COLUMBUS, OH - Owners of watercraft such as canoes, kayaks, racing shells and inflatable boats can obtain an optional tag this year when renewing their watercraft registration, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR).
For the first time last year, we began offering a substitute registration decal for owners of hand-powered watercraft, said Bill McGarrity, deputy chief of the ODNR Division of Watercraft. This was in response to boaters seeking an alternative to the traditional number display.
These new registration decals for hand-powered watercraft are only available through the Division of Watercraft administrative headquarters at Fountain Square in north Columbus. The smaller-sized decal costs $20 and must be displayed on one of the following places: the upper right corner of the transom; on a portion of the rear deck; outside the boat below the port side gunnel; or on the inside of the boat just below the starboard side gunnel.
Owners choosing to remain with the traditional Ohio-shaped registration sticker will continue to pay a $15 fee to obtain two registration tags which must be displayed on the exterior forward hull of the boat along with the Ohio registration numbers.
Boats without a hull identification number are required to obtain one before owners can register their watercraft. Watercraft registration renewals also can be made conveniently online through the ODNR web page at ohiodnr.com
For information about boat registration renewals, call toll free at 877-4BOATER (877-426-2837).