First-time boat registration in SA

You will need to know the length of your boat for your application.

Measure the hull from the point of the bow to the transom, excluding bowsprits, outboard motors, and other appendages. Any part of the vessel that contributes to the buoyancy of the vessel should be included in the vessel length - for example, pontoons on inflatable vessels or houseboats.

MR1131 Determining your recreational vessel's length

If you have a previous registration certificate please use the length marked on the certificate.

The length of your boat or vessel determines the registration fee and facilities levy that you need to pay.

If your motorboat was not previously registered for recreational use in South Australia or you are changing registration ownership go to motorboat initial registration fees.

These fees and levies fund marine safety initiatives and infrastructure.

You will need to supply proof of vessel ownership when registering a boat. The following items are accepted as proof of ownership:

• a completed application for transfer of registration on the South Australian certificate of registration, signed by the current and the new registered owner
• a bill of sale, receipt, or purchase contract signed by and showing the names of the current and new owners and including a description of the vessel and its registration number (if applicable)
• an interstate Australian register of ships certificate of recreational registration, in the name of the proposed new owner
• a certificate of commercial vessel registration in any Australian State, in the name of the proposed new registered owner
• a statutory declaration of ownership of the recreational vessel signed and witnessed by a Justice of Peace (only acceptable if none of the other proof of ownership documents is available).

If your vessel has a HIN but the certificate number has not been recorded in South Australia and you cannot provide the Boat Code certificate, you'll need to have the HIN validated by a Boat Code agent.

If your vessel needs to be Boat Coded (or your HIN needs to be validated), you'll receive a temporary registration certificate which is valid for 21 days. This allows you to use your boat while you arrange to have HIN plates fitted. Once your temporary registration certificate has expired, you can only use your boat if the vessel was boat coded prior to the expiry of the temporary registration. It is recommended to have your copy of the boat code certificate (pink) on you while operating on water if the registration has not been converted from temporary to full, to assist with any on water compliance checks from the Department's Marine Safety Officers.