Watercraft licensing fees reduction

A bill for an act

relating to watercraft; reducing watercraft licensing fees; amending Minnesota

Statutes 2024, section 86B.415, subdivisions 1, 1a, 2, 3, 4, 5; repealing Minnesota

Statutes 2024, section 86B.005, subdivision 11a.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 86B.415, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1.

Watercraft 19 feet or less.

(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) and

subdivision 1a, the fee for a watercraft license for watercraft 19 feet or less in length is
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$59
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$27
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.

(b) The watercraft license fee is:

(1) for watercraft, other than personal watercraft, 19 feet in length or less that is offered

for rent or lease,
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$14
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$9
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;

(2) for a sailboat, 19 feet in length or less,
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$23
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$10.50
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;

(3) for a watercraft 19 feet in length or less used by a nonprofit corporation for teaching

boat and water safety, as provided in subdivision 4;

(4) for a watercraft owned by a dealer under a dealer's license, as provided in subdivision

5;

(5) for a personal watercraft,
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including one offered for rent or lease, $85
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$37.50
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; and

(6) for a watercraft less than 17 feet in length, other than a watercraft listed in clauses

(1) to (5),
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$36
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$18
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.

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 86B.415, subdivision 1a, is amended to read:

Subd. 1a.

Canoes, kayaks, sailboards, paddleboards, paddleboats, or rowing

shells.

The fee for a watercraft license for a canoe, kayak, sailboard, paddleboard, paddleboat,

or rowing shell over ten feet in length is
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$23
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$10.50
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.

Sec. 3.

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 86B.415, subdivision 2, is amended to read:

Subd. 2.

Watercraft over 19 feet.

Except as provided in subdivisions 1a, 3, 4, and 5,

the watercraft license fee:

(1) for a watercraft more than 19 feet but less than 26 feet in length is
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$113
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$45
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;

(2) for a watercraft 26 feet but less than 40 feet in length is
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$164
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$67.50
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; and

(3) for a watercraft 40 feet in length or longer is
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$209
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$90
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.

Sec. 4.

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 86B.415, subdivision 3, is amended to read:

Subd. 3.

Watercraft
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over 19 feet
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for
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commercial use
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hire
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.

The license fee for
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a
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watercraft
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used primarily for charter fishing, commercial fishing, commercial passenger

carrying, or other commercial operation
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more than 19 feet in length for hire with an operator
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is
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$164
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$75
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each.

Sec. 5.

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 86B.415, subdivision 4, is amended to read:

Subd. 4.

Watercraft used by nonprofit corporation for teaching.

The watercraft

license fee for a watercraft used by a nonprofit organization for teaching boat and water

safety is
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$8
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$4.50
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each.

Sec. 6.

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 86B.415, subdivision 5, is amended to read:

Subd. 5.

Dealer's license.

There is no separate fee for watercraft owned by a dealer

under a dealer's license. The fee for a dealer's license is
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$142
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$67.50
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.

Sec. 7.
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REPEALER.
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Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 86B.005, subdivision 11a,

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is repealed.

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Sec. 8.
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EFFECTIVE DATE.
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Sections 1 to 7 are effective July 1, 2026.

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APPENDIX

Repealed Minnesota Statutes: 26-06865

86B.005 DEFINITIONS.

Subd. 11a.

Other commercial operation.

"Other commercial operation" means use of a watercraft for work, rather than recreation, to transport equipment, goods, and materials on public waters.