North Dakota Boat Registration Summary
North Dakota 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 North Dakota. 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 North Dakota
Game and Fish Department
Licensing and Registration Section
Boat Registration
Website
Registration Overview
North Dakota is a boat registration only state and does not issue titles. Registrations for all non-exempt boats operating within their jurisdiction are administered by the Game and Fish Department in Bismarck. This state does not issue titles or registrations for outboard motors. Boat trailer registrations and titles are not issued in North Dakota. Sales or use tax applies to boats in North Dakota. There are approximately 57,806 boats registered in the State of North Dakota. This accounts for 0.5% of all nationwide registrations.Registration Requirements
Unless otherwise exempt, boat registration in North Dakota is required on all motorized boats. USCG documented boats are exempt from registration. Visit their boat registration website for a complete list of requirements and exemptions. This state does not have provisions for bonded or conditional boat registrations. in cases where there is insufficient proof of ownership, it will be necessary to petition a local court of law for an award of ownership. Transfers of ownership, abandonments, destructions, and thefts must be reported within 15 days.Marking Requirements
Boat registration numbers in North Dakota begin with an "ND" 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 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. Owners with older boats may apply with the Marine Police Division for a hull number assignment. State assigned hull numbers prefixed with the letters "NDZ" are available for home made boats and those without factory designations. North Dakota does not require boat hull number inspections.Ownership and Liens
North Dakota is a registration only state and does not issue boat titles. Registration certificates may however serve as quasi-proof of ownership unless the vessel is USCG documented. Security interests non-titled and non-documented boats are therefore recorded through Uniform Commercial Code filings. Tax liens are sometimes flagged in the state's registration database, recorded as UCC filings, shown on state revenue records, or filed with a county clerk's office. There are no provisions for recording mechanic's liens or other non-secured claims against registered boats which are not USCG documented. If the vessel is USCG documented, a security interest is 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 registration records in North Dakota are maintained by the Game and Fish Department. This agency does not facilitate online searches for the general public but registration information may be obtained by telephone or by submitting a boat record request form. It is also reported that the registration office will provide telephone verifications on registration certificates in hand. North Dakota is a registration only state and does not issue boat titles. Security interests in non-documented boats are accordingly filed with the Secretary of State as Uniform Commercial Code recordings. Online UCC searches are not available from their website but can be obtained from a county recorder's office or public record vendor. 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 UCC 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 vessel title company for assistance in this regard. Non-recorded maritime liens may also be a factor when conducting boat title research in North Dakota. 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 documented vessels. 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
