New Jersey regs on home-built duckboats

Anthony A

Anthony A

Well-known member
Hello All,

Has anyone had any issues registering their homebuilt duckboat in the state of New Jersey? Getting good information out of the NJ department of motor vehicles is like pulling teeth out of a 50ft badger - unpleasant. The first person I asked told me to use the website - after I did, and got confused, I called the helpline, twice (had to leave after 20 mins on hold the first time), and they told me to go to a DMV office...

I'm partway through building my Kara, and I'd like to make sure I have all my bases covered. It will be 12ft (give or take a few inches) long, and powered by a Minn Kota 40 lb thrust electric motor. That is my hope anyways. I know that if a craft is to be paddled or poled, then it does not have to be registered, but that's about all I can get from the website.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Anthony
 
Jimmy is right. As long as you get a HIN# than you can register it. If they give you grief then go to another office and try there. It really depends on who you actually deal with. Some are sticklers and some are not.....................Good luck, Kevin
 
Make sure you go to a DMV that deals with boats regularly. An officer near the shore, etc. or you may be in for a miserable and frustrating time. Call ahead and ask them if they are familiar with processing boats AFTER you have gone to the NJSP barracks and gotten your paperwork.
 
What ever you do stay away from the Bridgeton office, its run by a bunch of Lobby Nazis. Been there and done that !!!
 
The DMV I went to was in Morris county, and they were completely useless. She brushed me off by telling me to go to the website... i thought these were supposed to be the best motor vehicle/boat experts public money could buy? or did they get privatized? Looks like it'll be a long drive down to the shore for me. Do I have to bring the boat with me to both the NJ State Marine Police and the DMV?
 
You have to call the state police and set up an appt. date.

They have someone who does most of the boat-hull inspections.

Bring your boat to the appointment and they will issure a HIN #. It is basically to check out that the boat is not stolen.

Take the HIN# to the dmv with a bill of materials and notarized letter saying it home built blah,blah,blah and you can register it.
 
I thought doing this in NC was a pain. Compared to what you are going through it's a breeze here. Sorry you are going through such a beaureaucratic nigtmare.

Persist and you will prevail,
Harry
 
........tell me about it. Thats NJ for ya. A HIN # is all you are suppoesed to need, but DMV wouldn't do my Mallard without the letter and materials bill.........
 
A few years ago I bought a 9 ft plastic bass boat from Cabelas so I could putt around the local ponds for bass.
Well I went to the Bridgeton DMV with all the paper work from Cabelas ( Invoice and bill of sale) they told my that it was not good enough , I would have to get a notarized letter from who I bought it from stating that I bought it from them and were it was made, NJ is not the armpit of north America its a body part a little lower and to the rear
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I sent an email question to the New Jersey State Marine Police through their website (see below); I received an answer within a few hours (!).

They noted specifically that in addition to keeping all the bills, I would need to show pictures of me building the boat.

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Anthony,
Yes, a registration is required with any type of motor attached. Keep receipts from the materials and pictures of the project. You will need to take the completed hull to the nearest NJSP Marine Station for a Hull Identification Number Inspection. Be sure to call and make an appointment for the inspection. You can find a list of NJSP Marine Stations online at http://www.njsp.org/maritime/msb-location.html
Tpr. I Michael Hickman #5459
Marine Services Bureau
Bivalve Station

>>> <anthony.acs@ferring.com> 6/25/2009 1:14 PM >>>
I am building a small (under 12ft) wood/fiberglass boat to be used in tidal waters for duck hunting only. Does it need to be registered if I plan on using an electric trolling motor? If yes, what sort of paperwork do I need to get, and from where? What other requirements might I be subject to?
Thank you in advance for your help
Anthony
 
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