Which States/Provinces Enforce Registration Numbers Requirements

[jlh3rd]

every number I've seen on the water including my '06 pontoon is block.....
havent been stopped once in 5 years for any type of inspection....

 

[airshot]

You are correct there, but I believe the word block style has been removed with 3" tall and legible with contrasting background...I have saw the local DNR chase boats off the water because the couldnt read the numbers due to spacing and blending into background colors. Out in the boonies, not as big a deal, but going thru town on a busy weekend, with lots of boats, things get looked at much more closely !!

 

[dwco5051]

33CFR § 173.27 Numbers: Display; size; color.

(a) Each number required by § 173.15 must:

(1) Be painted on or permanently attached to each side of the forward half of the vessel except as allowed by paragraph (b) or required by paragraph (c) of this section;

(2) Be in plain vertical block characters of not less than 3 inches in height;

(3) Contrast with the color of the background and be distinctly visible and legible;

 

[flashback]

Same as most LEO's will do nothing if your speed exceeds 5 MPH over, and very few will bother with 8 over.

My observation, if your on the great lakes or coast line, then do it according to the Reg's. If your inland not many will pay any attention unless your doing something stupid

Sorry I brought the subject up

I'm inland and seldom even see any Leo except on the 4th and he ain't looking for reg numbers..

 

[Scott06]

. If your inland not many will pay any attention unless your doing something stupid

Exactly

Only seen in 'enforced' once in 40 years. This is on an larger inland lake (NY) with regular waterborne sheriff patrols.

Neighbor bought a new to him wake boat out of state and had obviously the wrong numbers on the boat still.

Late teens early 20's kids in family take the wake boat out with a couple on following on a jet ski - and are surfing after sundown... Legally not supposed to ski board or surf after sundown even though it is still bright out.

When sheriffs boat rolls up the two on the ski take off because one of them isn't wearing a jacket. This was pretty dumb as most folks including the sheriff know what boat/ski belongs to what cottage... Sheriff pulls over the boat of course numbers do not match the registration.

Officer handled it the right way, he stopped by the next morning spend some time speaking to the adults in the house about expectations for safety etc. Was good he was more focused on driving the right behavior than writing tickets, gave him a day or two to get the correct numbers on his boat...

Personally one of my numbers is missing a letter or digit as I was too stupid to leave enough room between the first letter and my registration sticker... never has come up so yes enforcement is completely variable and more behavior dependent

 

[salvageyard saviour]

I believe this is key

(3) Contrast with the color of the background and be distinctly visible and legible;

part of my printing business is vinal graphics and have done many DOT and Michigan watercraft reg numbers.

The customers nearly always complain about 3in. I warn them about the law and do what they request, usually 2.5 or 2.75

Agree, it can be a pretext to board. But on the Great lakes they survail with binoculars from a distance and I doubt they can see a .25 difference.

None of the DOT vehicles have told me they were ticketed either.

 

[jitterbug127]

I’ve been stopped by dnr more times than I can count, and they’ve never said a word about my boat letters. Mine have always been ok I think so no issues, but never heard of them caring about this in Indiana…fishing without a license you’d better not get caught complete different story.