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Home > District of Columbia > Boating > Boat Registration
You will need to get your valid Washington D.C. boat registration if you plan to take your new cuddy cabin for a cruise along the Potomac River or practice catch and release fishing from a pontoon on the Anacostia River. When you buy a boat in Washington DC or any other state, you also have to find out if boating licenses are required.
The experience of operating a boat is fun, but also involves a great deal of responsibility. All boaters need to know the state boating laws and understand the safe boating basics. Some states also have laws that require boaters to obtain a boating license. Boating licenses are proof that a boat operator has passed an approved safe boating course.
Your boat registration serves as documentation to prove that you are the rightful owner of a vessel. There are registration fees that you will need to pay when you register your boat in Washington D.C.; however, these fees are used by the state to help sustain our natural resources and promote responsible boating.
Washington D.C. has its own set of boating rules to protect the waterways and keep everyone who uses them safe.
Learn how to take care of your crew and your boat, while also taking care of our valuable water resources.
Additional resources and information can be found directly on the DC.gov site.
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