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Home > Minnesota > Boating > Boat Registration
You just bought a new boat and can’t wait to take the family on a Minnesota River fishing trip. As you start to prepare for your first outing, make sure you run through a pre-departure checklist of boating requirements that includes your boat registration and knowledge of the MN boating laws.
As a boat operator, you are responsible for knowing the MN boating laws that pertain to topics such as boat registration, visual distress signals, life jackets, navigation lights, navigation aids, and trailering. In many states, it is a requirement that all beginning boaters take a boater education course prior to operating a motorized vessel.
Be aware that when you apply for your boat registration, you will be required to pay a registration fee. Boat registration fees are collected to help with conservation and maintenance of state waterways. Public boat ramps, marinas, and waterway clean-up efforts are funded with boat registration dollars.
Minnesota 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 Minnesota Department of Natural Resources site.
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