Get a boat mooring permit

If it applies to you, you may have to pay a Boat Excise before you can get approved for a permit. Please note:

• The Boston Police Department Harbormaster needs to approve all new and renewal applications. The permitting system allows the Boston Police Department to track harbor security.
• You must display your permit on the port side of your vessel near the transom.
• If you moor your boat without a permit, you will be subject to a fine of $25 per day.

Please complete and print out a boat mooring permit application. There's a checkbox at the top to indicate whether this is a new application, or a renewal.

Please fill it out completely — incomplete applications will be returned. You need to include a copy of the vessel registration or Certificate of Documentation with your application, whichever applies to you.

Boat mooring permit application

If you bought your vessel before July 1, 2023, please provide a copy of the bill of sale. If you owned the vessel before July 1, 2023, we need to see proof that you paid your excise bill.

You need to pay a permit fee with your application. Fees are $5 for each linear foot of the boat. Boston residents receive an exemption, and only pay $1 per linear foot. You can pay with a check or money order made payable to the City of Boston. If you drop your application off in-person, you can also pay with cash.

We may ask for proof of residency to process your application. You just need to show us a government-issued ID with a Boston address.

You can mail or bring your application, documents, and payment to:

Boston Police Headquarters, "Boat Mooring"

1 Schroeder Plaza

Roxbury Crossing, MA 02120

Office hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.

If the Harbormaster approves your application, we may issue you an excise tax bill. We won’t finalize your application until you pay the excise bill. Find out how to pay your boat excise tax.