Concord—December 31, 2024—A new boat licensing law that goes into effect on January 1 will require two separate decals on your watercraft this year.

The change stems from passage of HB 1304, which separates the collection of boat registration fees and fees for other state programs into separate transactions to comply with federal regulations.

The separation protects federal funding for the New Hampshire Marine Patrol, and provides a legal way for the state to collect boating fees to support critical lake programs, including those that address invasive aquatic species.

This season your registered boat must display the state’s new round decal as well as the familiar square registration decal, one on each side of the bow.

The decals are available for purchase when registering a boat, either by mail or at DMV offices. Authorized boat agents, which include some city and town halls and local marinas, can also process registrations.

Boaters who are renewing in person should bring their signed renewal notice and a photo ID.