All watercraft used, kept or stored on Lake Springfield or its marginal lands must be registered and licensed in accordance with both City of Springfield and State of Illinois requirements.

You can register and license your boat/craft for use on Lake Springfield at:

• Lindsay Bridge Boat Licensing Station:
  Located at the east end of Vachel Lindsay Bridge, off Long Bay Drive. The Licensing Station is open Thursday through Monday, April-October, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with some hours on Tuesdays and Wednesdays as staff is available. Due to weather and staffing limitations, it is best to call ahead before coming to the station. The phone number is 217.786.4075. (For licensing needs during the off-season, call 217.757.8600.)
  
  
• Lake Springfield Marina:
  Located at #17 Waters Edge Boulevard. Call ahead at 217.483.3625 for dates and times when licenses will be issued.
  
  
• The Boat Dock (Watercraft sales and services center):
  Located at 4600 Rising Moon Road. Registers boats and conducts safety inspections. Call ahead at 217.793.7300 for dates and times.
  
  

To register your boat/craft for use on Lake Springfield, you must:

• have a valid boat license from the State of Illinois or be able to show proof that such a license has been applied for
• verify your current address by showing a valid driver's license or other photo ID
• complete an application detailing the length of your boat/craft and the horsepower rating of any motor or engine

Licenses are valid from April 1 through March 31 of the following year and must be renewed annually. If you sell your boat/craft prior to the license expiration, that license shall be considered null and void and the new owner will be required to re-register the boat before it can be used on the lake again.

When your license is granted, you will be issued an official registration number plate or marker, which must be conspicuously and uniformly displayed on the boat. Licenses will be granted according to the boat/craft's classification. The license fee is based, in part, on the boat's class.

Here are the types of Boat licenses:

• Class A:
  This includes rowboats, canoes, sailboats and any other boats/craft 16 feet or less in length that are not equipped with or propelled by a motor engine.
  
  
• Class B:
  This includes rowboats, canoes, sailboats and any other boats/craft greater than 16 feet in length that are not equipped with or propelled by a motor engine.
  
  
• Class C:
  This includes any type of boat/craft with an outboard motor or motors rated at 15 horsepower or less per motor.
  
  
• Class D:
  This includes any boat/craft with an outboard motor or motors rated at from 16 to 25 horsepower per motor.
  
  
• Class E:
  This includes any boat/craft with an outboard motor or motors rated at from 26 to 50 horsepower per motor.
  
  
• Class F:
  This includes any boat/craft with an outboard motor or motors rated at from 51 to 74 horsepower per motor.
  
  
• Class G:
  This includes any boat/craft with an outboard motor or motors rated at from 75 to 100 horsepower per motor.
  
  
• Class H:
  This includes any boat/craft with an outboard motor or motors rated at more than 100 horsepower per motor.
  
  
• Class P (Temp.):
  This allows any type of boat/craft to be used on the lake for a period of no more than 48 hours from the time of issue. A boat/craft owner may obtain up to two Class P permits per year.
  
  

For additional information about Lake Springfield boat registration and licensing, call the Watercraft Registration Office at 217.786.4075 or the CWLP Security Headquarters at 217.757.8600. For information on state watercraft registration regulations, contact the Illinois Department of Natural Resources by calling 217.782.2138 or by visiting the DNR website below.
Illinois Dept. of Natural Resources

The following schedule details the annual fees charged to watercraft owners registering their watercraft for use or storage on Lake Springfield. Fees are based on the watercraft's classification and on the owner's place of residence. No fee prorations are allowed; the full fee will be charged, regardless of how close to its March 31 expiration date the license is issued.

In part, boat licensing fees are based on the class of the boat. For definitions of each of the boat classes listed below, or for general information about licensing your boat for use on Lake Springfield, see Boat Registration and Licensing (above) or call the Watercraft Registration Office at 217.786.4075 or the CWLP Security Headquarters at 217.757.8600.

Class	City	Sangamon County	In State	Out of State

A	$13.00	$14.50	$19.50	$26.00
B	$14.50	$17.00	$19.50	$26.00
C	$17.00	$21.00	$34.00	$58.50
D	$19.50	$23.00	$39.00	$71.50
E	$26.00	$30.00	$52.00	$88.00
F	$32.50	$42.00	$65.50	$97.50
G	$52.50	$75.00	$105.50	$135.00
H	$82.50	$112.50	$150.00	$202.50
P	$15.00	$15.00	$15.00	$15.00

Boating safety courses certified by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (DNR) are available to Illinois boaters of all ages. Persons who successfully complete a DNR-certified boating safety course will earn a certificate from the State of Illinois. Possession of this certificate is required for anyone aged 12 through 17 who wishes to operate a watercraft solo on an Illinois waterway.

NOTE: Effective January 1, 2016, no person born on or after January 1, 1998, will be allowed to operate a motorized watercraft in Illinois without a boating safety certificate issued by DNR or an entity or organization recognized and approved by DNR.

Boating safety courses are available from a variety of sources throughout the state. In Springfield / Sangamon County, two of the best known are sponsored by CWLP and the Land of Lincoln Power Squadron.

2017 Kwedar Safe Boating Clinics

For over 30 years, CWLP and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (DNR) have teamed to offer this free course twice each spring. The course, which consists of two half-day sessions held on consecutive Saturdays, is normally held twice each spring. The course is geared toward persons aged 12 and older. Participants who successfully complete the course will earn a DNR safe boating certificate, which is required for youths aged 12 through 17 who wish to pilot a boat alone on Illinois waterways. The clinic schedule can be seen below or by calling 217.757.8660, ext. 1003. Kwedar Safe Boating Clinics are held at the CWLP Property Management Center (PMC), 200 E. Lake Shore Drive, in Springfield.

To earn the Illinois Department of Natural Resource's Safe Boating Certificate, you must successfully complete one full Kwedar Safe Boating Clinic course. Each course consists of two half-day classes held on consecutive Saturdays. The March and April courses are identical. All classes are held at the CWLP Property Management Center, 200 E. Lake Shore Drive (just east of the Spaulding Dam boat launch). Children 15 and under must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Participants are encouraged to bring drinks and snacks.

• Course 1
  Saturday, April 22 (8:00 A.M. - 2:00 P.M.)
  Saturday, April 29 (8:00 A.M. - 2:00 P.M.)
• Course 2
  Saturday, June 3 (8:00 A.M. - 2:00 P.M.)
  Saturday, June 10 (8:00 A.M. - 2:00 P.M.)

Land of Lincoln Power Squadron ABC Safe Boating Course

Sponsored by the Land of Lincoln Power Squadron, each Spring and Summer classes will be held at the CWLP Property Management Center (PMC), 200 E. Lake Shore Drive, in Springfield. To successfully complete the course and receive their boating safety certificates, participants must attend all four classes of the course.

Classes on using radios and marine charts, are also periodically offered for more experienced boaters.

For more information, call 217.891.2870 or email lops.d20@gmail.com.