Boats for Sale in Rhode Island

Registration and titles through DEM

The Department of Environmental Management (DEM) registers boats. Its Boat Registration Office is at 235 Promenade Street in Providence. Every new registration has to be done through that office. Renewals and duplicate decals can be done online in the Rhode Island Outdoors (RIO) portal.

Key points from DEM's law summary:

• Registration is good for two years and expires on the last day of February.
• Vessels over 14 feet must be titled.
• Keep the registration aboard and display only the current decal.
• Tell the registry about changes in address or owner.

For a new registration, DEM asks for paperwork to title and register both the boat and the motor, and Rhode Island forms must be notarized. A used, titled boat needs the title notarized by the seller. A new boat needs the dealer's bill of sale and the MSO. DEM recommends contacting the registration office before you buy to confirm the paperwork.

Boating safety certificate

Under RIGL 46-22-9.8, anyone born on or after January 1, 1986 needs a boating safety certificate to operate a boat with more than 10 hp. Anyone operating a personal watercraft needs a Rhode Island certificate regardless of age or residency, and an out-of-state card or Coast Guard license doesn't count for PWCs.

You can take an 8-hour classroom course with an approved provider, or study on your own and pass DEM's proctored challenge exam. The exam is free and the passing score is 70%. Exemptions include supervised operators with an 18+ certified adult aboard, holders of a commercial license, and nonresidents who meet their home state rules (unless they boat in Rhode Island for more than 90 days a year). New residents get 60 days.

A certificate isn't needed to register a boat, only to operate it.

Where to boat

Narragansett Bay runs from Providence to the ocean, with Newport, Bristol, Jamestown and Wickford along the way. Point Judith and Galilee are the jumping-off points for Block Island, and the salt ponds along the south coast are popular with small boats. Expect tidal currents, fog, busy ferry lanes and heavy traffic around Newport in summer.

Popular boats

Sailboats are everywhere, with center consoles and bay boats for striped bass and fluke, and cruisers for weekend trips to Block Island.

Buying tips for Rhode Island

Call DEM before you buy to confirm the paperwork, and get the seller's signature notarized on the title. Remember the motor is registered too, so its paperwork matters. On saltwater boats, inspect for corrosion, check outdrives and through-hulls, and ask for haul-out and bottom paint records.

In Rhode Island, the seller's signature on the title has to be notarized, so meet at a bank or notary to close the deal. For a boat over 14 feet, make sure the title is in the seller's name. Narragansett Bay boats should be checked for corroded through-hulls, a worn bottom paint job and a tired trailer.