May 23, 2024 — Alaska’s commercial vessel owners will no longer be required to pay for registration with two separate state agencies, under a bill passed by the state Legislature.
House Bill 19, which creates the exemption for boat owners, passed the House and Senate on May 15 and is waiting for Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s signature.
If made law, as long as a vessel has a valid certificate of documentation from the U.S. Coast Guard and a vessel license through the state’s Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission, then the registration fee is waived. Currently boat owners pay a $24 registration fee at the Division of Motor Vehicles for powered boats.
When Rep. Louise Stutes, R-Kodiak, introduced the legislation in committee last year, she said it addresses excess licensing fees from the DMV. She said that certain state laws created more hindrances for commercial fishers in Alaska and she wants to remove the duplication.