Yes, Federally Documented boats operating on Wisconsin waters must also be registered in Wisconsin if Wisconsin is the state of principle use or if the boat has been used in Wisconsin for a period in excess of 60 consecutive days; only exceptions being documented commercial fishing vessels with a home port located outside of Wisconsin operating on Wisconsin waters for 60 consecutive days or less.

The expiration decals must be displayed on either side of the vessel’s name on the transom, but it is not required to display the registration number. If the expiration decals are not displayed beside the vessel’s name, then the registration number and decals must be displayed as they are for undocumented vessels.

Applications for registration of federally documented vessels must include as part of the application a photocopy of the front and back of the federal certificate of documentation for the vessel. The federal certificate of documentation must be current at the time of applying for registration.

If you purchase a vessel that was previously documented by the US Coast Guard and you intend to title the vessel in Wisconsin, you will need to submit the letter of deletion from the previous owner(s), showing the vessel was deleted from the USCG registry.

https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/permits/registrations/boat/CoastGuard.html

Nonresident Boats Registered with the U.S. Coast Guard May Be Subject to Tax

Nonresidents of Wisconsin who own a documented vessel that is used, stored or in other ways consumed in Wisconsin waters may owe use tax on the vessel. Documented vessels are large recreational watercrafts owned by U.S. citizens that are registered with the U.S. Coast Guard. Documented vessels must be registered in Wisconsin with the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), unless the vessel is registered in another state and is used on Wisconsin waters for less than 60 consecutive days. See the DNR Handbook of Wisconsin Boating Laws and Responsibilities.

If the documented vessel is required to be registered with the Wisconsin DNR, Wisconsin sales or use tax must be paid. When registering the vessel in Wisconsin, the registrant should bring a copy of the receipt showing any tax that was paid to the seller, as well as proof of payment. Sales tax paid to another state on the vessel may be claimed as a credit to reduce the tax payable if the tax was first due and paid to the other state. A county tax or similar tax paid in the other state may also be claimed as a credit. Credit for the taxes paid to another state will only be allowed at registration if the registrant provides proof of sales or use tax paid to the other state.

An exemption exists for nonresidents with vessels (boats) berthed in Wisconsin boundary waters. Wisconsin use tax is not imposed on the storage, use, or other consumption of a boat in Wisconsin that is owned by a nonresident if all of the following conditions are met:

• The boat is purchased in a state contiguous with Wisconsin (i.e., Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, or Minnesota)
• The boat is purchased by a person domiciled in that contiguous state in which the purchase occurred
• The boat is berthed in Wisconsin boundary waters adjacent to the state of domicile of the purchaser
• The boat is purchased in a transaction that is an exempt occasional sale under the laws of the state in which the purchase is made

This exemption is provided in sec. 77.53(17m), Wis. Stats. For a list of questions and answers regarding the sales tax exemption see the article titled “Nonresident Exemption for Boats Berthed in Wisconsin Boundary Waters,” on page 9 of Wisconsin Tax Bulletin 197 (April 2017).