State Requirement Summary
California vessels carry CF numbers — CF 1234 AB — not CA. The DMV's wording is also stricter than the federal floor: characters must be more than three inches high, in plain vertical block letters and numbers, with spaces or hyphens equivalent to the width of a normal character between the groups. Our designer starts from a plain vertical block face and honest group spacing so what you see is what gets cut.
Last regulatory review: August 22, 2026
Assigned number example
CF 1234 AB
California uses the CF prefix — not CA.
What we sell vs. what the state issues: RegistrationDecals.com supplies the registration-number lettering, designed to meet the displayed California size and formatting requirements. California Department of Motor Vehicles 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.
Starts with the California format (CF 1234 AB). Tap the decal and type your own assigned number exactly as it appears on your certificate of number.
Tap the decal to edit
We supply the registration-number lettering, sized to the displayed California requirements. California Department of Motor Vehicles issues the validation decal.
Both sides of the hull carry the number. The grey square marks where the state-issued validation decal goes — follow the california dmv-issued decal placement instructions.
Diagram is illustrative. Confirm exact positioning against the instructions issued with your California registration.
California Department of Motor Vehicles — Primary state agency source. Last verified August 22, 2026 (source check 2026-08-22).
California DMV — Vessel registrationRegistration 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.
California assigns numbers in the pattern CF 1234 AB, using the CF prefix. Note that the vessel prefix (CF) is not the postal abbreviation (CA). California DMV wording says MORE THAN three inches — not merely 'at least three inches' — and the vessel prefix is CF, not CA.
California specifies characters more than 3 inches high. Measure the character body itself — if the state excludes borders, outlines or shading, decorative trim does not count toward the minimum.
Plain vertical block letters and numbers, reading left to right. Script, italic and decorative treatments are not what this style describes.
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.
Spaces or hyphens equivalent to the width of a normal letter or number. Example: CF 1234 AB. Running the groups together with no separation does not match the stated format.
Permanently attached or painted on each side of the bow. Keep registration identification clearly visible.
Follow the California DMV-issued decal placement instructions. The validation or expiration decal is issued by California Department of Motor Vehicles — RegistrationDecals.com supplies the registration-number lettering only.
California numbers follow the pattern CF 1234 AB, using the CF prefix, a numeral group, and suffix letters.
More than 3 inches, measured on the character itself, in plain vertical block letters and numbers.
Plain vertical block letters and numbers, reading left to right, and must contrast with background.
Spaces or hyphens equivalent to the width of a normal letter or number. Example: CF 1234 AB.
Permanently attached or painted on each side of the bow. Keep registration identification clearly visible.
Follow the California DMV-issued decal placement instructions. The decal itself is issued by California Department of Motor Vehicles; we supply the registration-number lettering.
California Department of Motor Vehicles. Confirm the current instructions issued with your registration before applying anything to your hull. Last regulatory review: August 22, 2026.
Yes. Enter your assigned CF 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.
CF. California-registered vessels display the CF prefix — ordering CA produces the wrong number.
CF. California vessel registration numbers begin with the CF prefix; CA is only the postal abbreviation.
More than three inches high, in plain vertical block letters and numbers that contrast with the background.
Our designer starts with plain block characters and proper group spacing, so you can see exactly how CF 1234 AB will read on your hull before you order.
Source: California Department of Motor Vehicles · Primary state agency source · Primary · Source last checked 2026-08-22.
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.
