Licensing Your Personal Watercraft
All motorized and non-motorized watercraft must be licensed by the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). The types of watercraft that must be licensed include, but are not limited to, motorboats, row- boats, sailboats, sailboards, canoes, kayaks, paddle boats, rowing shells or sculls, all-terrain vehicles used in the water, and inflatable craft. Exceptions to this law are as follows: 1. Watercraft currently registered in another state and not kept in Minnesota for more than 90 consecutive days. 2. Watercraft from a country other than the United States and not kept in Minnesota for more than 90 consecutive days. 3. Watercraft owned by the United States government or other specified governmental units, except those boats used for rec- reational purposes. 4. Watercraft documented with the United States Coast Guard. (Note: Documentation is a process where official papers on craft five net tons or larger are issued by the Coast Guard instead of state registration.) 5. A ship’s lifeboat. 6. Duck boats during the duck hunting season, rice boats during the harvest season and seaplanes. 7. Non-motorized watercraft nine feet in length or less. Unless a license is issued and in effect, it’s against the law to operate or permit the operation of any watercraft which requires a license.
