Official fees
Missouri boat registration fee chart
Under 16 ft
$25.00
3-year registration
16 ft to under 26 ft
$55.00
3-year registration
26 ft to under 40 ft
$100.00
3-year registration
40 ft and over
$150.00
3-year registration
Boat/vessel title
$7.50 + $9.00 processing
Outboard motor title
$5.00 + $9.00 processing
separate from the boat title
Outboard motor registration
$2.00 + $9.00 processing
separate from the boat registration
Sales tax
4.225% + local
same buyer's-address rule as vehicles
Figures verified July 2026 against official sources (listed below). Always confirm the final amount with your local license office (a contracted agent, not a DOR branch) for titling and registration; your county collector for personal property tax - counties can add small local fees.
Step by step
How to title and register a boat in Missouri
- 1
Get the signed-over boat title and, if there's an outboard, its separate title too.
- 2
Confirm the hull identification number and, for the motor, its serial number match the paperwork.
- 3
Submit title and registration applications at a Missouri license office within 60 days of purchase.
- 4
Pay the length-based registration fee, both titles if applicable, and sales tax on the purchase.
- 5
Display your registration numbers and current decal on the bow as required.
- Register at
- Missouri DOR, not Conservation
- Term
- 3 years
- Registration
- $25–$150
- Outboard motor
- Separate title + registration
- Titling deadline
- 60 days (vs. 30 for cars)
Overview
The quirk that catches buyers off guard: an outboard motor is titled AND registered completely separately from the hull in Missouri. Buy a used boat with an outboard and you're looking at a boat title ($7.50+$9), an outboard title ($5+$9), and an outboard registration ($2+$9) - three separate line items for what feels like one purchase. You also get more slack on the paperwork deadline than with a car: 60 days to title a boat or outboard, versus 30 for a vehicle.
Same state, other costs
More Missouri vehicle costs
Common questions
Missouri boat registration FAQ
- How much does it cost to register a boat in Missouri?
- For three years: $25 under 16 ft, $55 for 16 up to 26 ft, $100 for 26 up to 40 ft, $150 at 40 ft and over. First-time buyers also pay $16.50 for a boat title (fee plus processing) and, if there's an outboard motor, separate title and registration fees for that.
- Why did I pay for three separate things on one used boat purchase?
- Missouri treats the hull and an outboard motor as two distinct pieces of property. You'll see a boat title, a boat registration, an outboard title, and an outboard registration - up to four line items depending on what you're buying, versus one combined fee in some other states.
- Do canoes and kayaks need to be registered in Missouri?
- No - non-motorized canoes, kayaks, and similar small craft are exempt. Add a motor of any size, including an electric trolling motor, and registration becomes mandatory.
- Is there sales tax on a boat bought from a private seller?
- Yes, at the same combined state-plus-local rate as a vehicle, based on your home address and the reported purchase price, paid at the license office alongside the title and registration.
- How long do I have to title a newly purchased boat?
- 60 days from the purchase date - twice as long as the 30-day window for a car - though the same style of late-title consequences can apply if you blow past it.
- Does my boat trailer register separately?
- Yes - a boat trailer is a vehicle in Missouri's system, titled and registered like any trailer through the normal vehicle process, completely apart from the boat's DOR watercraft paperwork.
Receipts
Official sources
Every number on this page comes from these documents - check them yourself.
