New York is strict about registration numbers and relaxed about boat names. Knowing which rule applies where saves you a rework. Verified September 2026.
Registration numbers — the strict part
- Style: plain vertical BLOCK letters — no script, italic, or slanted fonts
- Size: at least 3 inches tall, legible from 100 feet in daylight
- Color: one solid color contrasting sharply with the hull
- Placement: both sides of the bow (forward half), reading left to right
- Spacing: space or hyphen between groups — e.g., NY 1234 AB
- Validation decal: in line with the number, 3 inches toward the stern — both sides
Boat names and hailing ports — the fun part
Names and hailing ports are NOT regulated like registration numbers. Script, gold leaf, shadows, decorative fonts — all legal. That is where a transom gets its personality.
The one-trip fix
We cut NY-legal registration numbers from 3M marine cast vinyl — correct block style, correct spacing, sold as a matched pair with transfer tape and a printed install guide. $29 for both sides, ships free anywhere in the country, New York included. Boat names and hailing ports are cut from the same film and priced from your photo. You approve a to-scale proof before anything goes on the machine.
Order NY-legal boat registration numbers — $29, ships free →
Boat name and hailing port lettering → · Build and preview your boat lettering →
More: federal boat registration number rules for every state · how to apply your numbers without bubbles
JZAC Designs — Spokane Valley, WA. Text a photo of your transom to 509-720-8239 for same-day pricing.