What is a hull identification number?

Answer 1

A hull identification Number is a twelve character number found on the transom of boats. it looks like this

ABC12345A808

ABC is the code issued by the US Coast Guard (or in Canada the Canadian Coast Guard) that identifies who made the boat

12345 can be any combination of numbers or letters except I, O, Q, and is assigned by the manufacturer.

A8 is what the US Coast Guard calls the date of certification, meaning, the date the manufacturer certifies that the boat meets whatever Federal Safety Standards it must meet. However, most people think of this as the date the boat was built

A = January

B = february

C = March

D = April

E = May

F = June

G = July

H = August

I = September

J = October

K = November

L = December

8 is the year of manufacturer = 2008

08 The last two digits is the model year. The model years run from September 1 to August 31 of the next year. Example, 2008 model years starts in September 2007 and runs to August 31 2008.

The number can also have a code that shows what country it is from. This is in front of the HIN as in

US ABC12345A808 or if made in Canada

CA XWY 12345A808. There are country codes for all nations.

For homemade boats or boats that were made before November 1972, a state can issue a Hull ID number to that boat. Each state has a manufacturers ID code from the USCG. The number would begin with the state code, such as WNZ for Washington, or CAZ for California.