Under § 61-3-321(10)(a)(i), MCA all boats, personal watercraft and motorized pontoons must be permanently registered.
It is a one-time fee for Motorboats (including Motorized Canoes and Motorized Rubber Rafts), Personal Watercraft, Motorized Pontoons, and Sailboats.
Required Decals – To comply with both state and federal laws, Montana boaters need to display:
- a permanent registration decal issued by their local County Treasurer’s Office – the permanent decal for boats is white and includes the abbreviation “PERM.” The decal must be placed on the left side of the forward half of the boat, three inches behind the identifying numbers. AND
- boat validation decal – the decal is free and expires every three years.
If your boat, sailboat, or personal watercraft is already permanently registered, contact your local Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks office for information on how to get the required validation decals, or go online to FWP’s Register Boats page.
Length of Watercraft | Registration Fee |
Under 16 feet | $65.50 |
16 feet or longer but under 19 feet | $125.50 |
19 feet or longer | $295.50 |
If you are purchasing a new or used boat, sailboat, or personal watercraft, your local County Treasurer’s office can issue all of the required validation decals.