KLS Keeping Law Simple Legislation in plain English

Straight-ahead summaries built from the official bill text. We keep the source links front and center and leave the decision up to you.

Back to Tennessee

SB0759 • 2026

Boats, Boating

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 69, Chapter 9, relative to boating permits for exempt vessels.

Taxes
Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor
Yager, Powers
Last action
2025-04-01
Official status
Assigned to General Subcommittee of Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Boat Permit for Exempt Vessels

This bill requires owners of certain boats that are already numbered by another state to buy a $72 permit before operating them in Tennessee's waters.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires boat owners with federally approved numbers from other states to purchase a $72 permit for their boats before using them on Tennessee’s intrastate waters.
  • Deposits all money collected from these permits into the Boating Safety Fund.
  • Uses this fund only for boating safety programs run by the Fish and Wildlife Commission.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Owners of boats that are numbered in another state but not in Tennessee.

Terms To Know

Exempt Vessel
A boat that does not need to be numbered by the state of Tennessee because it has a valid number from another state under federal rules.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill only applies to boats exempted due to having numbers from other states, not all boats.
  • It is unclear how many boat owners will be affected by this requirement.

Bill History

  1. 2025-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to General Subcommittee of Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee

  2. 2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Failed in s/c Agriculture and Natural Resources Subcommittee of Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee

  3. 2025-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 4/1/2025

  4. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee

  5. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Agriculture & Natural Resources Subcommittee for 3/26/2025

  6. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action Def. in s/c Agriculture and Natural Resources Subcommittee to 3/26/2025

  7. 2025-03-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Energy, Ag., and Nat. Resources Committee calendar for 3/19/2025

  8. 2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Agriculture & Natural Resources Subcommittee for 3/19/2025

  9. 2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action Def. in s/c Agriculture & Natural Resources Subcommittee to 3/19/2025

  10. 2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Agriculture & Natural Resources Subcommittee for 3/12/2025

  11. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Energy, Ag., and Nat. Resources Committee

  12. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  13. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Agriculture & Natural Resources Subcommittee

  14. 2025-02-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee - Government Operations for Review

  15. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  16. 2025-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  17. 2025-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Subject to certain exceptions, present law prohibits the
operat
ion
of a
motorized or sail powered
vessel on the waters of Tennessee unless th
e vessel is numbered
. In order to obtain a number, the vessel's owner must apply to TWRA and pay a fee. One of the exceptions to the numbering requirement is for vessels that have been issued a number by another state.

This bill requires a person buy a
$72.00 permit before operating a
vessel that is exempt from being numbered for identification in this state due only to the vessel having a valid number awarded to it pursuant to a federally approved numbering system of another state
on the intrastate wat
ers of Tennessee. A
ll revenue realized from the sale of the exempt vessel permit must be deposited in the boating safety fund and must be expended solely for the administration and operation of the
fish and wildlife
commission's programs and responsibilit
ies
concerning boating safety
.

This bill takes effect upon becoming a law for rulemaking purposes and
January 1, 2026,
for all other purposes.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HOUSE BILL 771
By Powers

SENATE BILL 759
By Yager

SB0759
002759
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 69,
Chapter 9, relative to boating permits for exempt
vessels.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 69-9-206, is amended by adding the
following as a new subsection:
(c)
(1) As used in this subsection (c), "exempt vessel" means a vessel that is
exempt from being numbered for identification in this state due only to the vessel
having a valid number awarded to it pursuant to a federally approved numbering
system of another state pursuant to subdivision (a)(2).
(2) A person shall not operate or give permission for the operation of an
exempt vessel on the intrastate waters of this state without first purchasing a
permit for the exempt vessel for use upon such waters within this state.
(3) The initial fee for the permit is seventy-two dollars ($72.00) and the
permit may be made available for sale through the same means as other
licenses administered by the agency. The fee for the exempt vessel permit must
be made on an annual basis beginning on the date the permit is issued.
(4) All revenue realized from the sale of the exempt vessel permit must
be deposited in the boating safety fund and must be expended solely for the
administration and operation of the commission's programs and responsibilities
under this chapter.

- 2 - 002759

(5) Agents for the issuance and sale of an exempt vessel permit are
authorized pursuant to § 70-2-106.
(6) The fish and wildlife commission is authorized to promulgate rules to
effectuate this subsection (c) in accordance with the Uniform Administrative
Procedures Act, compiled in title 4, chapter 5, including rules that are necessary
for the design, cost, duration, issuance, administration, and sale of the exempt
vessel permit. The commission may further adjust the permit fee in accordance
with this chapter.
SECTION 2. For the purpose of promulgating rules, this act takes effect upon becoming
a law, the public welfare requiring it. For all other purposes, this act takes effect January 1,
2026, the public welfare requiring it.