddle Board Registration

MONTANA Paddle Board Registration

NEBRASKA Paddle Board Registration

NEVADA Paddle Board Registration

NEW HAMPSHIRE Paddle Board Registration

NEW JERSEY Paddle Board Registration

NEW YORK Paddle Board Registration

NORTH CAROLINA Paddle Board Registration

NORTH DAKOTA Paddle Board Registration

OHIO Paddle Board Registration

OKLAHOMA Paddle Board Registration

OREGON Paddle Board Registration

PENNSYLVANIA Paddle Board Registration

RHODE ISLAND Paddle Board Registration

SOUTH CAROLINA Paddle Board Registration

SOUTH DAKOTA Paddle Board Registration

TENNESSEE Paddle Board Registration

TEXAS Paddle Board Registration

UTAH Paddle Board Registration

VERMONT Paddle Board Registration

VIRGINIA Paddle Board Registration

WASHINGTON Paddle Board Registration

WEST VIRGINIA Paddle Board Registration

WISCONSIN Paddle Board Registration

WYOMING Paddle Board Registration

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Steve W

I'm Steve, the research and technology donkey behind Paddle Camp. I do tons of research on all our family's paddling gear before I buy or recommend anything. I grew up canoeing with my dad and brother. A few years ago I bought paddle boards for my daughters, myself, and my wife. Ever since then, we plan most of our vacations around kayaking, canoeing, or paddle boarding.

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