Boats for Sale in Delaware

Registration with DNREC

Delaware law requires registration of every motorboat, including electric boats, when Delaware is the state of principal use. That means the state where the boat is used most during a calendar year. If a boat is used, docked or stored on Delaware waters for more than 60 consecutive days, Delaware is its state of principal use.

The Division of Fish and Wildlife in Dover handles registration. You can mail an application, go to a registration agent, or renew online. Renewals for each season start October 1 of the prior year, and after renewing online you can use the printed receipt until the decal arrives. The registration card must be aboard whenever the boat is in use, and DNREC notes it's the operator, not the owner, who is responsible for that.

Paperwork for a used boat

• A photo or pencil rubbing of the HIN, required since January 1, 2022.
• A copy of your driver's license or passport.
• A boat titled in another state: the original title, which DNREC keeps.
• A boat from a registering state: the registration and a notarized bill of sale.
• A new boat: the manufacturer's certificate of origin.
• A boat already registered in Delaware: the old card and a notarized bill of sale describing the boat.

The bill of sale doesn't have to be notarized if buyer and seller both show up with photo IDs. Homemade boats must be registered at the Dover office the first time. All paperwork has to include the HIN.

Tidal access ramps

Boats launched from tidal access areas run by Fish and Wildlife must be registered in Delaware or carry a Tidal Access Boat Ramp Certificate. Certificates can be bought online or from an agent.

Boating safety course

Anyone born on or after January 1, 1978 must pass a boating safety course before operating a motorized boat or PWC on Delaware waters. DNREC runs a Basic Boating Safety Course and approves several online versions. Lost cards can be found through DNREC's Boater Safety Card website. As of January 2026, engine cut-off switch links are also required on certain smaller boats.

Where to boat

Rehoboth Bay and Indian River Bay are shallow and busy, so watch the channel markers. Indian River Inlet leads to the ocean. Lewes is the jumping-off point for the Atlantic and lower Delaware Bay. Upstate, the C&D Canal and the Delaware River carry commercial traffic, so keep clear of ships.

Popular boats

Bay boats and center consoles for flounder and striped bass, pontoons on the Inland Bays, and offshore boats out of Lewes and Indian River.

Buying tips for Delaware

Get a HIN rubbing or photo when you look at the boat, and agree with the seller on whether you'll notarize the bill of sale or both visit an agent. If the boat lives in another state but you plan to keep it in Delaware for more than 60 days, register it here. Rinse saltwater boats and check engines and trailers for corrosion.

On a Delaware purchase, take the HIN rubbing or photo while you're looking at the boat, before any money moves, and compare it with the title or registration in the seller's hand. If the boat came from a title state, DNREC will keep the original title, so make your own copy first. Check the trailer's bearings before a run down Route 1 to the Indian River Inlet ramps. Salt water from the bays gets into them quickly.