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Register a vessel
How to register or renew your registration for a recreational boat or personal water craft in WA.
You must register any recreational vessel that is or can be propelled by mechanical power, including sailing vessels, to use it in Western Australian waters.
All recreational vessels in navigable waters, including those on moorings, in pens or berthed at jetties must be registered, regardless of how often they are used.
It is an offence to use or have a vessel in any navigable waters without a current registration.
Vessel registration lasts for 12 months and is required to be renewed annually - if you want to continue to use your vessel on the water.
Vessels exempted from registration
You do not need to register:
- sailing vessels that cannot carry a motor
- canoes, surf skis and other craft without motors
- tender vessels no more than 3.1 metres long
- with a motor not bigger than 5hp (3.73 kW)
- used only as a lifeboat and for ship to shore transport, and for no other purpose
- displaying the registration number of the parent vessel.
| Safety guidelines: Vessel registration | Kb | |
How to register a new vessel
To register a new vessel, you will need to:
- Complete the New boat registration: Application to register a new boat form below.
- Submit your completed form by mail or in person at a DoT Driver and Vehicle Service (DVS) Centre, Regional Centre or at a Regional Authorised Agent.
- Make sure you include copies of the following documents:
- Hull Identification Number (HIN) certificate.
- Proof of identity.
- Proof of acquisition, such as a bill of sale, detailed receipt, consignment note, offer to purchase or statutory declaration providing evidence of ownership.
- You will also need to pay a registration fee as well as annual fees. You can pay your new vessel registration fee in person or over the phone.
Multiple owners
If your vessel has more than one owner, you will also need to complete and submit the Additional boat owners: Additional purchasers/sellers form.
Pay your registration renewal online
Pay without a DoTDirect account
Don't have a DoTDirect online account?
If your registration has not expired, you can pay by credit card using our online payment facility.
You must have your account number to use this option.
Please contact 13 11 56 if you have misplaced or lost your account number.
Pay with DoTDirect
With DoTDirect, you can pay your annual boat registration renewal, view your boat details, and transfer vessel registration from one owner to the next.
Fees
Fees for recreational boat registration, foreign recreational vessel registration, boat registration numbers, and dealer trade plates are listed below.
Annual registration fees are determined by the vessel’s hull length, as described on the vessel's Boat Registration Certificate.
Registration of private pleasure craft fees
| Fee type | Fee |
|---|---|
| Initial registration for 1 year or renewal of annual registration where overall length of vessel. | |
| Registration of private pleasure craft, less than 5 metres | $147.50 |
| Registration of private pleasure craft, 5 metres to 9.99 metres | $313.10 |
| Registration of private pleasure craft, 10 metres to 19.99 metres | $628.00 |
| Registration of private pleasure craft, 20 metres and over | $918.45 |
| Registration of private pleasure craft recording fees | |
| Recording fee initial private pleasure craft registration | $32.55 |
| Recording fee change of ownership private pleasure craft registration | $32.55 |
| Recording fee registration expired more than 30 days private pleasure craft registration | $32.55 |
| Replacement of documents | |
| Replacement of certificate of private pleasure craft registration | $13.90 |
Recreational vessel, boat registration number fees
| Fee type | Fee |
|---|---|
| Registration number for private pleasure craft for each numeral | |
| Large boat registration numbers | $1.90 [*] |
| Small boat registration numbers | $1.90 [*] |
Registration of foreign recreational vessel fees
| Fee type | Fee |
|---|---|
| Initial registration for 3 month period where overall length of vessel is; | |
| Registration of foreign recreational vessels less than 5 metres | $4.45 |
| Registration of foreign recreational vessels 5 metres to 9.99 metres | $8.25 |
| Registration of foreign recreational vessels 10 metres to 19.99 metres | $10.75 |
| Registration of foreign recreational vessels 20 metres to 29.99 metres | $21.45 |
| Registration of foreign recreational vessels 30 metres to 39.99 metres | $42.75 |
| Registration of foreign recreational vessels 40 metres and over | $85.60 |
Recreational vessel Dealer Trade plate fees
| Fee type | Fee |
|---|---|
| Initial Issue of Recreational vessel Dealer Plates, first set | $404.10 |
| Annual renewal of Recreational vessel Dealer Plates, first set of plates | $306.80 |
| Each subsequent set of Recreational vessel Dealer Plates, percentage of first set of plates. 10% | |
| Purchase of subsequent set of Recreational vessel Dealer plates | $168.90 |
| Replacement of lost Recreational vessel Dealer Plates | $168.90 |
Refunds
You may be eligible for a refund of your boat registration fees if:
- You have made a duplicate renewal payment.
- You made a payment in error.
Please contact us on 13 11 56 to enquiry about our refund process.
Interstate and overseas vessels
Vessel registered interstate
Vessels that are currently registered in another Australian state must be registered with the Department of Transport (DoT) within 3 months of first being used in Western Australia waters.
Vessels entering from the Northern Territory have 30 days from first being used in Western Australia waters before they must be registered with DoT.
To register a vessel from another state or territory, follow the steps to register a new vessel.
Vessel registered overseas
A foreign pleasure vessel is a registrable vessel which is owned by a person who is not a permanent resident of Western Australia and is temporarily within WA navigable waters.
If a foreign pleasure vessel remains in WA navigable waters for greater than 30 days, it must be registered as a foreign pleasure vessel.
To register a foreign pleasure vessel, you will need to submit:
- Foreign pleasure vessel registration form (below)
- copy of Proof of Identity documents
- the date of entry of the vessel into navigable waters; and
- the proposed date of departure of the vessel from navigable waters.
You will also need to pay the appropriate fee.
You can submit your application form by mail or email.
Australian vessels travelling overseas
An Australian recreational vessel that is travelling overseas is also required to be registered on the Australian General Shipping Register.
| Australian Maritime Safety Authority: Australian general shipping register | ||
|---|---|---|
| Foreign pleasure vessel registration (Form) | Kb | |
Vessel registration sticker and number
You will be sent a registration sticker after you pay your annual registration fee.
The registration sticker is colour coded and contains the month and year of expiry.
You can pick up a replacement registration sticker at a DoT Driver and Vehicle Services Centre.
How to display your registration number
Your registration sticker must be fixed to the port (left) side of the vessel, next to the registration number.
Each digit of the registration number must be:
- Black
- Plain block font design
- Vertically positioned – not slanting.
- Clearly visible
If the vessel hull is not white, each digit should have a minimum white surround of 7 millimetres.
Motor boats
- Position on both sides of the vessel where clearly visible.
- Each number and letter must be at least 150 mm tall and 25mm wide.
Personal water craft
- Position on both sides of hull or midship, clearly visible not under the flare of the bow.
- Each number and letter must be at least 150 mm tall and 25mm wide.
Sailing vessels fitted for motors
- Position on both sides of the hull immediately forward of the transom
- Each number and letter must be at least 50 mm tall and 12mm wide.
Tenders
- Must have parent vessel's number positioned on each side, forward of the transom.
- Each number and letter must be at least 50mm tall and 12mm wide.
Download the Safety guidelines: Vessel registration brochure below for more information.
| Safety guidelines: Vessel registration | Kb | |
Update your registration details
You must notify DoT within 15 days of any changes to your vessel registration details.
You can update your registration details by:
- using your DoTDirect account, or
- submitting a Change of boat (registration) details or change of name and address form.
You can submit the form by mail, email or at any DoT DVS centre, Regional Centre or Regional Authorised Agent.
| Change of boat (registration) details | Kb | |
| Change of name and address: Boats, RST, moorings, jetties | Kb | |
Check your vessel registration
If you have a DoTDirect account, you can log in to check your vessel registration and expiry date.
Your vessel’s registration sticker also shows the month and year your registration expires.
We are not able to provide vessel registration details to anyone who is not the registered owner of the vessel.