Twin City License Office

Boat/Vessel or Outboard Motor

NOTE: Effective August 28, 2012, Missouri law requires that any outboard motor manufactured on or after July 1 of any year shall be labeled “Year Manufactured” with the calendar year immediately following the year manufactured, unless the Manufacturer's Statement of Origin (MSO) indicates a specific model or program year. For more information, you may refer to the instructions on the back of the Application for Missouri Boat/Vessel or Outboard Motor Title and Registration (Form 93).

Obtaining a Temporary Permit (Temporary Watercraft Certificate of Number or Temporary Outboard Motor Registration Number)

Upon purchase of a newly acquired boat, vessel, or outboard motor you may purchase a temporary permit to operate the boat, vessel, or outboard motor on Missouri’s waterways.

  • If the unit is not a documented vessel, a temporary permit will be issued for a period of up to 30 days, and must expire prior to the 60th day from the purchase date of the boat, vessel, or outboard motor. If the unit is a documented vessel, a temporary permit will be issued for a period of up to 60 days from the temporary permit issuance date.
  • The applicant may be a Missouri or out-of-state resident.
  • Temporary permits are non-renewable.
  • Temporary permits may not be purchased (and are no longer valid) once application for title and registration has been made.
  • Temporary permits may NOT be purchased for a salvage boat, vessel, or outboard motor.

To obtain a temporary permit, please bring the following items with you to any Missouri license office:

  1. One of the following ownership documents: 
  2. A Special Permits Application (Form 1275).

You will pay:

  • Temporary Watercraft Certificate of Number - $8.50 ($5 permit fee plus 3.50 processing fee)
  • Temporary Outboard Motor Registration Number - $5.50 ($2 permit fee plus $3.50 processing fee)

The temporary permit(s) must be carried in the boat or vessel while the unit is in operation.

Titling and Registering Boats, Vessels, and Outboard Motors

You have 60 days from the date of purchase to title your newly purchased boat, vessel, or outboard motor. If you do not title the boat, vessel, or outboard motor there is a title penalty of $10 on the 61st day after purchase. The penalty increases another $10 for every 30 days you are late with a maximum penalty of $30.

When the boat or vessel is titled and registered, you will receive: 

When the outboard motor is titled and registered, you will receive a decal.

Boats and vessels are NOT required to be titled or registered in the state of Missouri if they are:

  • Owned by out-of-state residents and housed, stored, or operated in the state of Missouri for less than 60 consecutive days; 
  • Owned by the United States Government; 
  • From a country other than the United States using the waters of this state for less than 60 consecutive days; 
  • Propelled solely by paddle or oars (regardless of length);
  • Sailboats or sailboards 12 feet or less in length; or
  • A ship's lifeboat used solely for lifesaving purposes.

Vessels documented by the United States Coast Guard are not required to be titled, but must be registered.

Missouri Resident Titling and Registration Requirements

You have 60 days from the date of purchase to title your newly purchased boat, vessel, or outboard motor. If you do not title the boat, vessel, or outboard motor, there is a title penalty of $10 on the 61st day after purchase. The penalty increases another $10 for every 30 days you are late with a maximum penalty of $30.

To title and register a boat, vessel, or outboard motor in the state of Missouri, the owner must submit the following items at any Missouri license office:

  1. The Manufacturer's Statement of Origin (MSO), properly assigned Certificate of Title (see instructions), descriptive bill of sale, or an Application for Missouri Watercraft or Outboard Motor Title and Registration (Form 93) certified by a licensed Missouri boat dealer;
  2. A signed Application for Missouri Boat/Vessel or Outboard Motor Title and Registration (Form 93);
  3. A Paid personal property tax receipt listing the boat or vessel, or a statement of non-assessment from the County (or city of St. Louis) Collector or Assessor for the previous year; and
    1. If the boat/vessel is not listed on the tax receipt ("boat" is acceptable), the following must be submitted:
      1. A corrected tax receipt (if manually corrected, it must contain the county seal); or
      2. A letter from the County Collector (on letterhead or containing the county seal) reflecting payment of taxes. 
  4. A Notarized Lien Release, if applicable. 

For a boat/vessel you will pay:

For an outboard motor you will pay:

Out-of-State Resident Titling and Registration Requirements

You have 60 days from bringing the boat, vessel, or outboard motor into Missouri to title the boat, vessel, or outboard motor if it is to be kept in Missouri over 60 consecutive days. If you do not title the boat, vessel, or outboard motor, there is a title penalty of $10 on the 61st day. The penalty increases another $10 for every 30 days you are late with a maximum penalty of $30.

To title and register a boat, vessel, or outboard motor in the state of Missouri, the owner must submit the following;

  1. The Manufacturer's Statement of Origin (MSO), properly assigned Missouri Certificate of Title (see instructions), out-of-state title, descriptive bill of sale, or an Application for Missouri Boat/Vessel or Outboard Motor Title and Registration (Form 93) certified by a licensed Missouri boat dealer; 
    NOTE: If one of the ownership documents listed above is not available, please contact a license office for additional information and assistance.
  2. A signed Application for Missouri Boat/Vessel or Outboard Motor Title and Registration (Form 93); and
    NOTE: Your out-of-state address is to be recorded in the "owner" information area of the Form 93. All renewal notices will be sent to this address. Record the city or county where the boat, vessel, or outboard motor is housed in the appropriate block. (The County Assessor will assess personal property taxes based on this location.)
  3. A Paid personal property tax receipt listing the boat or vessel, or a statement of non-assessment from the County (or city of St. Louis) Collector or Assessor for the previous year; and
    1. If the boat or vessel is not listed on the tax receipt ("boat" is acceptable), the following must be submitted:
      1. A corrected tax receipt (if manually corrected, it must contain the county seal); or
      2. A letter from the County Collector (on letterhead or containing the county seal) reflecting payment of taxes. 
  4. A Notarized lien release, if applicable.

For the boat/vessel you will pay:

For the outboard motor you will pay:

  • State tax of 4.225 percent, plus the local tax on the purchase price, less trade-in allowance, if any. Local tax is the rate where the outboard motor is housed, not where you bought the outboard motor. Use our online tax calculator for an estimate of the taxes;
    NOTE: If taxes were paid to another state you must submit proof of payment. No tax will be due if, the outboard motor was registered and operated in another state for at least 90 days before titling and registering in Missouri.
  • The $5 outboard motor title fee;
  • The outboard motor registration fee of $2, if applicable; and 
  • The appropriate processing fee(s).

Boat, Vessel, and Outboard Motor Title Penalties

Missouri Residents:

You have 60 days from the date of purchase to title your newly purchased boat, vessel, or outboard motor. If you do not title the boat, vessel, or outboard motor, there is a title penalty of $10 on the 61st day after purchase. The penalty increases another $10 for every 30 days you are late with a maximum penalty of $30.

Out-of-State Residents:

You have 60 days from bringing the boat, vessel, or outboard motor into Missouri to title the boat, vessel, or outboard motor if it is to be kept in Missouri over 60 consecutive days. If you do not title the boat, vessel, or outboard motor, there is a title penalty of $10 on the 61st day. The penalty increases another $10 for every 30 days you are late with a maximum penalty of $30.

Boat, Vessel, and Documented Vessel Registration Renewal Requirements

A boat, vessel, or documented vessel registration must be renewed every three years. The registration expires on June 30th in the year specified on the decal. There is no late renewal penalty. Outboard motor decals are not required to be renewed.

To obtain information regarding your renewal, you may visit the Department's Renewal Requirements Inquiry system.

To renew a boat, vessel, or documented vessel registration, the owner must submit the following;

  1. A boat, vessel, or documented vessel registration renewal notice. If you did not receive this notice in the mail, you may use the Application for Watercraft/Outboard Motor Registration and Replacement Decal (Form 2686);
  2. A Paid personal property tax receipt listing the boat or vessel (or a statement of non-assessment) from the County (or city of St. Louis) Collector or Assessor for the previous year.
    1. If the boat or vessel is not listed on the tax receipt ("boat" is acceptable), the following must be submitted:
      1. A corrected tax receipt (if manually corrected, it must contain the county seal); or
      2. A letter from the County Collector (on letterhead or containing the county seal) reflecting payment of taxes.

For a boat or vessel renewal you will pay:

Replacement Decal or Pocket Card for a Boat, Vessel, or Outboard Motor

If your decal or pocket card has been lost, stolen, or mutilated, you may obtain a replacement by submitting the following:

  1. A completed and notarized Application for Watercraft/Outboard Motor Registration and Replacement Decal (Form 2686);
  2. Your most recent registration receipt or your title.

For a replacement decal or pocket card you will pay:

  • $8.50 replacement fee; and
  • $3.50 processing fee.

United States Coast Guard Documented Vessel Certification and Registration

If you are a Missouri resident, you have 30 days from acquiring the documented vessel to apply for a Documented Vessel Certificate of Registration (Form 4086). If you do not apply within 30 days, you will incur a penalty of $10 on the 31st day, increasing another $10 for every 30 days you are late up to a maximum penalty of $30.

If you are a nonresident, you have 60 days from acquiring or bringing the documented vessel into Missouri to apply for a Documented Vessel Certificate of Registration, if the vessel is to be kept in Missouri over 60 consecutive days. If you do not apply, there is a penalty of $10 on the 61st day, increasing another $10 for every 30 days you are late up to a maximum penalty of $30.

To obtain a Certificate of Registration and decal for a vessel documented with the United States Coast Guard, the owner must submit the following items to the Motor Vehicle Bureau's central office:

  1. A completed and signed Application for Documented Vessel Certificate of Registration (Form 4398);
  2. A copy of the Certificate of Documentation issued by the United States Coast Guard;
  3. Proof of ownership, such as the Manufacturer's Statement of Origin (MSO) or the properly assigned Certificate of Title. If the vessel was documented with the United States Coast Guard by the previous owner, the new owner must provide a certified copy of the "ABSTRACT OF TITLE" in the new owner's name; AND the Documented Vessel Certificate of Registration (Form 4086) properly assigned. Click here to order your Abstract of Title. If the MSO or title was surrendered to the United States Coast Guard, a statement outlining this fact and a bill of sale must be submitted. If the purchase price is not on the assigned ownership document, submit a bill of sale showing the full purchase price (Trade-in allowances do not apply for documented vessels);
  4. A paid personal property tax receipt or a statement of non-assessment from the County (or city of St. Louis) Collector or Assessor for the previous year:
    1. If the boat or vessel is not listed on the tax receipt ("boat" is acceptable), the following must be submitted:
      1. A corrected tax receipt (if manually corrected, it must contain the county seal); or
      2. A letter from the County Collector (on letterhead or containing the county seal) reflecting payment of taxes; and
  5. Applicable fees (see below).

Outboard motors attached to documented vessels must be titled and registered. 

You will pay the following fees:

Upon receipt of all requirements and fees, you will receive: 

  • Documented Vessel Certificate of Registration (Form 4086); and 
  • Decals (a "MO" number will not be issued) 

Documented vessel owners may purchase a temporary permit to allow them to operate the documented vessel for 60 days while the applicant awaits the documentation from the United States Coast Guard. These special permits must be obtained directly from the Motor Vehicle Bureau's Central Office in Jefferson City for a fee of $5.00 plus a $3.50 processing fee. Documented vessel temporary permits are nonrenewable or transferable and are no longer valid upon issuance of a Documented Vessel Certificate of Registration (Form 4086).

To obtain a temporary permit, the owner must submit the following to the Motor Vehicle Bureau's Central Office: 

  1. A completed and signed Special Permits Application(Form 1275);
  2. Proof of purchase (one of the following):
    1. Copy (or original) of the assigned original title;
    2. Manufacturer’s Statement of Origin;
    3. The Abstract of Title;
    4. Assigned Missouri Documented Vessel Certificate of Registration (Form 4086); or
    5. A bill of sale.
  3. $5 temporary permit fee; and
  4. $3.50 processing fee.

For information about documenting a vessel, you should contact the United States Coast Guard, National Vessel Documentation Center.

United States Coast Guard Contact Information

United States Coast Guard website

United States Coast Guard 
National Vessel Documentation Center
792 T J Jackson Drive
Falling Waters, WV 25419
(304) 271-2400
(800) 799-8362
FAX: (304) 271-2405

Boater Safety Certification

Boater Safety Certification is a function of the Missouri State Highway Patrol. For more information, you may click on the following links: