is it legal to paint the registration numbers on?

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trophybass13

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is it legal to just paint the registration numbers for your boat on the side? rather than buy the letter stickers?
 
It would help if we new your state. In IN, they have to be 3", legible and of a contrasting color. So, we can paint ours, but they rarely look as good as stickers, so most people don't.
 
I think if your legal in your home state, you would be legal every where else.

I live in OH. We are required to have a front license plate on our vehicles. When out of staters come to OH they dont have to put a front plate on.
 
My 10ft jon has big, ugly, hand painted letters...they were on it when I bought it. The fish don't care and DNR says they are big enough and the right contrasting color. :lol:
 
as a Coast Guard boarding team member i say yes it is leagal(federal law) as long as they are legible, big enough, and of a contrasting color.
 
trophybass13 said:
elgin, IL about 40 miles west of Chicago.
I'm just up the road in Algonquin. I have some left over white letters and numbers.
 
I would think painted would be more legal because they are more permanent.
Stickers would be the cheap, just getting by, fix.
 
It is legal in Wisconsin...

Quote from WI. boating regulatio website...

"Display of Identification Number and Decals: Upon being issued certificate of number and decal, the owner of a boat shall display the issued number on each side of the forward half of the boat. Once the certificate of number is received, the owner of the boat must purchase adhesive number and letters or paint the numbers and letters on the boat using block letters not less than 3" high and in a contrasting color to the surface on which they are applied. Display the registration number with at least a 2" space or hyphen between the letters and center 4 numbers. It is the responsibility of the owner to be sure that the registration number is clearly visible and maintained in legible condition at all times. Place the registration decal (indicates the date through which the registration is valid) in line with and 3" from the registration number, toward the stern. In Wisconsin, registration expires on March 31 of the year shown on the decal."

Quote from actual "Wisconsin Boating Regulations" booklet your receive when registering a boat in your name...

"The Certificate of Number (registration card) must be on board
and available for inspection by an enforcement officer whenever
the vessel is operated. The registration number and decals
must be displayed as follows:
• Numbers must be placed on each side of the forward half of the vessel
• Number must be read from left to right
• Numbers must be at least 3” high in BLOCK bold letters
• Numbers color must contrast with the background (boat) color
• Letters must be separated from the numbers by a space at least
two inches wide
• Decals must be affixed 3 inches behind (toward the stern)
and in line with the numbers
• No other decals or numbers may be displayed on the
forward half of the boat."

Outdoorsman
 
Mine are painted on since the FL registration is permanent for the boat, and it is legal.

Remember most US states legally need spaces too, something like FL 1234 XY
 
3" and contrasting color in Oregon so I think paint would be ok..........I just took the Oregon Boaters Test..........this was in the study materials.
 

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