Chapter 4: The Legal Requirements of Boating
Your Vessel’s Certificate of Number and Decals

Requirements for vessel registration vary from state to state. In Louisiana, you must have a Certificate of Number (registration) and validation decals to operate a motorboat or sailboat legally on public waters. A motorboat is defined as any vessel equipped with or propelled by any type of machinery whether or not such machinery is the principal source of propulsion. The only exceptions are:

• A sailboat 12 feet or less in length
• A sailboard
• Motorboats/Sailboats documented with the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), unless it is a recreational use vessel
• Motorboats/Sailboats with valid registration in another state or country, on the waters of Louisiana for 90 or fewer consecutive days

Certificate of Number
The Certificate of Number (pocket-sized registration card) must be carried on board the vessel whenever the vessel is operated.

The Certificate of Number and validation decals are obtained by submitting the proper application and fee to:

Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Boat Registration
P.O. Box 14796
Baton Rouge, LA 70898

or by applying online at www.wlf.louisiana.gov.

The Certificate of Number (pocket-sized registration card) must be on board and available for inspection by an enforcement officer whenever the vessel is operated.

The registration number and validation decals must be displayed as follows.

• Number must be painted, applied as a decal, or otherwise affixed to both sides of the bow.
• Number must read from left to right on both sides of the bow.
• Number must be in at least three-inch-high, plain BLOCK letters.
• Number’s color must contrast with its background.
• Letters must be separated from the numbers by a space or hyphen equal in length to a letter; for example: LA 3717 ZW or LA-3717-ZW.
• No other numbers may be displayed on either side of the bow.
• Decals must be affixed on both sides of the vessel within six inches of the registration number.

If your vessel requires registration, it is illegal to operate it or allow others to operate your vessel unless it is registered and numbered as described above.

PWCs also are required to display the certificate’s number and validation decals.

Other Facts About Registering Your Vessel

• A Certificate of Number is valid for three years from the date of issue. The registration must be renewed within 60 days of the expiration date.
• If you change your address, you must write the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) within 15 days of the change.
• If your numbered vessel is sold, lost, destroyed, or abandoned, you must report it to the LDWF within 15 days. If your numbered vessel is stolen, you must report it to the LDWF within 5 days.
• If you lose or destroy your Certificate of Number or decal, you must apply to the LDWF for a duplicate and submit a processing fee within 15 days of the loss.
• Vessels registered in another state or country may operate on Louisiana waters for 90 consecutive days before Louisiana registration and numbering is required.
• Larger recreational vessels owned by U.S. citizens may (at the option of the owner) be documented by the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG). Call the USCG’s Documentation Center at 1-800-799-8362 for more information. (Learn more about obtaining the U. S. Coast Guard's Certificate of Documentation.)

Hull Identification Number

The Hull Identification Number (HIN) is a unique, 12-digit number assigned by the manufacturer to vessels built after 1972.

Hull Identification Numbers:

• Distinguish one vessel from another­—the same as serial numbers distinguish one car from another.
• Are engraved in the fiberglass or on a metal plate permanently attached to the transom.

You should write down your HIN and put it in a place separate from your vessel in case warranty problems arise or your vessel is stolen.

Owners of vessels manufactured after October 1, 1972, or of homemade vessels that do not have a HIN must request an inspection by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF). Upon favorable inspection, an agent of the LDWF will stamp an identification number on the hull.

It is illegal to remove or alter the HIN.

Boat Registration Application Form

Registration application and renewal forms can be obtained from:

• The Boat Registration Office of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF)
• LDWF’s website
• Many marine dealers
• Any LDWF district office

Questions?

Call the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries’ Boat Registration Office at 225-765-2898. Also, you can call or visit one of the LDWF offices listed at the back of this manual, or visit LDWF’s website.