Which Vessels Need Boat Registration on Texas Waterways?

If you love riding on the water and decide to buy a boat, you may wonder if your vessel requires a boat registration. At Hermes Insurance Services, we know that Sanger, TX, residents enjoy escaping the city’s heat by taking their boat out on one of our nearby waterways. You’ll need to get a boat registration for the required vessels to protect your boat. Hermes Insurance Solutions will have the necessary answers if you live in the Sanger area and have questions about boat insurance.

Which Vessels Don’t Need Boat Registration? 

In Texas, non-motorized canoes, kayaks, punts, or rowboats are not required to be registered. Rubber rafts and vessels under 14 feet long when poled, paddled, or wind-blown also don’t need to be registered. Military vessels, such as Coast Guard commercial vessels, are used in coastal shipping or vessels over 115 feet long. Owners of these vessels also don’t need a boat registration.

What About Out-of-State Vessels?

If you have an out-of-state boat and want to operate it in Texas, you may not need to register it in Texas. The state law currently allows you to manage a boat in Texas when it is registered in another state. Under these circumstances, you have up to 90 days to use any vessel in Texas waterways without obtaining a Texas boat registration.

Who Should You Call for Boat Insurance Questions?

Boat owners living in the Sanger, TX, area who have any questions about boat registration or boat insurance can contact Hermes Insurance Solutions. We’ve been serving the insurance needs of our area since 1989. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department enforces laws about boats and their registration for the safety of everyone who uses our waterways.