Ohio Boat Registration Numbers: Size, Decals and Vinyl Letters
Ohio's Department of Natural Resources names vinyl letters as one way to show the OH number and puts the decal six inches toward the stern. Each rule is sourced below.
Short answer: An Ohio boat shows its OH number on each side of the forward half, in one contrasting color with a height of at least 3 inches. The two registration decals go six inches from the number, toward the stern.
Ohio boat registration numbers read OH, then four numbers, then two letters, and they go on each side of the forward half of the boat (Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR)). The characters need a height of at least 3 inches and a color that contrasts with the hull (Ohio Administrative Code 1501:47-1-07). The two registration decals sit six inches from the number, toward the stern, one on each side (ODNR). This is a plain-words summary, not legal advice, so check with ODNR before you apply numbers.
Ohio boat numbers and vinyl letters
ODNR's page on displaying numbers and decals says you can use any method you want to display the boat's OH numbers, for example applying vinyl letters or painting them on (ODNR). That covers how the number goes on. The same page then lists location, size and style rules, and those still apply. It is also a statement about Ohio only, so do not assume another state words its rule the same way.
Reading an Ohio number
Every number issued by the Division of Parks and Watercraft has three parts: the letters OH, not more than four numerals, and not more than two capital letters, separated by hyphens or equivalent spaces, as in OH-0000-AA or OH 0000 AA (Ohio Administrative Code 1501:47-1-07). Numbers issued to a livery end in LL, and numbers issued to a dealer or manufacturer end in ZZ (same rule).
The number stays with the boat for its lifetime in Ohio, whoever owns it (ODNR).
Size, color and spacing for Ohio boat numbers
- Where: the left (port) and right (starboard) front of the boat, read from left to right (ODNR).
- Style: block characters of good proportion, with a height of at least 3 inches (Ohio Administrative Code 1501:47-1-07).
- Color: the code asks for dark characters on a light background or light on dark, and ODNR says one color that contrasts with the boat (ODNR).
- Spacing: the four numbers in the middle are separated from the letters at the start and end by a hyphen or an equivalent space (same ODNR page).
- Upkeep: kept clearly visible and legible (same ODNR page).
Ohio boat registration decal placement
ODNR says the registration decal goes six inches from the numbers, toward the back of the boat (the stern), one on each side. The two decals are identical and show their expiration date. They must be clearly visible and on the boat before you operate it, so a boat renewed online cannot legally run until the new decals are displayed (ODNR).
People also say registration stickers or tags. The Ohio Boat Operators Guide says the tags go on each side of the bow, six inches toward the stern from the number, and that expired tags must be removed.
Nothing else on the bow
The administrative code says no other numerals or letters may be displayed on the forward half of a boat registered in Ohio (Ohio Administrative Code 1501:47-1-07). The federal rule is worded around numbers: a boat may not carry any number on its forward half that was not issued for it (33 CFR 173.19), and the Coast Guard's Boater's Guide adds that no other letters or numbers may be displayed nearby.
Neither Ohio text says whether a boat name counts as "letters". Ask ODNR before you put a name on the forward half.
Boats that follow different rules
A boat documented by the Coast Guard is exempt from Ohio numbering, but if it is owned and operated in Ohio it must be registered and show one tag on the port side and one on the starboard side. A boat on the alternative registration for hand-powered vessels shows no OH number, only a single decal (ODNR).
Ordering the numbers
Our boat registration number decals are made from the number you type. You pick the letter height (3, 3.5, 4 or 5 inches) and the page shows the width and the price, from $41.99 per decal, before you order. Check the width against your hull, because you need room toward the stern for the decal ODNR places six inches from the number. Order one decal for each side. Ohio issues the registration decals, not us.
Applying them? See how to apply boat registration numbers, and for a pontoon where the numbers and names go. Other states: New York and South Carolina. Our shop also carries truck lettering.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use vinyl letters for my Ohio boat number?
Yes, according to ODNR: its page says you can use any method you want, for example applying vinyl letters or painting them on (ODNR). The location, size and style rules still apply. The wording is Ohio's, so do not assume another state says the same.
How far from the number does the Ohio decal go?
Six inches from the numbers, toward the stern, one decal on each side, according to ODNR's Ohio Boat Operators Guide. The guide also says expired tags must be removed. Put the new ones on before you take the boat out, and leave room toward the stern when you plan the lettering.
Can I put my boat's name on the bow of an Ohio boat?
The administrative code says no other numerals or letters may be displayed on the forward half (Ohio Administrative Code 1501:47-1-07). No Ohio text we read says whether a boat name counts. A spot away from the forward half is outside that wording, but ODNR is the one to confirm.
Do kayaks and canoes in Ohio need an OH number?
ODNR says a hand-powered vessel on the alternative registration shows no OH number, only a single decal (ODNR). The Ohio Boat Operators Guide says not to use that registration if you might ever add a motor or an affixed sail. A boat on the traditional registration shows the number.
Can an Ohio boat number end in I, O or Q?
No. The administrative code says the letters I, O and Q may be mistaken for numerals, so ending letter sequences using them are left out of Ohio's numbering (Ohio Administrative Code 1501:47-1-07). Type your number exactly as your certificate prints it, with the same spaces or hyphens.
Keep reading
All guides →How to Apply Boat Registration Numbers and Name Decals
Measure twice, clean the hull and apply the decal slowly. Here is a plain step by step for vinyl boat numbers and names.
Read →BoatsPontoon Boat Registration Numbers and Names: Where They Go
A pontoon has no hull side like a runabout. Here is where the number and the name can go and what the rule asks for.
Read →See it on a truck door first
Type your lines, pick the size and colors, and watch your decal on the door. Questions? Email info@workdecals.com.