\n\u00a0If the Use of the Vessel Is<\/span>Livery (nonexempt)<\/td>\n\t\t\t \nComplete an Application for Registration\n\t\t\tNumber (BOAT 101) and Collect Certificate\n\t\t\tof Ownership and Certificate of Number for\n\t\t\tUndocumented Vessel\n<\/span>Appropriate proof of owner ship, original registration fee and use tax, if due (See Chap ter 3 for fees)<\/td>\n\t\t\t Issue a Miscellaneous\n\t\t\tReceipt and\n\t\t\tTemporary Certificate\n\t\t\tof Number\n\t\t\t(BOAT 103)<\/span>And a sticker.<\/td>\n\t\t<\/tr>\n\n\u00a0If the Use of the Vessel Is<\/span>Fee Exempt Gov\u2019t Agency<\/td>\n\t\t\t \nComplete an Application for Registration\n\t\t\tNumber (BOAT 101) and Collect Certificate\n\t\t\tof Ownership and Certificate of Number for\n\t\t\tUndocumented Vessel\n<\/span>No fee<\/td>\n\t\t\t Issue a Miscellaneous\n\t\t\tReceipt and\n\t\t\tTemporary Certificate\n\t\t\tof Number\n\t\t\t(BOAT 103)<\/span>As a \u201cNo Fee\u201d item and a sticker.<\/td>\n\t\t<\/tr>\n\n\u00a0If the Use of the Vessel Is<\/span>Fee Exempt Youth Group<\/td>\n\t\t\t \nComplete an Application for Registration\n\t\t\tNumber (BOAT 101) and Collect Certificate\n\t\t\tof Ownership and Certificate of Number for\n\t\t\tUndocumented Vessel\n<\/span>\n Issue a Miscellaneous\n\t\t\tReceipt and\n\t\t\tTemporary Certificate\n\t\t\tof Number\n\t\t\t(BOAT 103)<\/span>As a \u201cNo Fee\u201d item and a sticker.<\/td>\n\t\t<\/tr>\n\n\u00a0If the Use of the Vessel Is<\/span>All special numbers are issued and mailed to the customer by the Registration Processing Unit II in DMV headquarters. Livery and fee-exempt special numbers are not<\/strong> transferable unless the new owner qualifies for the same kind of special number.<\/td>\n\t\t<\/tr>\n<\/tbody><\/table>\n<\/figure>\n<\/body>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n The following vessels may be registered at the owner\u2019s option:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nVessels propelled solely by oars or paddles.<\/li>\n\n\n\n Sailboats 8 feet or less in length without motors.<\/li>\n\n\n\n A public vessel of the United States, another state, or subdivision of another state.<\/li>\n\n\n\n A ship\u2019s lifeboat (a dinghy is not a lifeboat).<\/li>\n\n\n\n A vessel of another country temporarily using the waters of this state.<\/li>\n\n\n\n A vessel bearing an assigned number in full force, which has been issued pursuant to federal law or a federally approved number system of another state, provided it has not changed its state of principal use and has not been used within this state for a period in excess of 90 consecutive days.<\/li>\n\n\n\n Nonmotorized surfboards over 8 feet in length, propelled by sail, that requires the operator to hold the mast upright.<\/li>\n\n\n\n A floating, stationary residential dwelling not designed to have power of its own, which is dependent for utilities to a source on shore, and has a permanent sewage hookup on shore.<\/li>\n\n\n\n A vessel not using or on the water of this state.<\/li>\n\n\n\n Racing vessels brought into this state exclusively for racing purposes and remaining for less than 90 days, providing the state of origin also exempts such vessels.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
2.050 Vessels Which Must be Registered in California (CVC \u00a79850)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n The following vessels must be registered:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nAll undocumented motor boats.<\/li>\n\n\n\n All undocumented sailboats with motors.<\/li>\n\n\n\n All undocumented sailboats over 8 feet in length.<\/li>\n\n\n\n Amphibious vehicles (vessels).<\/li>\n\n\n\n Houseboats (see the following section for exception).<\/li>\n\n\n\n Inflatable vessels with motors.<\/li>\n\n\n\n Personal watercraft (ski type vessels such as jet ski, wet bike). <\/li>\n\n\n\n Shuttle Craft. \u201cShuttle Craft\u201d is a full size, open bow, jet boat similar to a barge. It is powered y<\/strong> steered by any personal watercraft (PWC).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\nVessel Numbers - California DMV<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dmv.ca.gov\/portal\/es\/handbook\/agents-handbook-for-registration-of-undocumented-vessels\/vessel-numbers\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"es_MX\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Vessel Numbers - California DMV\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"2.000 ABCs of the California Boating Law and Carbon Monoxide Warning Stickers (CHNC \u00a7651.5) Pursuant to the Federal Boating Act, and in order to ensure that each original California registrant and transferee is apprised of current vessel safety and registration information, each applicant issued a Permanent Vessel Number (\u201cCF\u201d number) and Certificate of Number shall […]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.dmv.ca.gov\/portal\/es\/handbook\/agents-handbook-for-registration-of-undocumented-vessels\/vessel-numbers\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"California DMV\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/CADMV\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-02-13T17:58:37+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.dmv.ca.gov\/portal\/uploads\/2020\/04\/boats.gif\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@ca_dmv\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"8 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dmv.ca.gov\\\/portal\\\/es\\\/handbook\\\/agents-handbook-for-registration-of-undocumented-vessels\\\/vessel-numbers\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dmv.ca.gov\\\/portal\\\/es\\\/handbook\\\/agents-handbook-for-registration-of-undocumented-vessels\\\/vessel-numbers\\\/\",\"name\":\"Vessel Numbers - 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