A vessel shall not be required to be registered if it is:
 1. Covered by a number in full force and effect which has been awarded to it pursuant to a federally approved numbering system of another state if such vessel shall not have been within this state for a period in excess of sixty days within one calendar year.

Terms Used In Iowa Code 462A.6

  • Commission: means the natural resource commission. See Iowa Code 462A.2
  • following: when used by way of reference to a chapter or other part of a statute mean the next preceding or next following chapter or other part. See Iowa Code 4.1
  • Navigable waters: means all lakes, rivers, and streams, which can support a vessel capable of carrying one or more persons during a total of six months in one out of every ten years. See Iowa Code 462A.2
  • state: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the territories, and the words "United States" may include the said district and territories. See Iowa Code 4.1
  • United States: includes all the states. See Iowa Code 4.1
  • Vessel: means every description of watercraft, other than a seaplane, used or capable of being used as a means of transportation on water or ice. See Iowa Code 462A.2
  • year: means twelve consecutive months. See Iowa Code 4.1
 2. Foreign vessels temporarily using the navigable waters of the United States and of this state.
 3. A public vessel of the United States, a state or subdivision thereof which is used for enforcement, search and rescue or official research and studies, but not including vessels used for recreation or commercial purposes.
 4. A ship’s lifeboat.
 5. A type of vessel which has been exempted from registration by the commission after said commission has found that the registration or numbering of such vessel will not materially aid in their identification and such vessel would be exempt from numbering if it were subject to federal law.
 6. An air mattress, inner tube, or other toy or beach type item which is being used in a recognized swimming area. In the case of a natural lake or reservoir these beach or swimming areas may be less, but in no case shall exceed three hundred feet from shore.
 7. The following nonpower or nonsail vessels:

 a. Inflatable vessels, seven feet or less in length.
 b. Conventional design canoes and kayak type vessels, thirteen feet or less in length.