Where Do Boat Registration Numbers Go?
Short answer: on both sides of the forward half of the hull, reading left to right, high enough to be clearly visible from the water. That is the whole requirement. Everything below is how to get it right in practice.
The federal rule, in full. Under 33 CFR 173.27, a registration number must:
- be painted on or permanently attached to each side of the forward half of the vessel;
- be in plain vertical block characters of not less than 3 inches in height;
- contrast with the colour of the background and be distinctly visible and legible;
- have spaces or hyphens between the letter and number groupings equal to the width of a letter other than “I” or a number other than “1” — so TX 1234 AB, not TX1234AB;
- read from left to right.
“Forward half” means exactly that
Measure your hull length, halve it, and your numbers must sit in the front portion. In practice almost everybody puts them as far forward as the hull shape allows, because that is where the panel is flattest and the numbers look intentional rather than stuck in the middle of the boat.
How high above the waterline
No rule specifies a height off the water. Use judgement: high enough that the numbers are not permanently submerged in spray or buried by the bow wave at speed, and not so high they wrap over the gunwale. On most runabouts that lands just below the rub rail. Keep the whole character height on one flat plane — vinyl that bridges a hard chine or a strake will lift at the edge within a season.
Both sides, and both reading forward
This trips people up: the numbers read left to right on each side. They are not mirrored. You are not making a reversed set for the port side — you are making two identical sets, and each one reads normally to somebody standing beside that side of the boat.
Where the validation decal goes
Your state also issues a small validation or expiry decal, and this is the piece that genuinely varies. Most states want it within a few inches of the registration number — commonly aft of the number on both sides, sometimes forward of it, sometimes on one specific side only. Your registration paperwork states it, and it is worth reading, because a correctly sized number with the decal in the wrong place is still a correctable violation.
Rivets, ribs and textured aluminium
On a jon boat or a riveted aluminium hull, place the full set between two ribs on a flat panel. Do not run vinyl over a rivet head and expect it to hold — the adhesive cannot make contact around the dome, water gets under it and the character peels from that point. If there is not enough clear panel, drop to 3 inches exactly and gain the width back, or mount a flat backing plate, which the regulation explicitly allows.
Ready to order?
$19 a pair, free shipping, cut and shipped the next business day. The preview shows your exact lettering before you pay.
Questions people actually ask
Where exactly do boat registration numbers go?
On the forward half of both sides of the hull, as high above the waterline as practical, reading left to right. Both sides get the same number - that is why a set is a pair.
Which side does the validation sticker go on?
Within six inches of the registration number, but the exact position is a state rule rather than a federal one. Most states say aft of the number; some specify forward. Check your state page before you stick it down.
How high above the waterline should the numbers be?
As high as the hull shape practically allows, on a flat run of topsides. The point is that they stay readable when the boat is loaded and under way, so avoid a spot that sits in the spray or gets covered by a rub rail.
Can registration numbers go on the windshield or a board?
Not on the windshield. They must be on the hull itself. Some states allow a bracket-mounted plate for inflatables and boats with no suitable flat surface, which is the exception rather than the rule.
Do both sides of the boat need registration numbers?
Yes, both sides, forward half, same number. That is the entire reason our $19 price is for a pair rather than a single set.
Do you ship boat lettering to my state?
All 50 states and DC, free. We cut for every state's registration number format and ship the next business day.