Texas Boating License: Cost, Requirements & How to Buy
Texas requires most motorized boats and all sailboats 14 feet and longer to carry both a state registration and a title, issued together by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Registration is priced by length and covers a 2-year period, longer than the annual renewal many boaters expect from a vehicle-style registration.
Fee shown is for boats under 16 feet; Texas prices registration by length: $32 under 16 ft, $53 for 16-25'11", $110 for 26-39'11", $150 for 40 ft and up. Registration covers a 2-year period, expiring on the last day of the month two years after issuance. Texas does not set a separate non-resident rate. A one-time $27 title is also required for most motorized vessels. Non-motorized vessels under 14 feet (canoes, kayaks, rowboats) with no motor are exempt from titling and registration.
Fee last verified 2026-09-11.
Heading out for Texas boating? Game wardens require carrying physical or digital license proof and valid tags. Equip yourself with a waterproof license and tag pouch, rechargeable wide-beam LED headlamp, and corrosion-resistant multi-tool pliers before your trip.
What Texas boat registration costs
TPWD prices registration in four length tiers: $32 for boats under 16 feet, $53 for 16 feet up to 25 feet 11 inches, $110 for 26 feet up to 39 feet 11 inches, and $150 for 40 feet and up. A $5 admin fee applies to online and phone purchases. Texas does not set a separate non-resident rate, the same length-based schedule applies regardless of where the owner lives.
The title requirement
Most motorized vessels in Texas need a one-time $27 title in addition to registration, issued at the same time through the same TPWD process. The title follows the boat through ownership changes; registration is what you renew every two years. Buying a used boat without a clean, transferable title is the most common snag Texas boat buyers run into.
Registration cycle and renewal
A Texas boat registration covers two years, expiring on the last day of the month, two years after the month you registered. TPWD sends renewal notices roughly 45 days before expiration, and registration can be renewed up to 90 days early, online, by mail, or in person at a TPWD office.
What is exempt from registration
Non-motorized vessels under 14 feet, canoes, kayaks and rowboats with no motor, are exempt from both titling and registration in Texas. Add any motor, including a small trolling motor, and the boat generally needs to register. Sailboats 14 feet and longer need both a title and registration even without an auxiliary motor.
How to register your boat in Texas
Register and title together through TPWD's online portal, by mail, or in person at a TPWD office or authorized agent. First-time registration of a used boat needs the seller's title, a bill of sale, and proof of any lien release; new boats from a licensed Texas dealer typically come with the paperwork already prepared.
Planning more than one? See the Texas hunting license and the Texas fishing license pages too, see non-resident boating fees across states, browse every state, or use the state license finder.