AUGUSTA – It may become easier for Maine boat owners to register their vessels.

A bill before the Legislature’s Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Committee would require the state to allow online registration of watercraft. The online system would be based on the one already used for all-terrain vehicles and snowmobile registrations.

The bill’s sponsor, Rep. Tim Driscoll, D-Westbrook, called the proposal a matter of common sense and convenience. Driscoll said people are often too busy to go to city hall to get their boats registered. He said 30 states have online registrations for boats.

Maine already has online automobile and boat trailer registrations.