Idaho Boat Registration Summary
Idaho boat registration summary is a free resource designed to inform the boating public about registration requirements, recording methods, and title search guidelines for the State of Idaho. The data is maintained as an open wiki forum where readers are encouraged to participate by sharing knowledge and experiences with this particular state. Simply click on the "Wiki-Share" link to contribute further details or suggest a revision.
This information is subject to change and should be confirmed with the respective agency.
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State of Idaho
Department of Parks and Recreation.
Boat Registration Website
Registration Overview
Idaho issues boat registrations and titles for all non-exempt boats operating within their jurisdiction. These are administered through the Department of Parks and Recreation in Boise. Outboard motors are not titled or registered in Idaho. Boat trailer registrations are handled through the Division of Motor Vehicles. Titling is required on boat trailers weighing over 2,000 lbs. Sales and use taxes apply to boat transactions within this state. There are approximately 90,290 boats registered in the State of Idaho. This accounts for 0.8% of all nationwide registrations.Registration Requirements
All boats must be registered in Idaho except those which are manually powered and sailboards. Coast Guard documented boats are exempt from registration. Idaho has provisions for conditional boat registrations. Titling is required in Idaho for any vessel with a permanently attached mode of propulsion and model year 2000 or newer (for example: inboards, stern drives, personal watercraft and sailboats). Vessels over 12 feet in length with an outboard motor must also be titled. Coast Guard documented boats are exempt from titling requirements. Idaho has provisions for bonded boat titles when there is insufficient proof of ownership. The transfer, abandonment, theft, or destruction of an Idaho registered boat must be reported to the Department of Motor Vehicles within 15 days.Marking Requirements
Boat registration numbers in Idaho begin with an "ID" designation which is followed by four numbers and then two letters. These must be displayed on all non-documented boats along with registration sticker tabs. Coast Guard documented vessels may not display the state registration numbers. However they must display the state registration tabs, an owner designated vessel name, and a hailing port. An official documentation number must also be affixed to a visible interior location in the hull itself or an integral part of the hull. All vessels manufactured after 1972 are required to have a 12 digit hull identification number affixed to the vessel by the manufacturer. State assigned hull numbers prefixed with the letters "IDZ" are available for home made boats and those without factory designations. A hull identification number inspection by an Idaho law enforcement official is required on all first time boat registrations.Ownership and Liens
Security interests in titled boats are recorded with the Division of Motor vehicles. These will be shown on both the registration certificate and title when applicable. All titles with active security interests are sent directly to the secured party. Security interests non-titled and non-documented boats must be recorded as Uniform Commercial Code filings. Tax liens are sometimes flagged in the state's registration database or perhaps recorded as Uniform Commercial Code filings. There are no provisions for recording mechanic's liens or other non-secured claims against registered boats which are not documented. If the vessel is USCG documented, a lender's security interest may be perfected by filing a preferred vessel mortgage. These are recorded with the National Vessel Documentation Center with the earliest submissions taking priority. Other lien claims can be filed in the same manner although these function as notifications only. All such filings are indexed on the vessel's underlying abstract of title.Boat Title Searches
Boat title and registration records in Idaho are maintained by the Department of Motor Vehicles. The agency does not facilitate online searches for the general public due to strict privacy laws. However, record printouts may be obtained by an owner or otherwise qualified party by submitting a boat record request form. Although designed for vehicles, this form also applies to boats. It is also reported that the Department of Motor Vehicles will provide telephone verifications on information shown on boat title or registration certificates in hand. State and Federal tax liens on boats are not always recorded in a consistent manner and are therefore difficult to identify. They may show up as a red flag on state registration records, as Uniform Commercial Code filings, in state revenue records, in a county clerks records, or on a vessel's abstract of title for documented boats. Given these disparities, it may be worth obtaining the services of a public record vendor that has access to a broad range of personal property lien recordings. Ownership, mortgage, and lien search recordings for USCG documented vessels can be obtained by ordering an abstract of title and a copy of the certificate of documentation from the National Vessel Documentation Center. However, these are encoded and can be difficult to interpret, especially on older vessels with numerous recordings. It may be worthwhile to contact a professional boat title company for assistance in this regard. Non-recorded maritime liens may also be a factor when conducting boat title research in Idaho. These include liabilities for items such as services, equipment, fuel, storage, parts, supplies, and damages which can become attached to the boat itself regardless of ownership. One of the most useful tools for doing this kind of research is our premier boat history search database. It is a gathering of eight nationwide databases into a single interface which can be searched by numerous criteria. These include records for stolen boats, marine lien claims, boating accidents, pollution incidents, auctioned boats, factory recalls, and boat manufacturers. Yacht brokers, documentation companies, and attorneys do not warrant or guarantee titles. It is therefore incumbent on the owner to stand behind any such representations. Of course it will be of no consolation if a guarantor is insolvent, non-cooperative, or can not be located. This calls for a thorough background check to ensure the owner's wherewithal for making good on any hidden liens or title deficiencies.Advertisement
