Assigned HIN | Duplicate Location | HIN Formats | Primary HIN Location

A Hull Identification Number (HIN) is required for every boat registered in Alaska. Manufacturers of recreational boats have been required to assign a unique, 12 letter/number combination HIN since November 1972. The standard formats used since 1972 are shown in the chart on page 3. The first 3 letters of the HIN designate the Manufacturers ID Code (MIC) assigned by the Coast Guard. This may be used as an aid to determining the manufacturer of the boat if it is not known. Boats manufactured prior to 1972, homemade boats, and boats built specifically for commercial fishing may not have a HIN. Boats without a HIN will have a HIN assigned by DMV when they are initially registered.

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ASSIGNED HIN

Boats without a HIN or boats whose HIN has been lost, destroyed, or defaced and the HIN cannot be determined will have a 12 character HIN assigned to the boat when the boat is first registered in Alaska. The HIN is assigned by ALVIN.

When processing a boat without a HIN, type an asterisk (*) in the “GENERATE NEW HIN” field on the boat menu.

The HIN is assigned as follows:

• The first 3 characters are always “AKZ”.
• The next 5 characters are the first five characters in the boat number not including the leading “AK”. For example if the boat number is AK 1234 AA the five characters are 1234A.
• The next character is a letter designating the current month according to the following table:

• The next character is the last character of the year the boat is being registered in. For Example the character for a boat first registered in 2004 would be 4.
• The last characters are the last two digits of the current year. For a HIN assigned in 2001 the last two characters would be 01.

Example: A boat that is first registered in April 2004, with a boat number of AK 2246 AB would be assigned a HIN of AKZ2246AD404.

The primary and duplicate Hull Identification Numbers (HIN) must be carved, burned, stamped, embossed, molded, bonded, or otherwise permanently affixed to the boat so that alteration, removal, or replacement would be obvious.

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PRIMARY LOCATION OF ASSIGNED HIN

The owner of a boat that has been assigned a HIN is required to affix the HIN to the outboard side of the starboard (right side) side of the transom (rearmost end of the boat hull). If there is no transom, the HIN must be placed on the outermost starboard side of hull that bears the rudder or steering mechanism.

In addition to the requirements stated above, the HIN must be:

• in letters/numbers at least one-quarter inch in height
• placed above the waterline

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DUPLICATE LOCATION OF ASSIGNED HIN

Coast Guard regulations require that a second HIN be placed on the interior of the boat.

In addition to the requirements stated above, the duplicate HIN must be:

• affixed in an unexposed location on the interior of the boat or beneath a fitting or item of hardware;
• fastened in such a manner that its removal would normally cause some scarring of or damage to the surrounding hull area. (When the number is on a separate plate.);
• affixed to a part of the boat that cannot be removed.
  

A completed Form 02-842 will be given to each owner whose boat has an assigned HIN.

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HULL IDENTIFICATION FORMATS

The NEW FORMAT replaced the STRAIGHT YEAR and MODEL YEAR formats. Although optional as of January 1, 1984, both the NEW FORMAT and the confidential HIN’s were required as of August 1, 1984.

NEW FORMAT (August 1, 1994)

*Key to month of production for New Format. In the example above, H4 would be August 1984.

STRAIGHT YEAR (November 1, 1972)

MODEL YEAR (November 1, 1972)

*Key to month of production for Model Year Format. In the example, month is August.

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