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 generally from mid-March to April 1, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Through the boating season, April through Labor Day Weekend, the licensing station is open Thursday through Sunday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. 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.
  Lake Springfield Marina Website
• 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 when licenses will be issued.
  The Boat Dock Website

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:
  For watercraft including canoes, sailboats and any other boats/craft that are not equipped with or propelled by a motor engine.
  
  
• Class B:
  For watercraft equipped with an outboard motor or motors rated 25 horsepower or less for each motor.
  
  
• Class C:
  For watercraft equipped with an outboard motor or motors rated above 25 horsepower and not more than 74 horsepower for each motor.
  
  
• Class D:
  For watercraft equipped with an outboard motor or motors rated above 74 horsepower and not more than 100 horsepower for each motor.
  
  
• Class E:
  For watercraft equipped with an outboard motor or motors rated more than 100 horsepower for each motor.
  
  
• Class P1:
  For a special permit, which may be issued by the general manager allowing any watercraft to be used on the reservoir for a period not exceeding 24 hours from time of issue. The number of special permits shall be restricted to two permits per year per watercraft for each such 24-hour period. This permit is mandatory unless the person with the watercraft obtains a yearly permit.
  
  
• Class P2:
  For a special permit, which may be issued by the general manager allowing any watercraft to be used on the reservoir for a period not exceeding 60 hours from time of issue. The number of special permits shall be restricted to two permits per year per watercraft for each such 60-hour period. This permit is mandatory unless the person with the watercraft obtains a yearly permit.
  
  

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	Outside County

A	$20.00	$22.00	$25.00
B	$25.00	$30.00	$44.00
C	$32.00	$40.00	$60.00
D	$60.00	$80.00	$100.00
E	$100.00	$120.00	$160.00
P1	$20.00	$20.00	$20.00
P2	$30.00	$30.00	$30.00

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.

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.

Illinois Department of Natural Resources

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources offers a number of resources for boating safety and education. For information on the latest boaters safety classes visit www.dnr.illinois.gov/safety/Pages/BoatingSafety.aspx.

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.

2020 Boating Classes

For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/LOLPS.D20/.