Boating Education
- Apply for a replacement certificate online
- Add the Anchor Icon to your Adventure License
**This link does NOT work for ONLINE courses. You must log back into your online course and complete this request from that page. You can also bring your certificate directly to a DMV office to process.
Accident Reporting
If you are involved in a boating accident, you are required to report it to New York State Parks if the accident resulted in:
- An injury that required medical care beyond basic first aid
- Death or disappearance of a person
- Damage to any one party exceeding $1,000
Registering a Boat
Registration of vessels is handled by the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). Only boats with motors need to be registered. If you have questions about registering a boat, please contact the DMV or visit their
website: https://dmv.ny.gov/registration/register-boat
A hull identification number is a 12-character serial number that is unique to each boat, like a vehicle identification number found on a car. You need a HIN to register your boat.
For most boats, this is assigned at the time of manufacture. If your boat does not have a HIN, you can apply for one by completing the application linked below. Along with the application, you must submit two pictures of the boat. Your HIN will be assigned by NYS Parks and applied by state or county Marine Patrol. Please be prepared to provide proof of ownership to inspecting officers.
Your boat might not have a HIN if:
- Your boat was built before 1972 (must provide proof of manufacture date)
- You built your own boat (must provide proof, such as materials receipts or plans/blueprints)
- You have a non-motorized boat that you are adding a motor to.
Please note: Defacing or removal of an existing HIN Is forbidden by law and will be subject to investigation upon inspection by law enforcement.
Permits
- Regatta Permit Application (pdf)
- Racing Shells Regatta Notification (pdf)
- Floating Object Permit Application (pdf)
Navigational Aids
Aids to Navigation provide boaters with information in the same way that drivers obtain information from street signs and traffic markers. Aids to navigation are generally installed by a government agency. To request placement of a navigational aid, please contact the agency responsible for placing aids in that waterway.
| Waterways | Agency Responsible for Placing Navigational Aids |
|---|---|
| All tidal and ocean waterways, including the Great Lakes and Lake Champlain | US Coast Guard |
| Waterways within the Adirondack and Catskill Park Regions | Dept. of Environmental Conservation |
| Barge Canal System | NYS Canal Corporation |
| All other waterways in New York State | Office of NYS Parks, Recreation and Historical Preservation (OPRHP) |
