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Registering Your Boat in the State of Tennessee

Apr. 18 2022 News By Topher Davison

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TN Boats RegisteringTennessee Wildlife Resources Agency Logo

Boat registration in the state of Tennessee is an important part of boat ownership and has some significant differences from other vehicles.  It is part of the closing sale process at Anderson Marine to inform any buyer, whether they are repeat or new customers, of the requirements of registering and renewing your vessel with the state.  The state of Tennessee does not issue titles for watercraft like you would receive for a car, truck, or motorcycle.  This can be confusing for individuals who have purchased other vehicles and are expecting to receive a title in the mail.  Instead, there is an online resource the Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency (TWRA) provides that allows you to register or renew your vessel online, check your application status, and obtain replacement registration cards and decals. 


To apply for or renew your Tennessee vessel registration you will either “enroll” or “login” to the online portal (provided at the end of the article).  It is important to note anyone who “wish[es] to register any vessel must complete a certified Application for Boat Certificate of Number, acquired through a TN County Clerk's office or from the TN dealer that sold you the boat. This will include a yellow temporary registration for 60 days after date of certification to allow for processing (TWRA, 2022). 


Make sure you have the required documents with you to complete the registration application.  Those include:

  • A complete bill of sale that has:
  • date of sale,
  • price,
  • A full description of the vessel which includes:
  • year,
  • make,
  • model, and
  • Hull Identification Number (HIN) (unless built prior to 1973)
  • Contact details of buyer and seller
  • name,
  • address,
  • phone number, and
  • signature

If you are someone who purchased a boat out of state and are wanting to transfer registration to Tennessee, you must have the following:

  • Documents to prove the vessel was registered to the customer in another state.
  • Proof they paid sales tax in another state to receive credit for taxes paid.
  • Taxable basis is fair market [value] of the boat as of the date it was moved to Tennessee.

“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 a 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 corner.
  • On pontoons, they can be found on the right side of the frame above the pontoon, but below the deck.
  • On personal watercrafts, 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” (TWRA, 2022).


You can find all this information and more by going to: https://vessel.gooutdoorstennessee.com/Vessel/CustomerLookup.aspx

If you have further questions regarding the registration of your boat, you can always call Anderson Marine at 615-865-7885 and we will be happy to assist you.  The Helm Awaits.


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