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The Oregon State Marine Board. The name of the agency is also how it's governed. By a five-member volunteer Board of recreational boaters. The Oregon Senate confirms board members who are then appointed by the Governor. Members serve a four-year term. A Board member can only serve two consecutive terms. The agency director reports to the Board. Board members help plot the agency's course on budget and policy decisions.

The agency's funding comes from motorboat titles and registrations, and waterway access permits. Other fees support dedicated programs (Outfitter Guides, Charter registrations, and boating safety education).

The agency also receives fuel tax and federal grants to provide services back to boaters. No lottery, general fund tax dollars, or local facility parking fees support the agency or its programs. 


 Marine Board History Banner
 
  • 2015, boat registration fees increased from $3 per foot to $4.50 per foot to maintain current service levels for at least six years.  The Oregon Legislature sets fees.
  • 2019, the legislature passed SB 47, creating a Waterway Access Account through fees paid by non-motorized boaters who operate boats 10' long and longer with a transferrable permit. The Waterway Access Permit replaces the Aquatic Invasive Species Permit beginning January 1, 2020. The fees support the aquatic invasive species and waterway access boating facility grant programs. The Oregon Legislature also approved increased fees from $4.50 per foot to $5.95 per foot for motorized boat registrations, title fees from $50 to $75, and boater education cards from $10 to $20. All fees went into effect on January 1, 2020. The Oregon Legislature also approved a bill requiring boat rental businesses to register with the Marine Board as a mechanism for sharing boating safety information and education to pass along to their customers and a "Pull the Plug" law requiring all boats to remove the drain plug from their boats after exiting a waterway and while in transit. Click here for a list of the law changes.  
  • 2021, the e-commerce portal provider for the Boat Oregon Store instituted a $1.50 processing fee for online transactions. Additionally, the 2021 Legislature enacted an extra education requirement for anyone engaged in towed watersports operating in the Newberg Pool. In 2022, the law was updated to redefine the Newberg Pool on the Willamette River from the confluence of the Yamhill River (RM 55) to Willamette Falls (RM 26.6). The law also established a maximum loading weight for a boat engaged in towed watersports to not exceed 5,500 pounds. Wake surfing was also banned. Proximity rules exist for wakeboarders, inner tubers, and waterskiers. Boat owners must apply for validation decals, and these need to be placed at the bow of the boat. The Towed Watersports Endorsement (online education and boat decals) cost $20. The credential is valid for two calendar years. 
 

 

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