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Washington boat registration numbers
Short answerWAC 308-93-140 and 145: 3 inch block characters on the forward half of each side per the federal rule, with the decal placed within 6 inches behind the number.
| Format | WN 1234 AB |
|---|---|
| Height | At least 3 inches, plain vertical block characters |
| Where | Each side of the forward half of the hull, reading left to right, above the waterline |
| Spacing | A space or hyphen the width of a letter between WN, the digits and the letters |
| Registration sticker | Within 6 inches aft of, and in line with, the registration number. |
| Sources | WAC 308-93-140, 308-93-145; 33 CFR 173.27 |
Why the spacing matters
Wardens read the number from a moving boat. WN 1234 AB reads in a second; the same characters run together don't. Cut vinyl gives you clean spacing and one-letter replacement if a rock finds it.
Checked September 2026 against 33 CFR 173.27 and the state rule cited above. Not legal advice.