Boats for Sale in Connecticut

Registration with the DMV

In Connecticut, boats are registered with the Department of Motor Vehicles, not the environmental agency. State law requires every boat with a motor, of any size, to be registered and numbered before launching. Sailboats powered by sail alone must be registered once they reach 19 1/2 feet. That motor rule catches people out: a kayak or jon boat with a small electric trolling motor counts as a motorboat and needs a registration.

Registrations run until April 30 of the following year, and DMV normally mails a renewal early in the calendar year. Skip a year and the notice stops coming, so you'll have to visit a DMV office. Connecticut vessel numbers stay with the boat as long as it remains registered in the state, so a used boat often keeps the "CT" number it already wears. Numbers must be at least three inches high, in block letters that contrast with the hull, on both sides of the bow, with the two validation decals placed two inches to the right.

Titles and sales tax

Connecticut started titling boats recently. Titles are issued for vessels with a model year of 2017 or newer, and for boats that were previously Coast Guard documented. Older boats are registered without a title, and documented vessels are registered using their documentation numbers.

For a used purchase, DMV asks for a bill of sale showing a description of the boat, the previous number and state, both parties' names and addresses, the sale date and the price paid. You also need proof of sales and use tax. Under DMV's own checklist, vessels bought on or after July 1, 2018 are taxed at 2.99%, well under the general 6.35% rate. If the boat comes from a state that doesn't issue titles, bring its current registration and a printout from that state confirming it doesn't title vessels.

Safe Boating Certificate

To operate any boat with a motor, or a sailboat of 19 1/2 feet or more, Connecticut residents, Connecticut property owners and anyone with a Connecticut-registered vessel need one of three things: a Safe Boating Certificate, a Certificate of Personal Watercraft Operation (CPWO) for jet skis, or a valid Coast Guard operator license. Out-of-staters also need one if they boat here more than 60 days in a calendar year.

You earn the certificate by passing an approved course or DEEP's equivalency exam. It's good for life and can be issued at any age. There's one narrow exception: on inland lakes with a 10 horsepower limit, between one hour before sunrise and one hour after sunset, you can run an electric motor rated at 106 pounds of thrust or less without a certificate. The boat still has to be registered.

A certificate is not needed to register a boat, only to drive it. So a buyer can register first and finish the course before launch day.

Where people boat

Long Island Sound is the main event, with harbors from Greenwich and Norwalk east through New Haven, the Thimble Islands off Branford, and Mystic and Stonington near the Rhode Island line. The lower Connecticut River is a good cruising river with tidal current to plan around. Inland, Candlewood Lake near Danbury is the big powerboat lake, and many smaller lakes carry horsepower limits, which is why that electric-motor exception exists.

Popular boats

Center consoles and bowriders for the Sound, pontoons and ski boats on the lakes, and a strong sailing fleet in towns along the shoreline. Small aluminum boats with trolling motors are common on limited-horsepower ponds.

Buying tips

Check the model year first. A 2017 or newer boat should come with a title, and an older one won't, so you'll rely on the bill of sale and prior registration. Make sure the hull identification number on the transom matches the paperwork, since DMV requires it on the application. If the seller has a mooring or slip, ask if it transfers; most do not. Salt boats from the Sound deserve a close look at trailers, outdrives and wiring.