Buying and registering your vessel
Any boat with an engine capable of being used for propulsion in Victorian waters must be registered and in a seaworthy condition. Certain vessels are exempt from this requirement.
Registration must be renewed with VicRoads every 12 months. VicRoads will notify you when your registration is due for renewal. The trailer used to tow your vessel will need to be registered separately.
Purpose of registration
The Marine Safety Act 2010 (Vic) sets out the purposes of registration:
36 Purposes of registration
The purposes of registration are—
(a) to enable the operation of vessels on State waters to be regulated for reasons of safety;
(b) to ensure that vessels which are used on State waters meet prescribed safety standards;
(c) to provide a method of establishing the identity of each vessel which is used on State waters and of the person who is responsible for it.
Who can register a vessel?
A boat can be registered in the name of a person who is fourteen years old or more, or in the name of a corporation or incorporated body. Joint names or unincorporated bodies are not acceptable.
How to register your boat
To register a vessel, visit the vessel registration page on the VicRoads website.
Checking a boat's registration
Can I check my registration?
If a customer has a myVicRoads account, their vessel holdings will display – in addition to boat trailer registration, car registration, driver licence and marine licence details.
Can I check another vessel's registration?
There is no registration check service available to verify vessel details, registration status, finance and other applicable information in Victoria. It is not possible for a third party to check on the registered status of a vessel.
Vessel registration fees
Visit the vessel registration and transfer fees page of the VicRoads website for a list of registration fees.
Your fee will depend on the length of the boat. There are two categories:
- Boats 4 metres or under in length
- Boats over 4 metres in length.
Vessels exempt from registration
Recreational vessels exempt from registration:
- Vessels that do not have an engine
- Certain low-powered kayaks and canoes (conditions apply)
- Recreational tenders (A recreational tender is a vessel that: does not exceed 4.8 m in length; and is used as a means of transport within 300 m of its mother vessel to the shore or another vessel.)
Recreational vessels from another State or a Territory:
- Vessels which are: temporarily being operated on State waters, registered in another State or a Territory, and displaying an identifying plate/mark/number issued by the corresponding authority
- Vessels which are: temporarily being operated on State waters, and are exempt from registration in another State or Territory in which the owner of the vessel ordinarily resides
Industry and commercial:
- Recreational vessels with an engine capable of being used for propulsion, under the control of a manufacturer or dealer who has a special identification plate issued under Marine Safety Regulations 2012 (Vic) Regulation 25. These plates are for industry members who drive their clients’ boats for the purposes of sea trials, testing or delivery.
- Commercial vessels
Registration labels
The owner of a registered recreational vessel must ensure that the registration label for that vessel, issued by VicRoads on behalf of TSV, is fixed and remains fixed in an obvious position on the outside or upper part of the vessel.
Registration does not include insurance
Boat registration in Victoria does not include any insurance cover. We recommend that boat owners and operators consider taking out cover with an insurance provider.
Register or renew boat trailer registration
The trailer used to tow your vessel will need to be registered separately. You can do this on the VicRoads website: Trailer registration information
How to update your details
If you change any of your personal details, such as address, notify VicRoads.
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