North Carolina Boat Registration Requirements Where must a vessel's registration number and registration decals be displayed?

What boats are exempt from registration in North Carolina?

Rowboats, canoes, kayaks, and rafts moved only by oars, paddles or the current;
Vessels used only on private ponds;
Vessels that are properly registered in another state and are operating on North Carolina waters for fewer than 90 days;
Ship's lifeboats or dinghies, provided that they are used exclusively for emergency lifeboat purposes.

Registration can be for a period of one year or three years, as chosen by the operator. Registration and titling applications should be made to the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) office through a Wildlife Service Agent.

The NCWRC must be notified in writing as soon as possible if the owner changes address, the boat is scrapped, or the boat is sold.

How to register a boat in North Carolina?

You’ll need to complete a VL-1 Form (Registration & Titling) to register your boat.

Once our application is approved, you’ll receive a Registration Number to identify your boat, a Registration Decal, and a Registration Card. Your registration will be good for one or three years, depending on the term you selected when applying. You’ll receive a Renewal Notification two months before your current registration expires, and you can renew your registration in person, by mail, or online

Once a vessel is registered the owner will receive a Certificate of Number that must be kept on board and readily available for inspection by a law enforcement officer whenever the vessel is in operation.

You must display your boat number in the following manner:

Painted on or permanently attached to both side of the bow of the vessel;
Positioned to ensure maximum visibility;
Using BLOCK letters at least three inches high and of one solid color contrasting with the color of your boat;
To read from left to right; letters and numbers must be separated by a space or a hyphen, for example, NC 1234 AB or NC-1234-AB
No other numbers may be displayed

Affix decal to the starboard bow of the vessel within 6 inches of your North Carolina Registration Number. Place in position and press firmly to surface.