Taken from “Highlights from Utah’s Boating Laws and Rules.”
It outlines the basic responsibilities of Utah’s boaters. For a complete copy of Utah’s Boating Laws and Rules, go to: boating.utah.gov

According to the Utah Boating Act, a boat is defined as every type of watercraft capable of transporting a person(s) on the water. Boats such as personal watercraft (PWC), rafts, canoes, kayaks, float tubes, inner tubes, “kick” boats and standup paddle craft are subject to Utah’s boating laws and rules.

All motorboats, including those with electric motors, and sailboats must be registered and numbered. Boats exempt from Utah registration and numbering include sailboards and properly registered motorboats and sailboats owned by residents of another state that have not been in Utah more than 60 days in a calendar year.
Boats owned by Utah residents must be registered and numbered in Utah if used on Utah waters.

Boat registrations are processed by the Utah State Tax Commission, Division of Motor Vehicles. To register your boat, submit a signed application to your local office of the Utah Division of Motor Vehicles.

A registration certificate, along with two yearly registration decals and two month of expiration decals will be issued. The registration certificate must be carried on board the boat for which it is issued and must be available for inspection whenever the boat is in operation.

The bow number must be painted or permanently attached to each side of the forward half of the boat. Numbers and letters must be of a solid color and block design, at least three inches in height and read from left to right. The bow number must contrast with the background color of the hull. Spaces or hyphens, equal to the width of a letter, must separate letter groups from number groups. The assigned bow number must be displayed on the boat with the decals.

The yearly registration decals are to be displayed three inches to the rear of the bow number on each side of the boat. Only current yearly registration decals may be displayed. The month of expiration decals must be displayed immediately aft of the yearly registration decals.

Each motorboat and personal watercraft (PWC) is required to carry owner’s or operator’s liability insurance when operated on Utah waters. The minimum insurance requirements are: $25,000/$50,000 bodily injury/death – $15,000 property damage or $65,000 combined minimum per accident. Motorboats equipped with engines less than 50 horsepower and all airboats are exempt from this requirement.

Proof of insurance must be carried on board the motorboat whenever it is in operation. Evidence of insurance coverage includes one of the following items: an insurance policy, a binder notice, a renewal notice, or a card issued by the insurance company.

A motorboat owned by a non-Utah resident and registered in the non-resident’s state must meet its state’s insurance requirements or have 90 days to comply with Utah’s liability insurance requirements.