A. A vessel or motor shall not be required to be titled and registered pursuant to the provisions of the Oklahoma Vessel and Motor Registration Act if:

1. Such vessel or motor is owned by the United States, a state other than the State of Oklahoma, any agency thereof, or any subdivision of the state; provided, however, if such vessel is used for recreational or rental purposes on the waters of this state, said vessel shall be registered and numbered in accordance with Section 4002 et seq. of this title;

2. Such vessel or motor is owned by a visiting nonresident and is currently registered in another state. Provided that if any such vessel or motor remains in Oklahoma in excess of sixty (60) calendar days, such vessel or motor shall be registered pursuant to the provisions of the Oklahoma Vessel and Motor Registration Act and the registration fees due thereon from the date of entry into Oklahoma must be paid;

3. Such vessel or motor is from a country other than the United States provided such vessel or motor does not remain in Oklahoma in excess of sixty (60) calendar days;

4. Such vessel is used exclusively and solely as a lifeboat;

5. Such vessel is used exclusively and solely for racing purposes;

6. Such vessel is a commercial flotation device which is issued a license by the Grand River Dam Authority pursuant to the provisions of the Scenic Rivers Act; provided, a commercial flotation device shall be required to be titled pursuant to the provisions of Section 4008 of this title;

7. Such vessel is a documented vessel provided such documented vessel shall be required to be registered pursuant to the provisions of Section 4016 of this title; or

8. Such vessel is a canoe, kayak or paddleboat as defined in Section 4002 of this title, except that such vessels, when powered by any means other than human power, shall be titled and registered pursuant to the provisions of the Oklahoma Vessel and Motor Registration Act.

B. Motors classified as inboard motors shall not be required to be titled or registered pursuant to the provisions of the Oklahoma Vessel and Motor Registration Act.

C. All vessels and motors which are owned by the State of Oklahoma, its agencies or departments, or political subdivisions thereof, or which, under the law, would be exempt from direct ad valorem taxation, shall be titled and registered pursuant to the provisions of the Oklahoma Vessel and Motor Registration Act. Provided, all vessels and motors titled and registered to the Department of Public Safety shall be exempt from all registration fees.

D. All other vessels shall be titled and registered pursuant to the provisions of the Oklahoma Vessel and Motor Registration Act.

E. At the request of the owner, any vessel exempt from the title and registration provisions of this section shall be titled and registered pursuant to the provisions of the Oklahoma Vessel and Motor Registration Act for the purposes of proof of ownership or vessel identification. All title and registration fees shall be paid by the owner of the vessel.

Added by Laws 1989, c. 346, § 5, eff. Jan. 1, 1990. Amended by Laws 1990, c. 304, § 3, emerg. eff. May 30, 1990; Laws 1992, c. 284, § 4, eff. Jan. 1, 1993; Laws 1993, c. 321, § 1, emerg. eff. June 7, 1993; Laws 1994, c. 152, § 1, eff. July 1, 1994; Laws 2005, c. 190, § 16, eff. Sept. 1, 2005; Laws 2019, c. 13, § 2, eff. Nov. 1, 2019.