Is Massachusetts medium-speed vehicle friendly? No state law currently in place.
Is license and registration required? For LSVs, yes. A Low-Speed Vehicle must be titled, registered, insured, and operated by a licensed driver in nearly every state. For boats, yes. A motorized vessel must be registered with the state’s marine or boating agency before it can be used on public waterways.
Under current NHTSA regulations, a Low-Speed Vehicle (LSV) is a four-wheeled motor vehicle with an attainable speed of more than 20 miles per hour but not more than 25 miles per hour on a paved level surface, and a gross vehicle weight rating of less than 3,000 pounds.
The federal standard (FMVSS No. 500, 49 CFR 571.500) requires low-speed vehicles to be equipped with headlamps, stop lamps, turn signal lamps, taillamps, reflex reflectors, parking brakes, rearview mirrors, windshields, seat belts, and a 17-digit vehicle identification number (VIN).
An LSV is NOT a golf cart. A golf cart is generally designed for speeds of 20 mph or less, is not federally regulated as a street vehicle, and in most states cannot be titled or registered for on-road use. An LSV is a federally certified motor vehicle that receives a license plate, requires insurance, and is street-legal on qualifying roads.
Find out more information on federal standards for low-speed vehicles at the NHTSA Low-Speed Vehicle page.
All motorized vessels and sailboats used on public waterways must be registered with the state in which they are principally used. The federal numbering system requires every registered vessel to display a registration number on each side of the bow in plain block letters at least 3 inches tall, in a color that contrasts with the hull, along with current validation decals.
Every vessel manufactured after 1972 must carry a Hull Identification Number (HIN) – a 12-character serial number permanently affixed by the manufacturer, similar to a VIN on a car. The state uses the HIN to register and title the vessel.
Boat registration is handled by different agencies depending on the state – it may be the DMV, a Department of Natural Resources, a Fish & Wildlife agency, or a Parks & Wildlife department. The registration term varies from 1 to 3 years by state.
To register a boat in Massachusetts for the first time, submit an application to the Massachusetts Environmental Police Boat and Recreation Vehicle Registration and Titling Bureau. Boat registration is handled separately from vehicle and trailer registration, which is managed by the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles.
Follow these steps to complete your MA boat registration:
Applications can be submitted by mail or in person at a Boat and Recreation Vehicle Registration office in Boston, Fall River, Hyannis, Springfield or Worcester. First-time registration is not completed through the online renewal system.
Once approved, the registration number must be displayed on both sides of the forward half of the vessel in contrasting block characters at least three inches high. The registration certificate should be kept on board whenever the boat is being operated.
Register the boat with the MA Environmental Police. Provide the HIN and proof of ownership and pay the fee.
→ Official link: mass.gov/how-to/register-a-boat
Yes, it is possible to register certain boats without a title, but it depends on the boat’s length, design and previous state of registration.
A Massachusetts title is generally required for any boat that is 14 feet or longer and is powered by a motor or designed to be powered by a motor. This includes sailboats, canoes and other vessels of that length if they use a motor, even temporarily.
A boat may be registered without presenting a title in the following situations:
Even when a title is not required, the applicant must still establish ownership. The registration office may require the bill of sale, previous registration, Manufacturer’s Statement of Origin and other supporting documents.
If a title was previously issued but has been lost, a bill of sale should not be treated as an automatic substitute. The titled owner should normally request a duplicate title before transferring the boat. Buyers should contact the Massachusetts Boat and Recreation Vehicle Registration and Titling Bureau before purchasing a vessel with missing or incomplete ownership documents.
MA boat registration is required for motorboats principally used on Massachusetts waters. A motorboat is a vessel propelled by machinery, even when the motor is not its primary source of propulsion. Therefore, boats with gasoline, diesel or electric motors generally need to be registered before being operated on Massachusetts waterways.
A boat carrying a valid registration from another state can generally be used in Massachusetts for up to 60 consecutive days. If it remains in the Commonwealth for longer than that period, Massachusetts registration and, where applicable, a Massachusetts title will be required.
Non-motorized vessels are generally outside the state’s motorboat-numbering requirement. However, adding even a temporary electric or gasoline motor can change the vessel’s registration and titling obligations.
| Boat length | Two-year registration fee |
|---|---|
| Under 16 feet | $44 |
| 16 feet to under 26 feet | $66 |
| 26 feet to under 40 feet | $88 |
| 40 feet and longer | $110 |
Boat trailer registration in MA is a separate process from registering the boat. The boat is registered through the Massachusetts Environmental Police, while the trailer is registered through the Massachusetts RMV.
To register a boat trailer, the owner will generally need:
Trailers with a gross vehicle weight rating of 3,000 pounds or less do not require a Massachusetts certificate of title, but they must still be properly registered before being used on public roads. Trailers weighing more than 3,000 pounds must be titled, and the title application must generally be submitted within 10 days of purchase.
The trailer’s registration fee is based on its registered weight. Because the boat and trailer are treated as separate property, completing MA boat registration does not automatically register the trailer.
Your $5,000 deposit reserves a build slot for the WaterCar EV and is credited toward your purchase price. Build slots are allocated in the order deposits are received.
Your deposit is refundable.
To pay by wire transfer, email info@watercar.com for instructions, which are verified by phone with our Business Manager.
Prefer to pay by wire? Request wire instructions
This Watercar, Inc. Deposit Agreement (the “Deposit Agreement”) governs the placing of a reservation and making a deposit with Watercar, Inc. for a test drive and potential purchase of a Watercar EV Vessel (the “Watercar EV Vessel”). Please read all of these terms and conditions carefully before signing this Deposit Agreement and submitting your deposit. This is a binding agreement between you (the “Buyer”) and Watercar, Inc.
This Deposit Agreement outlines the reservation and deposit terms for a Watercar EV Vessel. Your reservation becomes effective only once you have paid the deposit amount listed below to Watercar, Inc., and the order of delivery will be determined on a first-deposit, first-delivery basis. This Deposit Agreement is subject to the following terms:
Model: Watercar EV*
Deposit Amount: $5,000.00
Deposit Refundable: The Deposit Amount is refundable up until a Purchase Agreement is entered into between Buyer and Watercar, Inc. for the ultimate purchase of a Watercar EV Vessel.
Transferable: This Deposit Agreement can be assigned by you to another purchaser upon the written consent of Watercar, Inc. and is subject to the terms and conditions of this Deposit Agreement.
* The Watercar EV Vessel details and specifications may vary from your Watercar EV Vessel and are subject to change without notice, and will be confirmed prior to start of production.
Now, therefore, in consideration of the mutual covenants set forth herein and other good and valuable consideration, Watercar, Inc. and Buyer agree as follows:
1. DEPOSIT. By entering into the Deposit Agreement, Buyer agrees to pay Watercar, Inc. the Deposit Amount set forth above for the placing of a reservation and a test drive of one Watercar EV Vessel. By agreeing to these terms and conditions, you represent and warrant to Watercar, Inc. that you are at least 18 years of age. If you are reserving a Watercar EV Vessel on behalf of a company, organization, or entity (the “Entity”), you represent and warrant that you have the authority to bind that Entity to this Agreement and that such Entity agrees to be bound by this Deposit Agreement.
2. TEST DRIVE. To schedule a test drive of a Watercar EV Vessel, Watercar, Inc. requires any Buyer or perspective buyer to make a deposit payment pursuant to the terms of this Agreement and execute a separate agreement entitled Boat Test Drive Liability Release and Hold Harmless Agreement. This policy is in place to confirm the commitment of prospective buyers and to cover any potential damage during the test drive, as such deposit may be subject to forfeiture if such damages are caused by the Buyer’s conduct or negligence during the test drive.
3. DELIVERY NUMBER. Upon receipt of a signed Deposit Agreement and payment of the Deposit Amount, Watercar, Inc. will assign buyer a delivery number (the “Delivery Number”). Delivery Numbers are assigned on a first-deposit, first-produced basis and are subject to prior commitment and availability as determined by Watercar, Inc. at its sole discretion. There is no guarantee as to a delivery date based on your Delivery Number, and delivery timing is subject to Watercar, Inc.’s manufacturing schedule, delivery and service operations, and ultimate execution of a Purchase Agreement.
4. DEPOSIT SHALL BE APPLIED TO PURCHASE. The $5,000 deposit made by Buyer to Watercar, Inc. and transmitted to Watercar, Inc. upon execution of this Deposit Agreement shall be deducted from the Purchase Price provided Buyer completes the purchase of the reserved Watercar EV Vessel.
5. TERMINATION
5.1 Buyer may cancel this Deposit Agreement by providing written notice to Watercar, Inc. any time prior to execution of a Purchase Agreement. In the event that the Buyer timely cancels the Deposit Agreement, Watercar, Inc. will return the deposit to the Buyer, minus any credit card, bank , or other processing fees, within ten (10) business days, subject to any possible forfeiture pursuant to Section 2 above.
5.2 Watercar, Inc. may terminate this Deposit Agreement for cause upon written notice to Buyer if Buyer fails to comply with this Deposit Agreement.
6. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY
NOTWITHSTANDING ANYTHING TO THE CONTRARY, THE MAXIMUM LIABILITY OF WATERCAR, INC.’S OR ANY OF ITS AFFILIATES’, OR THEIR RESPECTIVE OFFICERS’, EMPLOYEES’, LICENSORS’, AND PARTNERS’ AGGREGATE LIABILITY TO BUYER FOR ANY BREACH OF THIS DEPOSIT AGREEMENT SHALL BE A FULL REFUND OF THE DEPOSIT MADE BY BUYER. IN NO EVENT SHALL WATERCAR, INC. BE LIABLE FOR ANY CONSEQUENTIAL, INDIRECT, PUNITIVE, INCIDENTAL OR SPECIAL DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS DEPOSIT AGREEMENT.
7. GOVERNING LAW
This Deposit Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of California. Any and all disputes between the Parties shall be resolved in the courts of Orange County, California or the United States District Court for the Southern District of California, to the exclusion of courts in any other country, state, county, or city.
8. PAYMENT SCHEDULE
Initial Refundable Deposit – $5,000 Due within five (5) business days of execution of Deposit Agreement.
First Payment – 40%: Due within five (5) business days of execution of Purchase Agreement.
Second Payment – 40%: Due at Mid-Build Milestone (per Milestone Notice), within five (5) business days of notice from Seller.
Final Payment – 20%: Due no later than five (5) business days prior to delivery, and in any event prior to transfer of title.
All payments must be made by bank wire transfer. Buyer shall verify wire instructions by telephone with Seller’s Business Manager before initiating any transfer. Seller will never issue revised or updated wire instructions by email. Seller is not responsible for funds misdirected due to Buyer’s failure to verify instructions or reliance on altered/fraudulent communications.
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