Guides
Guides for California boat owners and marine service providers
Plain, California-specific answers for boat owners and the marine service businesses who look after their boats. Every rule, fee and price we mention links to where it came from, with the date we last checked it.
Photo: Aaron Meier on Unsplash
For boat owners
Hiring help, hull cleaning and copper rules, what work costs, and keeping a boat in a California marina.
- GuideBuying a boat in CaliforniaSurvey, DMV title transfer, use tax and the 12-month rule, property tax, and a first-year maintenance plan for a used boat kept in a slip.
- GuideCalifornia boating rules for 2026: a checklistBoater Card and its exemptions, DMV registration and the odd-year renewal, the new mussel fee, safety gear by length, and no-discharge zones.
- GuideHow often to clean your hull in CaliforniaCleaning intervals by bottom paint type, the 90-day and 30-day copper guidance, the three copper-impaired harbors, and what it means for cost.
- GuideHow to hire a marine contractor in CaliforniaCheck insurance and marina rules, ask about certifications and references, read the quote, spot red flags, and know what to do when work goes wrong.
- GuideShore power safety and electric shock drowningWhy you never swim near docks with shore power, what to do if someone is shocked, and the ELCI, GFCI and cord checks that protect your slip.
- GuideStorms, king tides and long absences: prepping a boat in a slipThis season's king tide dates, storm prep from the state boating agency, why boats sink at the dock, and how to leave a boat for weeks.
For marine service providers
Getting approved as a marina vendor, insurance certificates, permits, pricing and the paperwork that comes with the work.
- GuideCertifications for marine service providers, by tradeWhich credentials California marinas and owners look for: hull-cleaning BMP training, ABYC, NMEA, EPA 608, USCG captain's licenses and the Boater Card.
- GuideGet your marine service business found onlineA Google Business Profile done right, honest review requests across platforms, and a simple website owners can actually use. Rules from Google and the FTC.
- GuideHow to become a hull diver in CaliforniaWhat hull cleaning work involves, the dive and BMP credentials California harbors ask for, permits, and the safety rules once you hire divers.
- GuideHow to become a marine electrician in CaliforniaABYC and NMEA credentials, boat wiring vs dock wiring, the experience requirements, and what California marinas ask for before you work aboard.
- GuideHow to become a marine mechanic in CaliforniaTraining paths, ABYC and manufacturer certifications, what the federal job data says, and what you need to work on boats in California marinas.
- GuideHow to become an approved vendor at a California marinaSeven steps to working in California marinas: who sets the rules, permits, insurance certificates, credentials, the packet, on-site rules and renewals.