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Boat Registration

The Town of New Durham is an authorized boat agent for the State of New Hampshire.

Every December, the State of New Hampshire DMV mails a renewal boat registration form to all boat owners, who have previously registered boats in New Hampshire. Boat owners wishing to register their boat(s) at the Clerk’s Office must present this form, an old boat registration or a bill of sale.

All boat registrations expire on December 31st of each year. Customers can register new or renew all registrations at this office or at any New Hampshire boat agent.

However, the Town portion of the boat registration fee stays in the Town where the customer registers his or her boat. Thus, if the customer registers his/her boat here in New Durham, the money collected for the Town stays in New Durham, which helps defray property taxes in our town.

Registration is required for:

  • All boats with motors of any type
  • Sailboats 12 ft. and up
  • Documented boats

Exemptions from registrations: Sailboats under 12 feet in length, rowboats and canoes without motors and vessels registered in another state that are temporarily using NH waters for not more than 30 days, do not need to be registered.

New boats: Only the owner can register a new boat. The owner of the boat(s) must bring in the bill of sale that has been made out in the buyer’s name. The Clerk will assign a bow number for any boat purchased from a different state. Boats already registered in New Hampshire keep the same bow number for the life of the boat (as long as the boat remains in New Hampshire water).

Mandatory Boating Education

New Hampshire has a mandatory boating education law. Everyone 16 years of age and older who operates a motorboat over 25 horsepower on New Hampshire waters must have a boating education certificate.

New Hampshire accepts the following boating education certificates:

  1. A boating certificate issued by another State agency and NASBLA approved.
  2. A boating certificate issued by the US Power Squadron.
  3. A boating certificate issued by the US Coast Guard Auxiliary.
  4. An unexpired commercial boating license issued by the US Coast Guard.
  5. An unexpired commercial boating license issued by the State of New Hampshire.

If you wish to operate a motorboat on New Hampshire waters and you do not have any of the above certificates, please sign up for one of our classroom courses listed below. The State proctored examination is included with the classroom course and is given during the last hour of the class.

Boating Education Course Schedule and Registration

Students may now register online for a Boating Education course. Click on the appropriate link below to sign up.

Online Course

Complete the New Hampshire On-Line Course. Upon successful completion of the online course, you must register and successfully pass a proctored exam before receiving your certificate card. After completing your course online, register for your proctored exam below.