Back Close

How to Catch Fish How to Tie Fishing Knots Fishing Gear and Tackle How to Fish with Lures How to Fish with Live Bait Fishing Safety Fishing Tips When to Fish Types of Fishing Fishing Terms Fishing and Conservation Fishing Resources View All

When to Saltwater Fish Saltwater Bait and Lures Saltwater Fishing Tackle Types of Saltwater Fishing Saltwater Fishing Gear Saltwater Fish Species Saltwater Fishing FAQ View All

Best Freshwater Fishing When to Freshwater Fish Freshwater Bait and Lures Learn About Freshwater Fish Species Best Freshwater Fishing Gear Freshwater Fishing FAQ View All

Fly Fishing Basics Fly Fishing Flies Fly Fishing Gear Fly Casting View All

Ice Fishing Basics Ice Fishing Gear Ice Fishing Techniques View All

Boating Basics How to Boat Boating and Water Safety Choose Your Boat Use our Boat Explorer Tool Get on the Water View All

Select a state to find fishing and boating information:

Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho

Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri

Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania

Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming

Get A Fishing License

Get started fishing today, purchase your fishing license online, check regulations and more.

⚠ Before you head to the water check the latest COVID-19 updates. We encourage you to follow CDC recommendations.

Register a Boat in Texas

Boats allow you access to offshore fishing reefs, enclosed estuary areas and drop-offs that can be some of the best places to catch fish. Once you learn what type of fishing you enjoy the most, you can better determine what type of boat to buy. Then, you will need to make sure you get your Texas boat license, vessel registration and abide by the state boating laws.

TEXAS BOATING LAWS AND REGULATIONS

Whether you are pleasure boating on a small local lake or trolling on a 46-foot sport fishing vessel out in the Gulf, Texas has boating laws in place to preserve the state waterways for everyone who uses them. These laws and regulations are an important part of protecting our natural resources so that boaters and anglers can use them for years to come.

IT’S NOT A FEE, IT’S A CONTRIBUTION

Your boat license (or vessel registration) serves as proof that your boat belongs to you and that it is a valid vessel to have on state waters. Keep in mind that you will also need to pay a fee with your registration. This fee helps the state to sustain resources and promote safe, responsible use of our waterways. The quickest and easiest way to get your Texas boat license is to apply for your license online.

TEXAS BOAT REGISTRATION INFORMATION

All motorboats and all outboard motors must be titled, including sailboats 14 feet and over in length must be titled.
Effective January 1, 2004, vessels documented by the U.S. Coast Guard are required to have state registration.
Boat registrations are valid for a two-year period.

TX BOATING LAWS & REGULATIONS

Boating laws are put into effect by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department for the safety of everyone on the water.

TX BOATING LAWS & REGULATIONS

RESPONSIBLE BOATING STARTS WITH YOU

Learn how to take care of your crew and your boat, while also taking care of our valuable water resources.

BOATING AND WATER SAFETY

BOATING SAFETY COURSES

ESSENTIAL EQUIPMENT

TX BOATING RESOURCES/INFO

Additional resources and information can be found directly on the Texas Parks and Wildlife site.

RENEW YOUR BOAT REGISTRATION