Any boat propelled by a motor must be registered with the North Dakota Game and Fish Department to operate in North Dakota waters. The department does not specify how soon a buyer must begin the registration process after purchasing a boat, but the best practice is to do so as quickly as possible.

The state will send registrants a 10-day temporary registration certificate once the application is submitted. Boat registration endures for three years, and may be renewed online.

North Dakota allows initial boat registration online and requires any boat purchased new to be completed online. Registration for transfers of ownership of used boats may be completed at an office of the North Dakota Game and Fish Department.

Because it handles almost all boat registrations through its online portal, North Dakota no longer has a distinct registration form. However, particularly for the purchase of used boats from a private party, buyers should have:

• Proof of identification
• A bill of sale
• Proof of payment of the Aquatic Nuisance Species fee