Summer is officially here! If you live in Michigan most likely you or someone you know owns a watercraft. To make sure you are ready for the waves Signarama Troy can produce boat registration number decals. Follow the guidelines below from www.michigan.gov to ensure smooth sailing this season!
All watercraft, unless exempt, must be registered with the Department of State and display a registration decal. Once a registration number has been assigned, it cannot be transferred to another watercraft. For most watercraft, the registration fee is based on length. All registrations expire on March 31 in the third year of issuance.
Watercraft exempt from registration are:
- Those 16 feet or shorter, propelled by oars or paddles, and not used for rental or commercial purposes;
- Nonmotorized canoes and kayaks not used for rental or commercial purposes, rafts, surfboards, sailboards, and swim floats, regardless of length; and
- Watercraft registered in another state and used only temporarily in Michigan.
Boats are numbered according to state and federal regulations. These regulations help protect people from careless boat operators and improperly equipped boats. A Certificate of Number is issued to tell enforcement officers that a boat is properly registered. The numbers must be displayed properly on the boat.
The law requires:
- The figures are to be read from left to right.
- Boat registration numbers must be displayed on the forward half of each side of the bow of the boat.
- Boat registration numbers must be bold, block letters of good proportion.
- Boat registration numbers must not be less than three inches high.
- They must be of contrasting color to the boat hull or background.
- They must be as high above the waterline as practical.
- No number other than the number assigned can be displayed on the forward half of the vessel.
- Letters must be separated from numbers by spaces or hyphens.
- Validation decals must be three inches to the right of the last letter displayed.
- Boat Certificate of Registration must be carried on vessel when being operated.
