Section 270-E:3 Registration Required.
I. No person shall operate a vessel on any waters of the state, including tidal and coastal waters and all inland waters, unless the vessel is registered as required in this chapter or is exempt as provided in RSA 270-E:4.
II. The department shall furnish a registration certificate or temporary registration certificate and a vessel number to any person who meets the registration requirements. The certificate shall be kept upon the vessel at all times it is being operated, and the certificate shall be open to examination by any duly authorized representative of the department, peace officer, fish and game officer, or representative of the Pease development authority, division of ports and harbors upon request. A person who refuses to produce the certificate upon request or who fails to keep the certificate on the vessel shall be guilty of a violation.
III. Application for registration shall be in such form and contain such information as the commissioner shall determine. The fees required by RSA 270-E:5 shall accompany the application. The application shall request the principal use of the vessel and ask whether the vessel is to be registered for tidal and coastal waters. The application shall also contain the following statements:
(a) ""Mark the principal use of this vessel, check only one box.''
(b) ""If this application is for a boat with temporary or permanent sleeping and toilet facilities (houseboat) and it will be moored at one location in New Hampshire, state where it will be moored. If it is not to be moored at one location in New Hampshire, notification to the New Hampshire department of environmental services of the places of mooring of the houseboat is required in accordance with the provisions of RSA 270-A.''
IV. Every application for the registration of a vessel subject to the boat fee imposed by RSA 72-A:2 shall be accompanied by a receipt showing the payment of the fee or the fee required by RSA 72-A:2.
V. All registrations issued under this chapter shall expire on December 31 next following the date of issuance unless sooner terminated by the department.
VI. All records of the department made or kept pursuant to this chapter shall be public records.
VII. The department shall issue decals consistent with the federal vessel numbering system indicating the expiration of the registration.
VIII. The commissioner may authorize any person to act as an agent of the department for the purpose of processing registration applications.
IX. The department shall furnish joint registration numbers to any person registering a primary vessel and a tender vessel. The tender vessel shall bear the same registration number as the primary vessel followed by a dash and the numeral one, written as ""-1''.
Source. 1990, 229:1. 1994, 38:3. 1995, 199:1, eff. Jan. 1, 1996. 1996, 228:108, eff. July 1, 1996. 2000, 55:3, eff. June 16, 2000. 2001, 290:13, eff. July 1, 2001.