Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations
Chapter 30 - Navigable waters, harbors and navigation.
30.52 - Certificate of number and registration; application; certification and registration period; fees; issuance.

30.52 Certificate of number and registration; application; certification and registration period; fees; issuance.
(1) Issuance of certificates and registrations.
(a) Application for certificate of number.
1. Any person who owns a boat required to be covered by a certificate of number shall apply to the department for a certificate of number.
3. If a boat otherwise subject to the certificate of number requirements of this chapter is covered by a valid certificate of number issued under federal law or the federally approved numbering system of another state and is used in this state in excess of 60 consecutive days or if this state becomes the state of principal use, the owner of the boat shall immediately apply to the department for a certificate of number.
(b) Application for registration.
1. Any person who owns a boat required to be registered under this chapter shall apply to the department for registration.
1m. Any person who owns a nonmotorized boat that is exempt from the certificate of number and the registration requirement under s. 30.51 (2) (a) 1. or 2. may apply to the department for registration.
1r. A person applying for registration of a federally documented vessel shall submit as part of the application a photocopy of the front and back of the federal certificate of documentation for the vessel, which must be current at the time of applying for registration.
2. If a federally documented vessel with a home port located outside this state is used in this state in excess of 60 consecutive days or if this state becomes the state of principal use, the owner of the boat shall immediately apply to the department for registration.
(c) Application for duplicate. If a certificate of number card, a registration card, a certification decal or registration decal is lost or destroyed the owner of a boat may apply for a duplicate.
(1m) Procedures.
(a) Issuers. For the issuance of original or duplicate certification or registration documents, for the issuance of reprints under s. 23.47, and for the transfer or renewal of certification or registration documents, the department may do any of the following:
1. Directly issue, transfer, or renew certification or registration documents with or without using the expedited service under par. (ag) 1. and directly issue reprints.
3. Appoint persons who are not employees of the department as agents of the department to issue, transfer, or renew certification or registration documents using the service under par. (ag) 1. and to issue reprints.
(ag) Methods of issuance.
1. For the issuance of original or duplicate certification or registration documents and for the transfer or renewal of certification or registration documents, the department shall implement either or both of the following procedures to be provided by the department and any agents appointed under par. (a) 3.:
a. A procedure under which the department or an agent appointed under par. (a) 3. accepts applications for certification or registration documents and issues temporary operating receipts at the time applicants submit applications accompanied by the required fees.
b. A procedure under which the department or an agent appointed under par. (a) 3. accepts applications for certification or registration documents and issues to each applicant all or some of the certification or registration documents at the time the applicant submits the application accompanied by the required fees.
2. Under either procedure under subd. 1., the applicant shall be issued any remaining certification or registration documents directly from the department at a later date. Any certification or registration document issued under subd. 1. b. shall be sufficient to allow the boat for which the application is submitted to be operated in compliance with the registration requirements under this section and ss. 30.51 and 30.523.
(ar) Supplemental fees. In addition to the applicable fee under sub. (3), when an agent appointed under par. (a) 3. accepts an application to renew certification or registration documents, or the department accepts an application to renew registration documents through a statewide automated system, the agent or the department shall collect an issuing fee of 50 cents and a transaction fee of 50 cents each time the agent or the department issues renewal certification or registration documents or a renewal temporary operating receipt under par. (ag) 1. or 2. The agent or the department shall retain the entire amount of each issuance and transaction fee the agent or the department collects.
(e) Receipt of fees. All fees remitted to or collected by the department under par. (ar) shall be credited to the appropriation account under s. 20.370 (9) (hu).
(f) Inapplicability.
1. A dealer in boats who assists a customer in applying for a certification of number or registration without using the procedure specified in par. (ag) 1., may charge the customer a reasonable fee for providing this assistance.
2. Paragraphs (a) to (ar) do not apply to certificates of numbers issued to manufactures or dealers in boats who pay the fee under sub. (3) (im).
(1r) Rules for issuers. The department may promulgate rules to establish eligibility and other criteria for the appointment of agents under sub. (1m) (a) 3. and to regulate the activities of these agents.
(2) Certification and registration period. Except as provided in sub. (3g), the certification and registration period runs for 3 years, commencing on April 1 of the year in which the certificate of number or registration is issued and, unless sooner terminated or discontinued in accordance with this chapter, expiring on March 31 of the 3rd year after issuance. A certificate of number or registration is valid only for the period for which it is issued.
(3) Fees.
(a) Payment of fee required. Except as provided in sub. (3g), a person who applies for the issuance or renewal of a certificate of number or registration shall pay the department the fee required under this subsection for the whole or any part of a certification and registration period.
(b) Fee for boats under 16 feet. The fee for the issuance or renewal of a certificate of number for a boat less than 16 feet in length is $22.
(c) Fee for boats 16 feet or more but less than 26 feet. The fee for the issuance or renewal of a certificate of number for a boat 16 feet or more but less than 26 feet in length is $32.
(d) Fee for boats 26 feet or more but less than 40 feet. The fee for the issuance or renewal of a certificate of number for a boat 26 feet or more but less than 40 feet in length is $60.
(e) Fee for boats 40 feet or longer. The fee for the issuance or renewal of a certificate of number for a boat 40 feet or more in length is $100.
(f) Fee for nonmotorized sailboats. Notwithstanding pars. (b) to (e), the fee for the issuance or renewal of a certificate of number for a sailboat which is not a motorboat is $17.
(fm) Fee for voluntarily registered boats. Notwithstanding pars. (b) to (f), the fee for issuance or renewal of registration for a boat registered pursuant to sub. (1) (b) 1m. is $11.
(g) Fee for documented vessels. The fee for the issuance or renewal of registration for a federally documented vessel is the same as the fee for the issuance or renewal for a certificate of number under pars. (b) to (e).
(h) Fee for issuance upon transfer of ownership. Notwithstanding pars. (b) to (g), the fee for the issuance of a certificate of number or registration to the new owner upon transfer of ownership of a boat certified or registered under this chapter by the previous owner is $3.75 if the certificate of number or registration is issued for the remainder of the certification and registration period for which the previous certificate of number or registration was issued.
(i) Fleet fees. A person owning or holding 3 or more boats may, at the person's option, pay a fleet rate for these boats instead of the fees which otherwise would be payable under pars. (b) to (g). Notwithstanding pars. (b) to (g), the fee for the issuance or renewal of certificates of number or registrations for boats under the fleet rate is $27 plus 50 percent of the fees which would otherwise be applicable for the boats under pars. (b) to (g).
(im) Dealer or manufacturer fees. A manufacturer or dealer in boats may, at the manufacturer's or dealer's option, pay a fee of $75 for the issuance or renewal of a certificate of number.
(j) Fee for issuance of duplicates. The fee for the issuance of each duplicate certificate of number card, registration card, certification decal, or registration decal is $2.50.
(k) Use of fees. All fees remitted to or collected by the department under par. (j) shall be credited to the appropriation account under s. 20.370 (9) (hu).
(3g) Exemption.
(a) A boat that is present in this state and used exclusively as part of an advertisement being made for the manufacturer of the boat shall be issued a certificate of number for a period not to exceed 15 days. The department may not charge a fee for the issuance of a certificate of number under this paragraph.
(b) The department shall promulgate rules for the issuance of certificates of number under par. (a).
(3m) Voluntary contributions; invasive species grants.
(a) Any applicant for the issuance or renewal of a certificate of number or registration under sub. (3) (b) to (im) may, in addition to paying the fee charged for the certificate, elect to make a voluntary contribution of at least $2 to be used for research by the department concerning invasive species that are aquatic species and for grants under s. 23.22 (2) (c) to control invasive species that are aquatic species.
(am) If a person appointed under sub. (1m) (a) 3. collects a voluntary contribution under par. (a) from an applicant for the issuance or renewal of a certificate of number or registration, the person collecting the voluntary contribution may retain 50 cents of the voluntary contribution to compensate for the person's services in collecting the voluntary contribution.
(b) All moneys collected under par. (a), less the amount retained as authorized under par. (am), shall be deposited into the account under s. 20.370 (4) (ks).
(4) Sales and use taxes. The department shall collect from the applicant any sales and use taxes due under s. 77.61 (1) on any boat for which a certificate of number or registration is applied for and the report in respect to those taxes. The department shall use collection and accounting methods approved by the department of revenue.
(5) Issuance.
(a) Certificate of number; card; decals; number.
1. Upon receipt of a proper application for the issuance or renewal of a certificate of number accompanied by the required fee, a sales tax report, the payment of any sales and use tax due under s. 77.61 (1), and any other information the department determines to be necessary, a temporary operating receipt or a certificate of number card and 2 certification decals shall be issued to the applicant using one of the procedures specified in sub. (1m) (ag) 1.
1m. The certificate of number card issued under this paragraph or sub. (1m) (ag) 2. shall state the identification number awarded, the name and address of the owner, and other information the department determines to be necessary. The certificate of number card shall be of pocket size and of durable water resistant material.
2. The certification decals issued under this paragraph or sub. (1m) (ag) 2. shall bear the year of expiration of the current certification and registration period.
3. At the time the department issues a certificate of number card, the department shall award an identification number and shall provide the applicant with instructions concerning the painting or attachment of the awarded identification number to the boat. The identification number shall be awarded to a particular boat unless the owner of the boat is a manufacturer of or dealer in boats, motors, or trailers who has paid the fee under sub. (3) (im) and the identification number is used on that boat.
4. At the time a person receives the certification decals, the department shall furnish the person with instructions concerning the attachment of the certification decals to the boat and with a copy of the state laws pertaining to operation of boats or informational material based on these laws.
(b) Registration; card; decals.
1. Upon receipt of a proper application for the issuance or renewal of a registration accompanied by the required fee, a sales tax report, the payment of any sales and use tax due under s. 77.61 (1) and any other information the department determines to be necessary, a temporary operating receipt or a registration card and 2 registration decals shall be issued to the applicant using one of the procedures specified in sub. (1m) (ag) 1.
1g. The registration card issued under this paragraph or sub. (1m) (ag) 2. shall state the name and address of the owner and other information the department determines to be necessary. The registration card shall be of pocket size and of durable water resistant material.
1m. The issuance or renewal of a registration card for a boat registered pursuant to sub. (1) (b) 1m. does not authorize the use of a motor on the boat.
2. The registration decals issued under this paragraph or sub. (1m) (ag) 2. shall bear the year of expiration of the current certification and registration period.
3. At the time a person receives the registration decals, the department shall furnish the person with instructions concerning the attachment of the registration decals to the boat and with a copy of the state laws pertaining to the operation of boats or informational material based on these laws.
(bn) Sales tax information required.
1. For an application submitted under par. (a) 1. or (b) 1., the purchaser of the boat shall complete the sales tax information required by the department on the application unless subd. 2. applies.
2. For an application submitted under par. (a) 1. or (b) 1., if the seller is a manufacturer or a dealer, the manufacturer or dealer shall complete the sales tax information if the manufacturer or dealer agrees to do so on behalf of the purchaser.
History: 1971 c. 215; 1973 c. 302; 1977 c. 29, 418; 1979 c. 34, 221, 275; 1983 a. 27 ss. 847 to 862; 1983 a. 192, 405; 1987 a. 290; 1991 a. 39; 1995 a. 27; 1997 a. 27, 198; 1999 a. 9; 2001 a. 16, 104; 2005 a. 25, 481; 2007 a. 20; 2009 a. 28; 2015 a. 89; 2017 a. 59; 2021 a. 58, 239.

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