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Florida boat registration numbers
Short answerF.S. 328.48 follows the federal standard: 3 inch plain block characters, contrasting, each side of the forward half, spaces or hyphens between groups. Florida's own twist is the decal placement on the port side.
| Format | FL 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 FL, the digits and the letters |
| Registration sticker | Port side, within 6 inches before or after the number. Airboats may number the rudder. |
| Sources | F.S. 328.48; 33 CFR 173.27 |
Also worth knowing
- Florida has the most registered boats in the country, about 1.2 million.
- Documented vessels don't carry FL numbers but still need the Florida decal.
Why the spacing matters
Wardens read the number from a moving boat. FL 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.