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State Registration

Before I can launch and sail the boat I had to get it registered in the state of Alabama. The process is fairly simple. Other states may have different procedures.

  1. I called the Marine Police in Montgomery and asked for an application for a homebuilt boat Hull Identification Number (HIN).
  2. I filled it out and mailed it in. A couple of months later a policeman called and made an appointment to look at the boat.
  3. After looking it over for a few minutes he signed a form and gave me some paperwork and a HIN label to put on the stern and on the interior of the boat. The HIN is required for all boats regardless of size or whether powered or not. Also he wanted to be sure I was not building the boat to sell it.
  4. I took this paperwork to the courthouse and paid a small fee to get a registration number you see here and a year decal. Since it was a homebuilt there is no bill of sale. Also I did not have to estimate the value of the boat for taxes.