Boats for Sale in Massachusetts

Massachusetts boating is mostly salt water, from Boston Harbor and Cape Ann to Cape Cod, Buzzards Bay and the Islands. Inland, ponds and reservoirs give freshwater anglers plenty of room too.

Registration and titles

The Massachusetts Environmental Police (MEP) run boat registration and titling through five registration offices, with renewals online. Any boat powered by a motor on public waters must be registered. That includes a canoe or sailboat with an electric motor, a PWC and even a small motorized tender to a bigger boat.

All boats 14 feet or longer that use a motor, or are designed for one, must be titled. The title fee is $27.50, paid once. Registration lasts two years and is priced by length. The title application and Massachusetts sales tax are due within 20 days of purchase.

To transfer a used boat, MEP wants:

a bill of sale
a pencil tracing of the 12-character HIN
proof that sales tax was paid
a completed application and fees
the signed title, if the boat is titled

Registration numbers belong to the owner, not the boat, so you'll get a new number. Pre-1972 boats without a 12-character HIN need an MEP inspection before the state issues one. Sellers must notify MEP within 15 days of a sale. Trailers are registered separately at the RMV. Out-of-state boats can stay up to 60 consecutive days before needing Massachusetts paperwork.

Boater safety certificate (Hanson-Milone Act)

The Hanson-Milone Act, signed in January 2025, makes boater education mandatory for motorboat operators. People born after January 1, 1989 have needed a certificate since April 1, 2026. Everyone born on or before that date needs one by April 1, 2028.

MEP said it would not issue penalties before September 1, 2026. Fines are $50 for a first offense and $100 after that.

PWC operators must be at least 16 and certified. A person over 12 without a certificate may operate under direct supervision of a certified adult over 18.

The certificate is valid for life. Courses come only from MEP-approved providers, and MEP's own classes are free. Massachusetts residents can't use an out-of-state card, but they can apply to convert one.

New owners who bought a numbered or documented boat within the last six months can operate on a temporary certificate. That exemption is useful in your first season with a boat.

Where to boat

Boston Harbor and its islands are the city's backyard. Gloucester and Rockport on Cape Ann are working fishing ports. The Cape Cod Canal links Buzzards Bay and Cape Cod Bay, and its currents run hard, so plan around the tide. Nantucket Sound leads to Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket. Inland, Lake Quinsigamond in Worcester is a rowing and boating lake, and the Connecticut River crosses the western part of the state.

Popular boats

Center consoles and walkarounds for striped bass and tuna, downeast-style cruisers, and sailboats on moorings in nearly every harbor town.

Buying tips for Massachusetts boats

Ask whether a mooring or slip is included. Many towns run mooring waitlists through the harbormaster. Check salt corrosion on trailers and engines, and make sure the title is signed if the boat is 14 feet or longer with a motor.