State Requirement Summary

Alabama Boat Registration Number Requirements

Boats registered in Alabama display an AL-prefixed number such as AL 1234 AA. Alabama calls for characters 3 inches high in block characters of good proportion, reading left to right, must contrast with background, positioned each side of the forward portion / bow. Our lettering is designed to meet the displayed Alabama size and formatting requirements. The state itself issues the validation/expiration decal — we supply the registration-number lettering.

Boat number requirements

Last regulatory review: August 22, 2026

Assigned number example

AL 1234 AA

Minimum character height: 3 inches
Lettering style: Block characters of good proportion
Contrast: Must contrast with background
Spacing / separator: Hyphen or equivalent space between groups
Reading direction: Left to right
Number location: Each side of the forward portion / bow
Validation decal: Each side near the registration number; verify current decal instructions before assuming an exact offset
State agency: Alabama Law Enforcement Agency / Alabama Administrative Code

What we sell vs. what the state issues: RegistrationDecals.com supplies the registration-number lettering, designed to meet the displayed Alabama size and formatting requirements. Alabama Law Enforcement Agency / Alabama Administrative Code issues the official validation/expiration decal — and any separate stickers such as aquatic-invasive-species, mussel-awareness, carbon-monoxide or lake-protection stickers, which are not interchangeable with each other.

Design your AL numbers

Starts with the Alabama format (AL 1234 AA). Tap the decal and type your own assigned number exactly as it appears on your certificate of number.

Tap the decal to edit

Decal color

We supply the registration-number lettering, sized to the displayed Alabama requirements. Alabama Law Enforcement Agency / Alabama Administrative Code issues the validation decal.

Alabama placement diagram

Both sides of the hull carry the number. The grey square marks where the state-issued validation decal goes — each side near the registration number; verify current decal instructions before assuming an exact offset.

Port side — bow to the left

Starboard side — bow to the right

Height: 3 inches, block characters of good proportion
Spacing: Hyphen or equivalent space between groups
Location: Each side of the forward portion / bow
Validation decal: Each side near the registration number; verify current decal instructions before assuming an exact offset

Diagram is illustrative. Confirm exact positioning against the instructions issued with your Alabama registration.

Official source

Alabama Law Enforcement Agency / Alabama Administrative Code — Primary state law or administrative code. Last verified August 22, 2026 (source check 2026-08-22).

Alabama Law Enforcement Agency — Marine Patrol Division

Registration requirements can change. RegistrationDecals.com summarizes publicly available boating-registration requirements to help boat owners select and display registration numbers. Always compare your registration and decals with the current instructions issued by your state boating or registration agency before applying them to your vessel.

Alabama rules in detail

Assigned number format

Alabama assigns numbers in the pattern AL 1234 AA, using the AL prefix. Alabama administrative rule expressly specifies the AL prefix.

Minimum character height

Alabama specifies characters 3 inches high. Measure the character body itself — if the state excludes borders, outlines or shading, decorative trim does not count toward the minimum.

Required lettering style

Block characters of good proportion, reading left to right. Script, italic and decorative treatments are not what this style describes.

Contrast requirement

Must contrast with background. In practice that means dark characters on a light hull and light characters on a dark hull, checked in daylight from the side of the vessel.

Spacing and separator

Hyphen or equivalent space between groups. Example: AL 1234 AA. Running the groups together with no separation does not match the stated format.

Placement on the hull

Each side of the forward portion / bow. Do not display unrelated numbers in the registration-number area.

Validation decal placement

Each side near the registration number; verify current decal instructions before assuming an exact offset. The validation or expiration decal is issued by Alabama Law Enforcement Agency / Alabama Administrative Code — RegistrationDecals.com supplies the registration-number lettering only.

Common mistakes

Ordering the number without the AL prefix or the suffix letters.
Characters shorter than the stated minimum (3 inches) so they fit inside a narrow accent stripe.
Using a script, italic or shadowed style instead of block characters of good proportion.
Losing the required separation between the groups — hyphen or equivalent space between groups.
Placing the state validation decal somewhere other than the position Alabama describes: each side near the registration number; verify current decal instructions before assuming an exact offset.

Frequently asked questions

What does a Alabama boat registration number look like?

Alabama numbers follow the pattern AL 1234 AA, using the AL prefix, a numeral group, and suffix letters.

How tall do Alabama boat registration numbers have to be?

3 inches, measured on the character itself, in block characters of good proportion.

What lettering style does Alabama require?

Block characters of good proportion, reading left to right, and must contrast with background.

How much space goes between the letters and numbers in Alabama?

Hyphen or equivalent space between groups. Example: AL 1234 AA.

Where do the numbers go on the boat in Alabama?

Each side of the forward portion / bow. Do not display unrelated numbers in the registration-number area.

Where does the Alabama validation decal go?

Each side near the registration number; verify current decal instructions before assuming an exact offset. The decal itself is issued by Alabama Law Enforcement Agency / Alabama Administrative Code; we supply the registration-number lettering.

Who regulates boat registration numbers in Alabama?

Alabama Law Enforcement Agency / Alabama Administrative Code. Confirm the current instructions issued with your registration before applying anything to your hull. Last regulatory review: August 22, 2026.

Can I order Alabama boat registration numbers online?

Yes. Enter your assigned AL number in the designer on this page, pick a color that contrasts with your hull, and we cut a matched port-and-starboard pair and ship it to the 48 contiguous states.

Do I need two sets of Alabama registration numbers?

You need the number displayed on both sides of the vessel — each side of the forward portion / bow — so every order ships as a matched port-and-starboard pair.

Related guides

Ready to design your AL numbers?

Our designer starts with plain block characters and proper group spacing, so you can see exactly how AL 1234 AA will read on your hull before you order.

Source: Alabama Law Enforcement Agency / Alabama Administrative Code · Primary state law or administrative code · Primary law verified for number format and character requirements · Source last checked 2026-08-22.