when you buy a boat from another state

Do you have to change the registration number painted on the bow to the new state one?

 

You should strip it off and use sticky letters/numbers - and yes, you have to change it.

If the boat is large enough to be documented, you just need the name and hailing port, plus the current small registration decal for your state - no letters and numbers along the bow.

 

I was afraid of that. It's a 25' boat. The owner painted it with 2 part paint but he painted around masked white registration numbers and then outlined them in gold paint! Because of that I had hoped you would say that once registered they would stay the same on the boat and be updated to my info in the database somewhere. Thank you for setting me straight. Watch for a post about paint stripper and paint matching.

 

That really sucks- How would your boat look with a 3" white cove stripe? A friend had that problem with a boat called Liberation. She mounted an outboard bracket over the "er" and it became Libation.

 

That's a great idea! :idea: