Florida Statutes
Fla. Stat. § 328.07 (2025)
Hull identification number required.
✓ 2025 Florida Statutes — current through the 2025 Regular Session
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328.07 Hull identification number required.—
(1) No person shall operate, use, or store on the waters of this state a vessel the construction of which began after October 31, 1972, for which the department has issued a certificate of title or which is required by law to be registered, unless the vessel displays the assigned hull identification number affixed by the manufacturer as required by the United States Coast Guard or by the department for a homemade vessel or other vessel for which a hull identification number is not required by the United States Coast Guard. The hull identification number must be carved, burned, stamped, embossed, or otherwise permanently affixed to the outboard side of the transom or, if there is no transom, to the outermost starboard side at the end of the hull that bears the rudder or other steering mechanism, above the waterline of the vessel in such a way that alteration, removal, or replacement would be obvious and evident. The characters of the hull identification number must be no less than 12 in number and no less than one-fourth inch in height.
(2) No person shall operate, use, or store on the waters of this state a vessel the construction of which was completed before November 1, 1972, for which the department has issued a certificate of title or which is required by law to be registered, unless the vessel displays a hull identification number. The hull identification number shall be clearly imprinted in the transom or on the hull by stamping, impressing, or marking with pressure. In lieu of imprinting, the hull identification number may be displayed on a plate in a permanent manner. A vessel for which the manufacturer has provided no hull identification number or a homemade vessel shall be assigned a hull identification number by the department which shall be affixed to the vessel pursuant to this section.
(3)(a) No person, firm, association, or corporation shall destroy, remove, alter, cover, or deface the hull identification number or hull serial number, or plate bearing such number, of any vessel, except to make necessary repairs which require the removal of the hull identification number and immediately upon completion of such repairs shall reaffix the hull identification number in accordance with subsection (2).
(b) If any of the hull identification numbers required by the United States Coast Guard for a vessel manufactured after October 31, 1972, do not exist or have been altered, removed, destroyed, covered, or defaced or the real identity of the vessel cannot be determined, the vessel may be seized as contraband property by a law enforcement agency or the division, and shall be subject to forfeiture pursuant to ss. 932.701-932.7062. Such vessel may not be sold or operated on the waters of the state unless the division receives a request from a law enforcement agency providing adequate documentation or is directed by written order of a court of competent jurisdiction to issue to the vessel a replacement hull identification number which shall thereafter be used for identification purposes. No vessel shall be forfeited under the Florida Contraband Forfeiture Act when the owner unknowingly, inadvertently, or neglectfully altered, removed, destroyed, covered, or defaced the vessel hull identification number.
(4)(a) It is unlawful for any person to knowingly possess, manufacture, sell or exchange, offer to sell or exchange, supply in blank, or give away any counterfeit manufacturer’s vessel hull identification number plate or decal or any manufacturer’s vessel hull identification plate or decal which is assigned to another vessel to be used for the purpose of identification of any vessel; to authorize, direct, aid in exchange, or give away such counterfeit manufacturer’s vessel hull identification number plate or decal or any manufacturer’s vessel hull identification number plate or decal which is assigned to another vessel; or to conspire to do any of the foregoing. However, nothing in this subsection shall be applicable to any approved hull identification number plate or decal issued as a replacement by the manufacturer, the department, or another state.
(b) It is unlawful for any person to knowingly buy, sell, offer for sale, receive, dispose of, conceal, or have in his or her possession any vessel or part thereof on which the assigned identification number has been altered, removed, destroyed, covered, or defaced or maintain such vessel in any manner which conceals or misrepresents the true identity of the vessel.
(5) The failure to have the hull identification number clearly displayed in compliance with this section shall be probable cause for any Division of Law Enforcement officer or other authorized law enforcement officer to make further inspection of the vessel in question to ascertain the true identity thereof.
(6) Each vessel manufactured after the effective date of this act for sale in the state shall have a hull identification number displayed prior to sale or delivery for sale in accordance with the regulations set forth in 33 C.F.R. part 181. The hull identification number shall not be altered or replaced by the manufacturer or manufacturer’s representative for the purpose of upgrading the model year of a vessel after being offered for sale or delivered to any dealer.
(7) No person or firm shall assign the same hull identification number to more than one vessel.
History.—s. 4, ch. 67-586; ss. 25, 35, ch. 69-106; s. 13, ch. 74-327; s. 5, ch. 80-266; s. 5, ch. 83-102; s. 2, ch. 84-129; s. 12, ch. 84-184; s. 1, ch. 86-73; s. 10, ch. 92-54; s. 469, ch. 95-148; s. 66, ch. 2008-4; s. 21, ch. 2009-86; s. 9, ch. 2016-179.
Note.—Former s. 371.77.
Arrestable Offenses under F.S. 328.07
M = misdemeanor · F = felony · degree: F=1st S=2nd T=3rd§328.07(1)PUBLIC ORDER CRIMESNO OR IMPROPER DISPLAY OF HULL ID NUMBER
§328.07(2)PUBLIC ORDER CRIMESOPERATE USE STORE VESSEL W/O HULL ID DISPLAY
§328.07(3)FRAUDRENUMBERED. SEE REC # 8949
§328.07(3)FORGERY OFRENUMBERED. SEE REC # 8948
§328.07(6)PUBLIC ORDER CRIMESFAIL DISPLAY HULL ID NUM PRIOR SALE/DELIVERY
§328.07(6)FRAUDHULL ID NUM ALT BY MFG AFTER OFFER SALE/DEL
§328.07(7)PUBLIC ORDER CRIMESASSIGN SAME HULL ID NUM MORE THAN ONE VESSEL
§328.07(3a)FORGERY OFALT REMOVE DESTROY DEFACE HULL ID NUMB PLATE
§328.07(3b)FRAUDCOVER HULL ID SERIAL NUMBER PLATE
§328.07(4a)COUNTERFEITING OFMANUFACTURE HULL ID PLATE ASSIGNED TO ANOTHER
§328.07(4a)PASS COUNTERFEITEDHULL ID SELL EXCHANGE SUPPLY BLANK GIVE AWAY
§328.07(4a)POSSESS COUNTERFEITEDHULL IDENTIFICATION PLATE
§328.07(4a)FRAUDPOSS SELL ETC HULL ID PLATE ASSIGNED TO OTHER
§328.07(4b)FRAUDCONCEAL MISREPRESENT MAINTAINED VESSELS ID
§328.07(4b)FRAUDSELL DISPOSE ETC VESSEL PART W ALT ETC HULL ID
§328.07(4b)PROPERTY CRIMESBUY POSS VESSEL PART WITH ALTERED ETC HULL ID
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 13
cases (1 in the last 5 years), 1983–2022 · leading case: Sea Servs. of the Keys, Inc. v. State of Florida, 156 F.3d 1151 (11th Cir. 1998).
Sea Servs. of the Keys, Inc. v. State of Florida, 156 F.3d 1151 (11th Cir. 1998). “After the Florida Marine Patrol discovered that the boat did not have a required hull identification number (see Fla. Stat. § 328.07 1 The fisherman contacted the Florida Marine Patrol and the United States Coast Guard about this boat.”
State v. Westerman, 688 So. 2d 979 (Fla. 2d DCA 1997). “To support this contention, he noted that section 328.07, Florida Statutes (1995), requires that all vessels have a hull identification number permanently affixed.”
Pompano Beach v. Gen. Mobile Home Brokers, 493 So. 2d 97 (Fla. 4th DCA 1986). “The Pompano Beach police made a routine stop of appellee's boat because no name or Florida registration numbers were displayed on it, as required by section 328.07(4), Florida Statutes. The police discovered contraband on board and seized the boat.”
Cabrera v. Dept. of Nat. Resources, 478 So. 2d 454 (Fla. 3d DCA 1985). “According to section 328.07(4), it is a felony for an individual to: [K]nowingly buy, sell, offer for sale, receive, dispose of, conceal, or have in his possession any vessel or part thereof on which the assigned identification number has been altered, removed, destroyed,…”
Cochran v. Roscioli Yacht Sales, Inc., 642 So. 2d 1106 (Fla. 4th DCA 1994). “Shortly thereafter, the Sheriff filed a complaint against the Libra II alleging that the unreadable HIN violated section 328.07(3)(b), Florida Statutes (1987) 1 .”
In re Forfeiture of One 1987 Velocity 30' Go-Fast Vessel, 577 So. 2d 678 (Fla. 4th DCA 1991). “Section 328.07 provides: (1) No person shall operate on the waters of this state a vessel .”
Rafael Lesende v. State of Florida (Fla. 2d DCA 2018). “141(d) on the question of whether, with respect to count three, the possession of a part of a vessel with a missing or altered serial number, as opposed to a missing or altered vessel or hull identification number, is actually criminalized by section 328.07(4)(b), Florida…”
Lesende v. State, 258 So. 3d 564 (Fla. 2d DCA 2018). “141(d) on the question of whether, with respect to count three, the possession of a part of a vessel with a missing or altered serial number, as opposed to a missing or altered vessel or hull identification number, is actually criminalized by section 328.07(4)(b), Florida…”
Spirit of the East, LLC v. Yale Prods., Inc. (S.D. Fla. 2022). “Spirit looks to several Florida statutes for support: the first is § 328.07(b)(3), which provides that no one shall operate, use, or store a vessel in Florida waters without a hull identification number; the second is § 328.”
Sea Servs. v. Abandoned 29', 156 F.3d 1151 (11th Cir. 1998). “After the Florida Marine Patrol discovered that the boat did not have a required hull identification number (see Fla. Stat. § 328.07 (1997)), the Marine Patrol declared the boat contraband, subjecting it to the Florida Contraband Forfeiture Act (Act) and seized it.”
Davis v. State, 438 So. 2d 195 (Fla. 4th DCA 1983). “Renumbered as section 328.07(4), Florida Statutes (1981).”
In re Forfeiture of One 1980 Cessna T 207-A, Serial No. 20700623, 587 So. 2d 553 (Fla. 4th DCA 1991). “4th DCA 1991), the seized vessel had no hull numbers, which was violative of section 328.07, Florida Statutes. We held that even though the statute made nonconforming craft “contraband” for the purposes of the forfeiture act, more than possession of a nonconforming vessel was…”
— 328.07(3)(b) — 1 case
Cochran v. Roscioli Yacht Sales, Inc., 642 So. 2d 1106 (Fla. 4th DCA 1994). “Shortly thereafter, the Sheriff filed a complaint against the Libra II alleging that the unreadable HIN violated section 328.07(3)(b), Florida Statutes (1987) 1 .”
— 328.07(4) — 3 cases
Pompano Beach v. Gen. Mobile Home Brokers, 493 So. 2d 97 (Fla. 4th DCA 1986). “The Pompano Beach police made a routine stop of appellee's boat because no name or Florida registration numbers were displayed on it, as required by section 328.07(4), Florida Statutes. The police discovered contraband on board and seized the boat.”
Cabrera v. Dept. of Nat. Resources, 478 So. 2d 454 (Fla. 3d DCA 1985). “According to section 328.07(4), it is a felony for an individual to: [K]nowingly buy, sell, offer for sale, receive, dispose of, conceal, or have in his possession any vessel or part thereof on which the assigned identification number has been altered, removed, destroyed,…”
Davis v. State, 438 So. 2d 195 (Fla. 4th DCA 1983). “Renumbered as section 328.07(4), Florida Statutes (1981).”
— 328.07(4)(b) — 2 cases
Rafael Lesende v. State of Florida (Fla. 2d DCA 2018). “141(d) on the question of whether, with respect to count three, the possession of a part of a vessel with a missing or altered serial number, as opposed to a missing or altered vessel or hull identification number, is actually criminalized by section 328.07(4)(b), Florida…”
Lesende v. State, 258 So. 3d 564 (Fla. 2d DCA 2018). “141(d) on the question of whether, with respect to count three, the possession of a part of a vessel with a missing or altered serial number, as opposed to a missing or altered vessel or hull identification number, is actually criminalized by section 328.07(4)(b), Florida…”
— 328.07(b)(3) — 1 case
Spirit of the East, LLC v. Yale Prods., Inc. (S.D. Fla. 2022). “Spirit looks to several Florida statutes for support: the first is § 328.07(b)(3), which provides that no one shall operate, use, or store a vessel in Florida waters without a hull identification number; the second is § 328.”
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