Boating Navigation Law
New York State Navigation Law
The New York State Legislature
publishes all the laws of the State on the web. Select the link for Laws of New York at the bottom of the page. The Navigation Law is listed under NAV. Article 3 concerns itself with the navigable waters of the state, while Article 4 covers the conduct of vessels.
The Vehicle and Traffic Law (VAT), Title 11, Article 48, covers the registration of vessels. The Department of Motor Vehicles administers the registration of vessels, and they have an excellent FAQ that can be accessed on their website.
Laws regarding the use of the lands under the water, including docks, can be found in the Public Lands Law (PBL), Article 6. The Office of General Services administers these provisions.
Lake George also has rules and regulations unique to that waterway. For more information, please visit the Lake George Park Commission's website.
Recreational boating in New York State is a $2 billion industry enjoyed by millions of residents and visitors alike. This recreational boating report has been prepared in order to help us better understand why accidents happen while affording possible insights as to how to prevent them.
Boat Registration
Boat Registrations are required by state law for all mechanically propelled boats; this includes small boats, canoes and kayaks with electric motors. All boat registrations are handled by the Department of Motor Vehicles. Follow this link for more information.
Registering your boat is as simple as completing the Motor Vehicle's form MV-82B (pdf) (application for registration), having the appropriate registration fee, providing proof of ownership (pdf), proof of payment of sales tax (may be paid to Motor Vehicles at time of registration), along with a bill of sale and you're all set.
If you are an out of state resident you may operate your registered motorboat for 90 consecutive days without having it registered in New York
Is there an age requirement to register a boat? No. There is no age requirement to own or register a boat in New York.
Where does the validation sticker go? The sticker should be placed 6 inches towards the back of the boat from the registration numbers
Hull Identification Number (HIN)If you have an older boat, or you have built the boat you may be required to get a hull identification number (HIN) before you can register your boat.
What is a hull identification number?It is a 12 character serial number that is unique to each boat, similar to a vehicle identification number found on a car. No two boats should have the same HIN.
My boat was built after 1972; why do I need to get one? The HIN is assigned by the manufacturer before it leaves the factory for the dealer. In some cases the HIN may not have been applied, or has been removed or the previous owner never had the HIN recorded on the registration.
I built my own boat; can I assign it a hull identification number? No, boats that are homemade are required to have a HIN also, but it is assigned by the state.
I built my own boat and want to put a motor on it. How do I get a hull identification number? NYS Parks assigns the HIN numbers
What is the process to obtain a Hull Identification Number?- Download the form OPS-420 and fill out the form. The directions are on the back of the page
- Mail the application and two pictures of the boat to the Marine Services Bureau; address is on the back of the form.
- Application is received and reviewed to make sure the vessel described meets qualifications for HIN assignment.
- Hull Identification Number is issued by NYS Parks and Recreation Marine Service Bureau.
- Application is mailed to State or County Marine Patrol near the location of the vessel.
- Marine Patrol then contacts the applicant to witness the Hull Identification Number being applied to the vessel described in the original application.
- Applicant then takes the top half of the application to the DMV as proof of their HIN assignment.
Regattas
New York State Parks defines a regatta as an organized water event of limited duration which is conducted according to a prearranged schedule over a predetermined course and in which general public interest is manifested. They come in many different shapes and sizes from a swim race to an antique boat parade.
Regatta permits are issued by the following organizations:
| New York State Department of Environmental Conservation | Adirondacks and Catskill Parks |
|---|---|
| United States Coast Guard | Federal waters except NYS Barge Canal |
| For example Great Lakes, Lake Champlain, Hudson River (South of Lock 1 in Troy), Long Island Sound, and St. Lawrence | |
| New York State Parks | All other waterways |
| Includes NYS Barge Canal |
Races involving exclusively crew shells may as an alternative to a regatta permit file a Notification of Racing Shell Regatta with NYS Parks. This notification does not provide the privileges afforded under a regatta permit including but not limited to the placement of race courses ahead of the event.
Recommended Practices for Rowing Clubs (pdf) - developed in association with the USRowing Association, this simple guide offers some tips for safe and enjoyable crewing or sculling experience.
If you are organizing a race or regatta, start your paperwork early so that you will receive your permit in time for the event
- Regatta Permit Application (pdf)
- Rules and Regulations for Regattas (pdf)
- Racing Shell Regatta Notification (pdf)
Floating Objects
When you are on the water you will come upon floating objects or buoys that are placed in the water for a reason. There are two types of objects that you will see and they have two different functions.
Aids to NavigationThe objects most people are familiar with are aids to navigation. Aids to Navigation provide boaters with information similar to that in which drivers obtain from street signs and traffic markers. These include buoys, beacons or other fixed objects in the water which are used to direct navigation through safe channels or to mark obstructions to navigation. Aids to navigation are generally installed by a government agency.
Aids to Navigation are placed by four agencies in New York:
- U.S. Coast Guard - all tidal and ocean waterways, including the Great Lakes and Lake Champlain
- Dept. of Environmental Conservation - Adirondack and Catskill Park Regions
- NYS Canal Corporation - Barge Canal System
- State Parks - all other waterways
NYS Parks – Request for Navigational Aids to Placement (pdf)
NYS Canal Corp – Canal's Report of Obstruction (pdf)
A floating object is an object floating on the surface of the water that isn’t an aid to navigation.
There could be anything from a mooring buoy to an environmental quality monitoring buoy. A floating object permit issued by NYS Parks is required on all waters in NYS except the tide waters of Nassau and Suffolk County.
