Boat Numbers?

[GNSfishing]

Since about 1980 when there were some privacy laws put into place a law enforcement officer has to have a reason to stop you. Unlike a game warden who may do so without probable cause.

You have to commit some type of a violation to be stopped, regardless of how slight or minor. It is called Police Work. To find something minor and see if there are other issues that may or may not be major. It is the way the police solve 10's of thousands of crimes.

It has been mentioned here several times about voluntary boat inspections that are done by the patrol. They can ask you if you want one or they can set up an inspection locations and stop every boat that comes thru, they cannot just select you and stop you for no reason.

This is why your registration and numbers are so important. The numbers violations are the number 1 reason the patrol use to stop boats, and has also been mentioned paper warning have been issued. Here is the bad deal. Even though we all want to comply with all the safety rules, if you for some reason have made any kind of error with the omission of any equipment and are stopped for a numbers violation, no matter how slight. Your problem will come from the missing safety equipment that may have slipped your mind today. That is a monetary fine, and no way to get out of it.

Because you have not complied with the guidelines for the numbers you have opened the door for everything including all of your personal records to be checked. Even records that do not pertain to water craft safety or even to your boat. You have just opened the door.

Folks its not hard to get this right. They even give you a handout that says "Do it just like this." still for some reason we do not.

Good Luck and safe boating this season.

Well it is the old saying you can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink.....It is a simple law of this state and other states, some see fit to ignore this simple law so with that how many other laws are these same people ignoring. They will get warned once then fined and next their nice shining boat with their cool numbers will be sitting on their trailer with them wishing that they could put it in the water. Guys it is simple obey the law......and how many of you can sit in your boat and admire your license numbers and registration tag on the side of your boat????

[balsabee]

Some see fit to ignore this simple law so with that how many other laws are these same people ignoring. They will get warned once then fined and next their nice shining boat with their cool numbers will be sitting on their trailer with them wishing that they could put it in the water.......and how many of you can sit in your boat and admire your license numbers and registration tag on the side of your boat????

Well I've got a little multi-color action on my boat numbers so you better watch out....I'll be locked up for terrorizing your town! Thinking about scratching out the gay bluebird off of my MO license plate as well and I can't see my chrome wheels when I'm sitting in my truck so I guess I should get rid of those and I might have a too much window tint on my windows.....

[BiteMeBaits]

For the State Of Missouri, "BLOCK TYPE" letters are just caps no more, no less. There is no RsMo prohibiting certain fonts. Now with that being said, use good judgment because if a WP doesn't think it could be easily read and in a conspicuous place, then you will have to go to court and see what the judge thinks. Just make sure they are over 3 inches in height and spaced more than 2 inches apart, and contrasting to your hull and there shouldn't be a problem. But yes, Water Patrol and any other Peace Officer of this state need reasonable suspicion that you have (or about to) commit a crime or violation to lawful stop/detain you. Which for water patrol sounds like they use the numbers to their advantage, just like patrol officers use a defective license plate illumination lamp to stop cars. All of this is legal and grounds for stopping if they believe you are in violation. These are called pre-textual stops.

So I guess what my point is this: yes there are strict regulations regarding this, however, you are not confined to putting the stick on letters from Lowe's on your boat. If Missouri had a certain style that was required, then they would give them to you and make a law requiring you have their numbers. I also am Class A POST certified and have served since 2008.

[dtrs5kprs]

Well I've got a little multi-color action on my boat numbers so you better watch out....I'll be locked up for terrorizing your town! Thinking about scratching out the gay bluebird off of my MO license plate as well and I can't see my chrome wheels when I sitting in my truck so I guess I should get rid of those and I might have a too much window tint on my windows.....

Why did the old Beavis & Butthead "breakin' the law" bit go through my head?

Might be illegal, but it was funny.

[eyedabassman]

I have a 04 Triton and will the state of Mo. give me all new numbers? I was told that the numbers that the state give you at time of reg. always stay with that boat and the only thing that would change would be the state reg. sticker???

[GNSfishing]

If your boat is/was registered in the state of MO then the numbers will stay with the boat. If you are moving from another state to MO. then you will have to register in MO. and get new numbers which are for this state along with the tag.

[Champ188]

This thread has undoubtedly rewritten the record for number of posts on the subject of freakin' boat registration numbers. There is a Stone County government office in Blue Eye, where you are moving. The phone number is (417) 779-3413. Took me 30 seconds to Google it. Call them. They can answer your questions. It's what they do. Here, we talk about fishin. Most of the time anyways.

[fishinwrench]

Good point, Champ.

Why I feel compelled to give feedback on a subject like that is beyond me, cuz honestly IDGAS what anyones registration numbers look like, except my own.

Call the DMV, don't ask a bunch of guys that have piddled around with boats all their life.

Whoever answers the phone at the license bureau is sure to be a genuine boating professional/slash/legal advisor.

[Feathers and Fins]

Missouri Department of Revenue

Jay Nixon, Governor

John R. Mollenkamp, Acting Director

Search Search Missouri Department of Revenue

Home » Motor Vehicle Licensing » Boat/Vessel/Outboard Motor

Boat/Vessel Titling and Registration - Additional Information MO Numbers:

• serves same function as a motor vehicle's license plate;
• are permanently affixed on each side of the forward half of the vessel;
• usually remain assigned to the same vessel when ownership transfers, except in certain situations; and
• consist of two alpha characters followed by four numeric characters and two more alpha characters, example: MO 1234 AB.

The registration number assigned to a boat/vessel shall be attached to each side of the forward half of the boat/vessel in such position as to provide clear legibility. Black or dark numbers should be used on light hulls, and white or light numbers should be used on dark colored hulls, providing a sharp contrast.

The registration numbers shall read from left to right, and shall be in block characters of good proportions, not less than 3 inches in height. The numbers must be divided into parts. The letters, prefix and suffix, shall be separated from the numbers by 2 inch spaces. A hyphen may be used within the 2 inch space.

No number other than the registration number awarded to a boat/vessel or granted reciprocity shall be painted, attached, or otherwise, displayed on either side of the bow of the boat/vessel.