How to Register a Personal Watercraft PWC in California
Application to register a vessel may be made at any office of the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). Upon receipt of the required information and fees, DMV will issue a Certificate of Number, a Certificate of Ownership, and a set of registration stickers.
The boat registration number is the number (beginning with CF) shown on the certificates. Upon registration, your vessel may be subject to Use Tax based on the purchase price if it is acquired out-of-state or from a private party. For additional information regarding Use Tax, contact your local Board of Equalization or DMV office.
The Certificate of Ownership is your evidence of title to the vessel and, therefore, should be kept in a safe place. Certificates issued will also contain the boat’s identifying number (known as the hull identification number), which is the number permanently marked on the transom by the manufacturer or builder, or the number assigned by DMV and marked on the transom by the owner.
The reverse side of the Certificate of Ownership is an application for transfer of ownership. The Certificate of Number, or temporary Certificate of Number, must be available for inspection on the vessel whenever it is being used on the water. Proper display of the current registration stickers on the vessel next to the CF number is required to permit enforcement officers to determine, without boarding, that the vessel is currently registered.
