Boats for Sale in Maine

Registration and excise tax

Maine handles boat registration through towns. Residents register their boat and pay excise tax to the town where they live. Nonresidents and corporations do both in the town where the boat is primarily moored, docked or kept. New registrations must be done in person, at a recreational vehicle agent, and require proof that sales tax was paid. Renewals can be done online if your town is in the rapid renewal program.

All motorboats of any size, including PWCs, must be registered to use Maine waters. A boat registered in another state doesn't need Maine registration unless it stays in Maine more than 60 consecutive days after a change in state of principal use. It still needs the sticker below if it goes on inland waters.

Maine charges an annual excise tax on watercraft under Title 36, section 1504, with some exemptions in the statute, such as for boats not in Maine more than 75 days.

Lake and River Protection Sticker

IFW requires a Lake and River Protection Sticker on boats used on inland waters, including out-of-state boats. The money funds work against aquatic invasive species. Clean, drain and dry your boat, motor and trailer before leaving any ramp.

Boater education

Maine has no boating license, but it does have an education requirement. A person born on or after January 1, 1999 may not operate a motorboat over 25 horsepower for recreation on inland or territorial waters unless they're at least 12 and have completed a NASBLA-approved boater safety course. Carry the certificate. It's good for life, and a NASBLA-approved course from another state counts.

Youth rules from IFW:

• Under 12 may run a motorboat alone if the engine is under 10 hp.
• Under 12 with 10 to 25 hp needs supervision.
• Since January 1, 2024, a supervisor of a child under 12 on a motor over 10 hp who was born after January 1, 1999 must be 16 or older and certified.

PWC rules

No one under 16 may operate a PWC (12 M.R.S. 13071-A). Those born on or after January 1, 1999 also need the course. Everyone on a PWC must wear a life jacket, and PWCs may not run between sunset and sunrise. The statute bans PWCs on a long list of named waters, including Megunticook Lake, Torsey Lake, Long Pond on Mount Desert, and Trickey Pond in Naples, so check the list before you launch.

Where to boat and local hazards

Inland, Sebago Lake, Long Lake and Brandy Pond around Naples, Moosehead Lake and the Rangeley Lakes are big summer draws. On the coast, Casco Bay, Penobscot Bay and the waters around Mount Desert Island are cruising grounds. Maine law requires headway speed within 200 feet of any shoreline, including islands. Wakesurfing must be in at least 15 feet of water and more than 300 feet off the shore. The ocean stays cold, fog rolls in fast, and lobster buoys are everywhere, so watch your prop.

Buying tips for Maine

Ask the seller for the registration and proof that excise tax was paid. Have your sales tax receipt ready for the in-person registration. Check outboards and lower units for salt or freeze damage and look at hull bottoms on boats kept on moorings.