FAQ: Info About Renewals
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Boat Registration Renewal
- How can I get a renewal postcard that was lost?
- When will I receive my boat registration renewal?
- When is boat registration renewal due?
- How long does it take to receive the Boat Registration Certificate and Decal?
Boat Registration
- Which boats have to be registered with your department?
- How do I register my boat?
- I have built a boat myself or my boat has no serial number that I can find. How do I get my boat registered?
- How much is Boat Registration?
- How do I obtain a duplicate boat registration certificate?
- What should I look for when buying a used boat and motor?
- Is there any reason I should not be able to pay online?
Boating Safety
- When am I required to take a boating safety course?
- Is my boating safety course from another state valid in Mississippi?
Boating and Hunting
Boating and Fishing
- How can I obtain copies of the laws and regulations that concern shrimping, crabbing and fishing for saltwater fish?
- Is it legal to commercially harvest mussels in Mississippi?
Boat Registration Renewal
- How can I get a renewal postcard that was lost?
There is only one renewal postcard printed. If you have lost the postcard, you may enter your "MI Number" and "HIN or Serial Number" to renew your registration online.
- When will I receive my boat registration renewal?
All renewal postcards are printed and mailed 60 days prior to the expiration dates.
- When is boat registration renewal due?
Your boat registration is due three years from the last day of the month it was originally registered or transferred.
- How long does it take to receive the Boat Registration Certificate and Decal?
Please allow two weeks for the Certificate and Decal to be processed and mailed.
Boat Registration
- Which boats have to be registered with your department?
All motorized vessels and all sailboats have to be registered.
- How do I register my boat?
You need to fill out an application for boat registration and mail or bring it to the MDWFP office with a copy of your sales receipt, bill of sale (copy) or a notarized statement of how you obtained the boat (in cases of an old boat being given to a person by a now deceased relative). Your bill of sale must be notarized or signed by two witnesses. New or used boats purchased outside of this state must show proof of 7% Mississippi sales tax paid if this was not paid at time of purchase.
- I have built a boat myself or my boat has no serial number that I can find. How do I get my boat registered?
You need to call or go by the district office in your area and have an officer inspect the boat and fill out an inspection form. You will have to send that inspection form in with your application and fee. Please mail this to the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks, 1505 Eastover Drive, Jackson, MS 39211, Attn: Boating Division.
If your boat is home-made you will also need to complete a homebuilt boat statement. A serial number or HIN (hull identification number) will be assigned to your boat by the MDWFP headquarters. This is a separate number from your registration number. - How much is Boat Registration?
If your boat is:
less than 16 feet in length, $10.20
16 feet to less than 26 feet in length, $25.20
26 feet to less than 40 feet in length, $47.70
40 feet and over, $47.70
These fees are for a registration period of 3 years from the last day of the month you register your boat. The only exception is if you are renewing your registration and are late in doing so. Your expiration date remains the same as if you renewed it on time. You will, in effect, lose the time you are delinquent. - How do I obtain a duplicate boat registration certificate?
All duplicate certificates are $7.70 regardless of the length of your boat. Duplicates may be obtained by filling out another registration form and indicating that you are applying for a duplicate. Mail or bring it to the MDWFP office (1505 Eastover Drive, Jackson, MS 39211-6322).
- What should I look for when buying a used boat and motor?
Be sure that the boat has a hull identification number (HIN) and the motor has a serial number. If these numbers are missing the boat and/or motor is subject to seizure.
- Is there any reason I should not be able to pay online?
If you are applying for a new boat registration, a boat registration transfer, or a duplicate boat registration, you may not renew online. You must contact the MDWFP office.
Boating Safety
- When am I required to take a boating safety course?
If you were born after June 30, 1980. Contact your MDWFP District Office for the schedule and location of offered classes. There is also a home study course and an Internet course.
- Is my boating safety course from another state valid in Mississippi?
Yes.
Boating and Hunting
- Can I hunt deer from a boat?
No, the only game that can be hunted from a boat are squirrels and waterfowl. Remember that the motor must be shut off and all forward progress must have ceased.
Boating and Fishing
- How can I obtain copies of the laws and regulations that concern shrimping, crabbing and fishing for saltwater fish?
The Mississippi Dept. of Marine Resources manages all saltwater species.
- Is it legal to commercially harvest mussels in Mississippi?
The commercial harvest of mussels in Mississippi was prohibited in 1972 because our native mussel stocks were severely impacted by this harvest and several other factors. Currently, MDWFP has no plans to resume the commercial harvest of mussels.
