Boating in Tennessee
Any Tennessee resident born after January 1, 1989, must show the TWRA-issued wallet Boating Safety Education Certificate as proof of successful completion of the TWRA Boating Safety exam. Out of State Boaters: If you were born after January 1, 1989, TWRA will accept any NASBLA-approved boating safety certificate.
Vessel Registration
Apply For or Renew Your TN Vessel Registration Online!
(Note to boat owners: temporary registration allows you to immediately use your boat up to 60 days after you receive your certification)
Tennessee law requires that all mechanically powered vessels (including federally documented recreational vessels) and all sailboats that are principally used in Tennessee must be registered. (Boats are not titled in Tennessee.) Mechanical propulsion includes electric trolling motors but does not include boats powered only by oars or paddles. Boats that require registration must be properly registered before using them on any public water in Tennessee.
Boats with current registration in other states may use Tennessee waters unless Tennessee has become their state of principal use. Exception: Sailboats brought into Tennessee by persons from states that do not require the numbering of sailboats are exempt from registration, provided that Tennessee is not the state of principal use. State of principal use means the state on whose waters a vessel is used or to be used most, whether moored or underway, during a calendar year.
Persons who wish to register a boat must complete a certified Application for Boat Certificate of Number, acquired through a Tennessee county clerk's office or from the dealer that sold you the boat. This will include a yellow temporary registration that is valid for 60 days from the date of certification to allow for processing.
Tennessee Water Vessel Registration Example
County Clerk Requirements
What to take to the clerk’s office in order to obtain the application if the boat was purchased from an individual:
· Complete Bill of Sale that includes:
o Date of Sale
o Price
o Full description of the vessel including – year, make, model, and HIN
o Name, Address, telephone number, and signature of both buyer and seller.
· If your vessel is built after 1972 and the HIN is no longer affixed to the vessel or not in the proper US Coast Guard Format, photos will be required. Please see below for instructions on where to locate your HIN.
What to take to the clerk’s office in order to obtain the application if the boat is in your name in another state but you would like to register it in Tennessee:
· Documents to prove the vessel was registered to you in another state.
· If applicable, provide proof that sales tax was paid in another state in order to receive credit for all previous taxes paid.
· Taxable basis is the fair market value of the boat as of the date it was moved to TN.
For questions regarding TN County Clerk requirements, please contact your local County Clerk.
Initial Registration Requirements
The Tennessee Department of Revenue requires that boats that have never been registered to you before must provide certification that the sales tax was paid when purchased. The owner needs to have the appropriate County Clerk's office or boat dealer certify the application, verifying that the tax was paid (Please see above “County Clerk Requirements” for details). The registration form can be uploaded to our online registration portal by clicking here https://vessel.gooutdoorstennessee.com/Vessel/CustomerLookup.aspx or taken to your local TWRA Regional office in Jackson, Nashville, Crossville, or Morristown. Boats built after 1972 are required to have a Hull Identification Number (HIN). If you are unable to locate your HIN via the guidelines below, please provide a photo of the location of your vessel during the application process.
To begin, you will need to locate your TWRA Customer Profile. You will need your date of birth, last name, and a second form of identification (TWRA Number, Last 4 of SSN, or DL Number) so the system can check for an existing account. If you have never had a boat registered or a hunting/fishing license in Tennessee, you will not have a profile and can start by creating an account. An email address and phone number are required to complete any online transaction.
With the Online Vessel Registration system, you can:
- View/Manage Your Current Vessel Registration Records and Check the Status of Pending Vessel Applications.
- Renew Existing Registrations in Your Name Online Using a Debit / Credit Card (Visa, MC, or Discover).
- Upload your completed Application for a Boat Certificate of Number, certified by a TN County Clerk or TN boat dealer, to complete your first-time registration.
- Submit & Pay for Your Application Online (Notification of Approval or request for additional information within 7 Days via Email).
Vessel Registration for Dealers or Manufacturers
Dealers or manufacturers may apply for registration, which can be transferred from one vessel to another. A copy of the business license and sales tax number must accompany the application for a dealer or manufacturer number. Such vessels are to be used for demonstration purposes only, and more than one vessel may not be operated simultaneously with the same number. In addition, vessels being demonstrated must have the Certificate of Number on board, and the registration number must be correctly displayed. However, such vessels may display the number by having it attached to removable signs that can be temporarily but firmly attached to the vessel. Both original and renewal dealer/manufacturer registrations must come to the central office in Nashville and can’t be renewed online.
Vessel Hull Number Correction
The U.S. Coast Guard has mandated (33 C.F.R. § 181.25) that all registered vessels in the State of Tennessee provide a properly formatted Hull Identification Number (HIN) to TWRA.
The Hull Identification Number (HIN) is a 12-character serial number that uniquely identifies a boat and is formatted according to US Coast Guard standards. The HIN is similar to the VIN on a car. Vessels manufactured or imported before 1973 are EXEMPT because they often do not have a HIN. All boats manufactured or imported after 1972, must have a HIN, and this HIN must be identified during the boat registration process. HIN numbers are typically located:
- On sport and fishing boats, they can be found on the back right outside the corner.
- On pontoons, they can be found on the right side of the frame above the pontoon, but below the deck.
- On personal watercraft, they can be found under the seat as well as on the lip of the footrest.
If you are unable to locate the HIN number in any of these locations, photos of these areas of the vessel will be required.
Customers with an invalid HIN may renew their boats but within the next three years, our system may decline these renewals and any new owner applications in order to comply with the Agency’s Coast Guard deadline. It is imperative to correct these numbers in the system before that deadline.
Contact the TWRA
Phone: 615-781-5270 | E-mail: hin.correction@tn.gov
Operating/Renting Non-Motorized Vessels in Tennessee
Renting Motorized Boats in Tennessee
An amendment was passed in the General Assembly (Public Chapter No. 267) requiring persons that rent motorized watercraft be given an orientation for the particular kind of vessel. The renter of that watercraft must sign off on a check sheet acknowledging this orientation and the marina, livery or any other rental entity will keep this acknowledgment on file for at least 30 days.
Exemptions:
- Non-motorized vessel rentals
- Tennessee residents who have successfully completed a monitored National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) exam and hold the TWRA-issued wallet certification card
- Any out-of-state visitor who holds a NASBLA-approved boating safety education certification
- Any person who holds a United States Coast Guard operator license
- Any person born on or before January 1, 1989
NASBLA-approved certification will have this logo on the certificate:
The TWRA-approved orientation videos and check sheets for acknowledgment can be found at www.rentalboatsafety.com video DVD’s and resources can also be ordered from this website.
Water Craft Safety Education & Essentials
Tennessee Clean Vessel Act Program
In 1992, Congress passed the Clean Vessel Act to help reduce pollution from vessel sewage discharges into U.S. waters. The Grant Program established by the Act is for the funding of the construction, renovation, operation, and maintenance of pumpout stations, dump stations, and pumpout vessels to service pleasure craft. As part of its commitment to provide clean, safe, and enjoyable recreational boating in Tennessee, TWRA serves as the State Grant coordinator. The Department will also provide boater education programs to promote public awareness about boat sewage and its proper disposal.
Boating Infrastructure Grant (BIG) Program
The Boating Infrastructure Grant program is a nationwide competitive grant program that provides funding for the construction, renovation, and maintenance of public and private boating infrastructure tie-up facilities with features for transient boaters in vessels 26 feet or more in length that are available to the public.
Report an Incident or Accident to a TWRA Agent
- Online Reporting Form for an Incident or Accident to a TWRA Agent
Yearly Incident Reports
- 2024 Tennessee Boating Incident Statistical Report
- 2023 Tennessee Boating Incident Statistical Report
- 2022 Tennessee Boating Incident Statistical Report
- You can submit a records request via email for previous years.
