Bow Number Requirements

[WaterPatrol]

Improper bow numbers are one of the top reasons boaters get stopped by law enforcement.  These are the 3 requirements applicable to all states.

Bow numbers must be:

1.  Three inches in height.

2.  Block style only.

3.  Must contrast the color of the area on the boat they are applied to.

Click on examples below.

[tac970]

We do see a huge number of improperly displayed registration numbers. 

This is an area I hit very hard in my Boater Safety Classes. 

The paperwork clearly states how to do place them on your vessel, but just like your expiration tags on your license plate of your car...many people just simply can't handle the "simple tasks."   

[Powell_Patrol]

That is very true about the "simple tasks".  I own a personal boat myself, and I really do not have a problem keeping up with the once a year registration stickers. 

I know that one problem in my area is that a lot of the registration is handled by 3rd party companies and conglomerates of time share owners.  This presents a problem when no-one knows where the registration is or who even takes care of it.  I always end up with a stack of expired registrations and no current one.  The problem doesn't seem to be getting better either. 

Just keep them registered and we won't have a problem...

The other thing people don't seem to understand on the water is that a bow number is just like a license plate.  The DMV doesn't let you design your own license plate for a reason.  This is NOT a creative thing.  It's putting a license plate on your boat so that we know who owns it, and can find it if we have to.  I just had to say my piece about that because I come in contact with a LOT of creative bow numbers that are simply unreadable even when you are right next to the boat.