This is the first year I successfully registered a boat in the state of Pennsylvania. The boat is an old hand me down that was given to me, and had no HID (hull identification number), an unknown manufacturer, and no capacity plate. I thought the process of registering the boat would be difficult due to the lack of information, but to my surprise, the registration went through fine.

About The Boat

The boat itself is an old aluminum flat bottom Jon Boat. The length is exactly 10', and is only 3'3" at it's widest point. She's a pretty light boat, and I can carry her myself. This type of boat doesn't need a trailer, just a car with a rack of some sort. It should be perfect for small lake and pond fishing. I wouldn't dare take this boat out in rough waters or heavy rapid rivers, but she will do just fine cruising around my local Pocono lakes.

Registering The Jon Boat

I searched the internet for my states fish and game commission website. It was easy to find. I located the boat titling and registration page, and read over the rules. The process was not complicated, but due to the age of my boat and the lack of specifications, it seemed as if the registration process would be halted. Instead of just giving up, I decided to send it in anyways.

The boat registration forms were quite straight forward. The main problem was that the boat didn't have a Hull ID number or a capacity plate. I continued searching the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission website, and I found a form to request a capacity plate. The good news was that issuing a capacity plate for a boat only costs an additional $5. So I immediately printed out the form.

I filled out all necessary fields on the registration form, but since I didn't have a capacity plate or a Hull ID number, I wrote "unknown" on the paperwork. I attached a picture of the boat, a hand written note that documented the transfer of the boat to me, and the forms for the registration and capacity plate. I finished by slapping a stamp on the envelope and mailing it that day.

The Day Arrives

About two weeks later, I received a letter from the fish and game commission. The letter contained a copy of my new Hull ID for the boat. At that point I knew the registration was going to go through. A week later, another letter arrived which contained my boat registration card and my registration stickers. The only thing I am waiting for is the capacity plate.

Conclusion

I had this boat for a few years collecting dust. I never registered it because I thought the missing Hull ID and the capacity plate would hold me back. When I finally decided to register her, the process was easy and smooth. If you have a boat with missing documentation, you may find it as easy to register as I did. $31 later, I have a boat ready to put in the water.

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