Display of vessel registration on documented vessel

Escapade · May 6, 2014

We had our courtesy examination yesterday. The Auxiliary persons could not find our state registration decal. It was on either side of our stern facing the rear. While they were satisfied w/ that. We do usually get pulled over once or twice throughout the year to ask about our boats registration. The regs state they must be displayed and I have seen them in a number of locations on other vessels. I asked the CG Auxiliary what the best practice was and they repeated they were satisfied with the current location.

Given no state registration numbers are displayed. What is best practice?

Mike

Woody · May 6, 2014

NR 5.06 Display of numbers or decals on boats. (1) The assigned number shall be painted on, or attached to, each side of the forward half of the boat for which it was issued. The numbers shall be placed on the hull of the boat in such position as to provide clear legibility for identification. The numbers shall read from left to right and shall be in block characters of good proportion not less than 3 inches in height and shall be spaced as provided in s. NR 5.05 (2). The numbers shall be of a color which will contrast with the color of the background and so maintained as to be clearly visible and legible; i.e., dark numbers on a light background, or light numbers on a dark background.
(2) Upon being issued a certificate of number card and certification decals, the owner of the boat shall permanently affix and display the decals on each side of the vessel, 3 inches aft (to the rear) of and directly in line with the numbers.
(3) Upon being issued a registration card and registration decals, the owner shall permanently affix and display the registration decals on the transom (back of the boat) of the boat on each side of the federally documented name of the vessel in a manner so both decals are visible. If the federally documented name is displayed on the sides of the hull, the registration decals may be displayed 3 inches aft (to the rear) of and directly in line with the name.

(4) No person may display on either side of the forward half of any numbered boat any number other than the registration number issued for the boat.

http://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/code/admin_code/nr/001/5/06

ETsubchief · May 6, 2014

When i have registered my boats (ct and fl) they gave be docunentation on where to put it. I have only seen on the bow, port and stbd, but that may not be that way in all states.
I would do a internet search and find out.

Escapade · May 6, 2014

Documented boats do not have state registration numbers.

CAMELLA · May 6, 2014

Documented boats typically display the registration stickers on the port and starboard windshield.

Escapade · May 6, 2014

Jon- I have not seen this set up myself. I do think it would be more noticeable than the stern. Mike

HUMPH · May 6, 2014

CAMELLA said:
Documented boats typically display the registration stickers on the port and starboard windshield.

Documented boats don't have registration stickers. State Registered boats do though.

mjmason1 · May 6, 2014

HUMPH said:
Documented boats don't have registration stickers. State Registered boats do though.

I received my documentation from the USCG, but to my knowledge there are no registration stickers.

Woody · May 6, 2014

HUMPH said:
Documented boats don't have registration stickers. State Registered boats do though.

Terminology is important here. Registration stickers and registration numbers are two different things, in WI for example...state registration stickers are required on documented boats here.

firecadet613 · May 6, 2014

Woody said:
Terminology is important here. Registration stickers and registration numbers are two different things, in WI for example...state registration stickers are required on documented boats here.

Same in Indiana. I have it on the aft corner of both port and starboard windshield.

Sent from my SPH-L720 using Tapatalk

Fly'n Family · May 6, 2014

I am going through this process right now. Changing the Documented Vessel paperwork to my name and changing the boats name.

The people in our Colorado park district swore up and down I had to have registration numbers and the registration sticker on the boat. I read the code for our state, and there was only one sentence in there about a documented boat.

The other day I was at our slip, boat isn't in yet - and asked the local water ranger guy. He said nope, no state registration numbers required provided the boat is properly documented, and only the annual registration sticker on the windshield.

Typical government where the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing, and I'm guessing this stuff varies from state to state.

Escapade · May 6, 2014

I really do like the windshield idea Vs. my current placement on the stern. Clearly a more noticeable location. Since the Auxiliary folks had no clear answer. My internet search was not clear. I'll make a call in AM to CG Sector Lake Michigan. Thanks for the input.

CAMELLA · May 6, 2014

In Maryland if your vessel is documented with the Coast Guard you are required to have the Maryland registration stickers not numbers attached to the port and starboard side of the vessel.

CAMELLA · May 6, 2014

This should answer your question with regards to displaying state stickers.
https://www.usps.org/national/vsc/policies_files/vesselreg.pdf

HUMPH · May 6, 2014

CAMELLA said:
In Maryland if your vessel is documented with the Coast Guard you are required to have the Maryland registration stickers not numbers attached to the port and starboard side of the vessel. View attachment 35245

Huh, I wonder why it is different since the USCG is federal. Do you have to pay for state registration still? I would think California would be the state that makes people jump through multiple hoops....like normal.

skolbe · May 6, 2014

When in MO I had to put the state stickers on the side of the windshield. When I moved to IL, it went on the transom. Never had issue. I boat in MO and IL.

Woody · May 6, 2014

For the OP I'd highly recommend contacting the DNR service center in Milwaukee. In WI the DNR handles boat registration. Due to variance state to state the link for example in post #15 actually refers a boater to their states regs and in one instance gives wrong advice if applied to WI boats.

mjmason1 · May 6, 2014

Surprisingly enough, Massachusetts, that taxes damn near everything, doesn't require documented vessels to be registered with the state.

Woody · May 6, 2014

I suspect WI wants them near a documented boats name and hailing port to make it easy to check. If a boat is seen without state registration numbers then all you would have to do is look to the stern where most document boats have their name and port...the state stickers would be there and seen at the same time. The joke is that documented recreational vessels do not have to have their name and port actually on the stern...they actually can be elsewhere on the boat.

Gofirstclass · May 6, 2014

WA requires a state registration even though the boat is documented. My renewal this year (for one year) runs about $384. I do have to display the annual decals on both side windows as Camella showed above, but I do not have to display the state WN registration numbers.

Display of vessel registration on documented vessel

Escapade

Woody

ETsubchief

Escapade

CAMELLA

Escapade

HUMPH

mjmason1

Woody

firecadet613

Fly'n Family

Escapade

CAMELLA

Attachments

CAMELLA

HUMPH

skolbe

Woody

mjmason1

Woody

Gofirstclass

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