Ohio Vessel Requirements - Part 1:
Registration & Titling Requirements

Registration and Titling
Before boating, your boat must be properly titled, if required, and registered. A boat title is similar to an auto title. Both provide proof of ownership. Like an auto title, boat titles are obtained from the title office of the new owner's county of residence. A boat requiring a title may not be registered until a title is issued in the new owner's name.

Sailboards (commonly called windsurfers) and manually propelled inflatables without a hull identification number are not considered a watercraft by definition. Therefore, the Ohio registration and titling laws do not apply to these vessels.

Hull Identification Number (HIN)
The HIN is the boat's serial number. It is a 12 character number, a minimum of 1/4 inch high, permanently attached to the upper right of the boat's transom or on the starboard side within two feet of the stern (for boats without a transom). Pontoon boats will have a visible HIN on the aft crossbeam within one foot of the starboard hull attachment.

For homemade boats and watercraft without a HIN, contact the local Watercraft office and apply for a HIN. An appointment with a watercraft officer must be made to inspect the boat before a HIN can be assigned.

Caution must be exercised when buying a boat due to the number of stolen boats. One way to avoid problems is to match the hull identification number (HIN) listed on the title to the one attached to the boat. Before purchasing, inspect the HIN to be sure it has not been altered in any way.

Titling of Watercraft & Outboard Motors
(ORC 1548.03 & 1548.01)
No person is permitted to sell, purchase or otherwise acquire any of the following without a certificate of title:

an outboard motor of 10 horsepower or greater;
A watercraft 14 feet or greater in length;
a watercraft less than 14 feet in length with a permanently affixed mechanical means of propulsion of 10 horsepower or greater.

Watercraft exempt from this requirement are:

vessels documented by the U.S.C.G.;
canoes and kayaks;
watercraft less than 14 feet in length without a permanently affixed mechanical means of propulsion;
watercraft less than 14 feet in length with a permanently affixed mechanical means of propulsion of less than 10 horsepower;
boats from other countries temporarily using Ohio waters;
ship's lifeboat;
boats owned by government agencies;
motors less than 10 horsepower.

If a titled boat is sold by an individual (a casual sale), the seller must complete the transfer section on the back of the title in the presence of a notary public before presenting it to the buyer. The buyer must take the title to the county title office of their residence to complete the transfer.

NOTE: Some watercraft listed above may not have needed a title when it was originally purchased. Prior to selling the watercraft, however, the owner must apply to their county title office and obtain a title. These include:

watercraft or outboards purchased on or before October 9, 1963;
watercraft less than 14 feet long with a permanently affixed mechanical means of propulsion of 10 horsepower or greater and purchased on or before January 1, 2000.

Numbering of Watercraft
(ORC 1547.53)
Every watercraft operated on Ohio water shall be numbered by this state or in compliance with their own state numbering system and shall properly display the number.

Watercraft exempt from Ohio numbering are those:

documented by the United States Coast Guard;
numbered by another state and not used in this state for more than 60 days;
from a country other than the United States temporarily using Ohio water;
owned by the United States, a state or political subdivision;
a ship's lifeboat. A "lifeboat" is held aboard another vessel and used exclusively for emergency purposes;
exempted by the chief of the Division of Watercraft;
under a waiver issued for a race or special event.

A watercraft numbered by this state shall display the number as described in Display of Tags and Number section ORC 1547.57.

Registration of Watercraft
(ORC 1547.531)
Numbering a watercraft and registering a watercraft are two separate functions. No person shall operate any watercraft without a valid registration. Evidence of this registration is shown by displaying two registration tags and carrying the original registration certificate on board the vessel.

Refer to the registration & titling flow chart for further details.

Before boating, the new owner of a used boat must take the previous registration form with the transfer section completed by the seller to any watercraft registration agent, even if the registration has not expired. However, if a watercraft requiring a title is transferred to a new owner, it may be operated for no more than 45 days provided the new owner carries aboard either of the following:

a temporary watercraft registration from an authorized registration agent;
a bill of sale from a watercraft dealer containing the required information.

Watercraft exempt from registration are:

those exempt from numbering EXCEPT documented vessels;
those issued a commercial documentation and used exclusively for commercial purposes;
vessels meeting another state's registration system requirements which are used in Ohio for less than 60 days.

Proof of Documentation Required
(ORC 1547.531)
Documentation is a federal registration system administered by the United States Coast Guard. Boats must be at least 5 net tons to be eligible, which is roughly 30 feet or more in length.

No person shall operate a documented vessel unless the certificate of documentation is valid and available for inspection. The vessel must display the official number, the vessel name and home port.

Documented vessels must be registered in Ohio and display two Ohio tags, but they are not assigned an Ohio number.

Watercraft Identification & Display of Tags and Number
(OAC 1501:47-1-07 & ORC 1547.57)
The number assigned is in three parts beginning with "OH," followed by four numbers and two letters.

The number shall:

be placed on each side of the forward half of the watercraft;
read from left to right;
be in block characters of good proportion;
be a minimum of three inches in height;
contrast with the background or boat color;
be separated by a hyphen or equivalent space between the prefix and suffix;
be maintained to be clearly visible and legible.

No other numerals or letters may be displayed on the bow.

OH 1234 AB or OH-1234-AB

Two registration tags are issued with each boat registration. On numbered boats the owner shall securely affix the tags on each side of the bow six inches toward the stern from the number.

The tags must be clearly visible in normal conditions and affixed prior to operation of the watercraft. Documented boats must display one tag on the port side and one on the starboard side.

All tags must be removed when they become invalid (expire).

Expiration of Registration
(ORC 1547.54)
Registration certificates and tags are valid up to 3 years and expire on March 1 of the year indicated.
(ORC 1547.57)
All tags shall be removed when they become invalid (expire).
(ORC 1547.531)
A temporary watercraft registration expires 45 days after the date of purchase.
Registration Tag

Ohio Vessel Requirements - Part 2:
Required Safety Equipment

Duty of Owner to Provide Equipment
(ORC 1547.38)
No person who lets vessels for hire, or the agent or employee thereof, shall rent, lease, or otherwise permit the use of a vessel, unless the person provides the equipment required under sections of Chapter 1547 of the Ohio Revised Code and rules adopted under the Ohio Administrative Code.

Personal Flotation Devices (PFD)
(ORC 1547.25)
No person shall operate or permit to be operated any watercraft:

sixteen feet or greater in length without one Type I, II or III wearable PFD per person plus one Type IV throwable PFD;
less than sixteen feet in length and canoes or kayaks of any length without one Type I, II or III wearable PFD per person;
a Type V PFD may be carried in place of a Type I, II, or III wearable PFD provided the approval label indicates that the device is approved for the activity or that it can be a substitute for the other types of PFDs.

The Type V PFD must also be used in accordance with the requirements on the approval label and the requirements in its owner's manual.

Each PFD shall be:

U.S. Coast Guard approved;
in good and serviceable condition;
an appropriate size for the wearer;
readily accessible to each person aboard the watercraft at all times.

TYPE I

TYPE II

TYPE III

TYPE IV

TYPE V

The Coast Guard approval label of some PFDs includes a collision impact rating. It is recommended that persons being towed on skis or other devices and operators of personal watercraft and their passengers wear a PFD with a high impact rating, although it is not a legal requirement.

80-90% of all boating fatalities are the result of drowning. The majority of victims could survive if wearing a PFD. So, don't be a Dummie. BUCKLE UP! WEAR YOUR LIFE JACKET! Child PFD Requirements
(ORC 1547.24)
No person shall operate or permit to be operated any vessel under 18 feet long with a child less than 10 years of age on board unless the child is wearing a PFD.

The PFD must be:

United States Coast Guard approved Type I, II, or III;
in good and serviceable condition;
of appropriate size;
securely attached.

PFDs Required for Skiers
(ORC 1547.18)
No person shall ride or attempt to ride upon water skis, surfboards, inflatable devices or similar devices being towed by a vessel without wearing a United States Coast Guard approved Type I, II, III PFD or a Type V PFD specifically designed for water-skiing, in good and serviceable condition, and of appropriate size. No operator of a vessel shall tow any person who fails to comply with this law.

Barefoot Skiing
(ORC 1547.18)
No person shall engage in barefoot skiing without wearing an adequate and effective United States Coast Guard approved Type I, II, III PFD or a Type V PFD specifically designed for water-skiing, in good and serviceable condition, of appropriate size or a wetsuit specifically designed for barefoot skiing. No boat operator shall tow any person who fails to comply with this law.

PFDs Required for Personal Watercraft
(ORC 1547.41)
No person shall operate or permit the operation of a personal watercraft unless each person on the watercraft is wearing a Type I, II, III, or V personal flotation device.

A person operating a personal watercraft that is equipped by the manufacturer with a lanyard type engine cutoff switch shall attach the lanyard to the person, the person's clothing or personal flotation device as appropriate for the specific watercraft.

A "personal watercraft" is defined as a vessel less than 16 feet in length, propelled by machinery and designed to be operated by an individual sitting, standing, or kneeling on the vessel rather than by the individual sitting or standing inside the vessel.

Anchor Requirements
(ORC 1547.26 & OAC 1501:47-1-11)
All watercraft shall carry an anchor and line of sufficient weight and length to anchor the watercraft securely. No person shall operate or permit to be operated any watercraft in violation of this section.

The following vessels are exempt from requirements to carry an anchor and line:

any vessel less than 14 feet in length;
any canoe or kayak;
any sailboat less than 21 feet in length.

It is important to choose the correct anchor for the size of boat and the type of lake bottom. A length of chain between the anchor and line will improve the holding ability of most anchors. Use plenty of line, at least 5 to 10 times as much anchor line as depth of the water. This allows horizontal load on the anchor which will greatly improve the anchor's holding ability. Fire Extinguishers
(ORC 1547.27)
No person shall operate or permit to be operated any powercraft that does not meet the fire extinguisher requirement.

Powercraft exempted from this requirement are those:

propelled by electric motors;
less than 26 feet in length, powered by an outboard motor and of "open construction," which are not carrying passengers for hire.

Fire extinguishers on powercraft must:

meet or exceed United States Coast Guard standards;
be capable of extinguishing a gasoline fire;
be readily accessible;
be in condition to be ready for immediate and effective use.

Carriage requirements are determined by boat length:

powerboats under 26 feet long must carry at least one B-1 fire extinguisher;
powerboats 26 feet long but less than 40 feet long must carry at least two B-1 fire extinguishers or the equivalent, such as a B-2 fire extinguisher;
powerboats 40 feet long but less than 65 feet long must carry at least three B-1 fire extinguishers or the equivalent, such as one B-1 and one B-2 fire extinguisher.

A United States Coast Guard approved fixed fire extinguisher system installed in the vessel's engine compartment is equal to one B-1 portable fire extinguisher.	Fire Extinguisher Classification
	CLASSIFICATION	TYPE/SIZE
	FOAM (minimum gallons)	B-I	B-II
	FOAM (minimum gallons)	1.25	2.5
	CARBON DIOXIDE (minimum pounds)	4	15
	DRY CHEMICAL (minimum pounds)	2	10
	HALON (minimum pounds)	2.5	10

Distress Signals
(ORC 1547.251)
When operating on federally controlled waters (Lake Erie or the immediately connecting bays, harbors, and anchorage areas):

No person shall operate or permit operation of a vessel:

16 feet or more in length or any vessel carrying six or fewer passengers for hire without carrying United States Coast Guard approved visual distress signals for both day and night use;
any vessel between sunset and sunrise unless carrying U.S. Coast Guard approved visual distress signals for night use.

When operating on Ohio water other than federally controlled waters (other than Lake Erie or the connecting bays, harbors, and anchorage areas):

No person shall operate or permit operation of a vessel:

without carrying a distress flag at least two square feet and international orange in color or a U.S. Coast Guard approved daytime distress signal.

The required distress signals shall be:

United States Coast Guard approved;
in good and serviceable condition;
readily accessible;
of the type and quantities required (see chart).

VISUAL DISTRESS SIGNAL OPTIONS
DESCRIPTION		DAY OR NIGHT USE
	(3) Hand Held Orange Smoke	Day Only
	(3) Floating Orange Smoke	Day Only
	(1) Orange Flag	Day Only
	(3) Hand Held Red Flares	Day & Night
	(3) Parachute Red Flares	Day & Night
	(3) Red Aerial Pyrotechnic Flares	Day & Night
	(1) Electric Distress Signal	Night Only

No person shall display any distress signal unless a vessel or a person is in distress and need of help.

NOTE: Distress signaling devices must comply with ORC 1547.69 regarding firearm restrictions, which state no person shall knowingly transport or possess a distress signaling device in a loaded condition on a vessel other than immediately prior to discharge of the device for the purpose of signaling for assistance.

Some states and Canada consider pistol launchers for meteor pyrotechnics as firearms and restrict or prohibit their use. Check with authorities in the area where you plan to boat. Exemptions to the visual distress signal requirements:
Exemptions to the visual distress signal carriage requirement exist; however, on Lake Erie or the immediately connecting bays, harbors and anchorage areas, an exempted vessel must carry approved visual distress signals for night use between sunset and sunrise.

Exempted vessels during daylight hours only include:

vessels in an organized marine event or race;
manually propelled vessels;
sailboats less than 26 feet in length with completely open construction and without propulsion machinery.

Backfire Flame Arrestor
(ORC 1547.28)
Every gasoline engine installed in a vessel, except an outboard motor, shall be equipped with an acceptable device to control backfire flame.

The device shall be:

securely attached to the air intake with a flame-tight connection;
in proper working order;
United States Coast Guard approved or comply with either SAE J1928 or UL1111;
marked to indicate the approval or compliance.

Ventilation Requirements
(ORC 1547.29)

Powercraft using gasoline or other liquid fuel having a flashpoint of less than 110 degrees F shall be provided with ventilation as follows:

at least two ventilators fitted with cowls or their equivalent for the purpose of properly and efficiently ventilating the bilges of every engine and fuel tank compartment in order to remove any inflammable or explosive gases;
any type of ventilating system approved for use by the United States Coast Guard;
ventilation is not required when the greater portion of the bilges of the engine and fuel tank compartment is open to the natural atmosphere.

Exhaust Muffler Required
(ORC 1547.31)
Every powercraft shall be equipped with a muffler or muffler system that is in good working order, in constant operation and effectively installed to prevent excessive or unusual noise.

No person shall operate or give permission to operate a powercraft in a manner to exceed the following noise levels:

90 decibels on the "A" scale in a stationary sound level test prescribed by SAE J2005. (Measured from one meter with engine at low idle speed when at dock or tied to another boat.)
75 decibels on the "A" scale measured as specified by SAE J1970. (Measured from shoreline with boat in any level of operation, not less than 200 feet away.)

No person shall remove, alter or modify a muffler in a way that prevents compliance with this section. No person shall operate or allow to be operated a powercraft with an altered muffler or muffler cut out or in a manner that bypasses or reduces the effectiveness of any muffler system.

Vessel Sanitary Systems
(ORC 1547.33)

Except on Lake Erie, the Muskingum River and the Ohio River, no person shall launch, moor, dock, operate, or permit to be operated any vessel with a sink, toilet, or sanitary system capable of discharging urine, fecal matter, contents of a chemical commode, kitchen wastes, laundry wastes, slop sink drainage, or other household wastes into the waters in this state. Such a sink, toilet, or sanitary system shall be removed or sealed or made to drain into a tank or reservoir that can be carried or pumped ashore for disposal in an approved sewage treatment works.

NOTE: Also see "Marine Sanitation Devices" in the Federal Regulations section of this publication for requirements on Lake Erie, the Muskingum River, and the Ohio River.

Equipment for Sound Signals
(ORC 1501:47-2-33)
A vessel of 12 meters (39.4 feet) or more in length shall be provided with a power whistle or power horn and a bell.

A vessel less than 12 meters in length shall not be obliged to carry the sound devices described in the preceding paragraph. However, the vessel must be provided with a means of making an efficient sound signal.

A vessel that is propelled by human muscular effort, a sailing vessel and a power-driven vessel less than 16 feet in length, when using waters other than Lake Erie, the Ohio or Muskingum River, shall not be obliged to carry the sound devices stipulated above or produce the sound signals prescribed in the Ohio Administrative Code.

Navigation Lights
(OAC 1501:47-2-21 through 1501:47-2-31)
All vessels are required to display running lights or an anchor light between sunset and sunrise. For power vessels, running lights include a green light displayed on the starboard side, a red light displayed on the port side and all-around white light(s) displaying 360 degrees. An anchor light is an all-around white light. Requirements vary by vessel size and type. Sailing vessels and hand-powered vessels have light display options. Lighting requirements are covered in greater detail under Navigation Rules.

Ohio Vessel Requirements - Part 1:Registration & Titling Requirements

Ohio Vessel Requirements - Part 2: Required Safety Equipment

Fire ExtinguisherClassification

VISUAL DISTRESS SIGNAL OPTIONS

Ventilation Requirements (ORC 1547.29)

Ohio Vessel Requirements - Part 1:
Registration & Titling Requirements

Ohio Vessel Requirements - Part 2:
Required Safety Equipment

Fire Extinguisher
Classification

Ventilation Requirements
(ORC 1547.29)