State Requirement Summary
The single most expensive mistake Michigan owners make is ordering MI decals. Michigan assigns vessel numbers with the MC prefix — MC 1234 AB — so a set cut with MI is simply the wrong number. Characters are plain block type at least three inches tall on each side of the forward half, and the validation decal sits roughly three inches aft of the number, mirrored appropriately between sides. Enter your MC number in the designer below.
Last regulatory review: August 22, 2026
Assigned number example
MC 1234 AB
Michigan uses the MC prefix — not MI.
What we sell vs. what the state issues: RegistrationDecals.com supplies the registration-number lettering, designed to meet the displayed Michigan size and formatting requirements. Michigan Secretary of State / Michigan DNR 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 Michigan format (MC 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 Michigan requirements. Michigan Secretary of State / Michigan DNR issues the validation decal.
Both sides of the hull carry the number. The grey square marks where the state-issued validation decal goes — about 3 inches to the right / aft of the mc number; mirror appropriately between sides.
Diagram is illustrative. Confirm exact positioning against the instructions issued with your Michigan registration.
Michigan Secretary of State / Michigan DNR — Primary state agency source. Last verified August 22, 2026 (source check 2026-08-22).
Michigan DNR — Boating licenses and permitsRegistration 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.
Michigan assigns numbers in the pattern MC 1234 AB, using the MC prefix. Note that the vessel prefix (MC) is not the postal abbreviation (MI). Michigan uses the MC prefix, not MI. Do not apply the recreational MC-number rule to federally documented vessels.
Michigan 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.
Block characters, reading left to right. Script, italic and decorative treatments are not what this style describes.
Must contrast and remain visible. 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.
Space or hyphen between groups. Example: MC 1234 AB. Running the groups together with no separation does not match the stated format.
Each side of the forward half for vessels required to display MC numbers. USCG-documented vessels have a different display treatment.
About 3 inches to the right / aft of the MC number; mirror appropriately between sides. The validation or expiration decal is issued by Michigan Secretary of State / Michigan DNR — RegistrationDecals.com supplies the registration-number lettering only.
Michigan numbers follow the pattern MC 1234 AB, using the MC prefix, a numeral group, and suffix letters.
3 inches, measured on the character itself, in block characters.
Block characters, reading left to right, and must contrast and remain visible.
Space or hyphen between groups. Example: MC 1234 AB.
Each side of the forward half for vessels required to display MC numbers. USCG-documented vessels have a different display treatment.
About 3 inches to the right / aft of the MC number; mirror appropriately between sides. The decal itself is issued by Michigan Secretary of State / Michigan DNR; we supply the registration-number lettering.
Michigan Secretary of State / Michigan DNR. Confirm the current instructions issued with your registration before applying anything to your hull. Last regulatory review: August 22, 2026.
Yes. Enter your assigned MC 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.
MC. Michigan-registered vessels display the MC prefix — ordering MI produces the wrong number.
MC is Michigan's assigned vessel registration prefix. MI is only the postal abbreviation and is not used on the hull.
Our designer starts with plain block characters and proper group spacing, so you can see exactly how MC 1234 AB will read on your hull before you order.
Source: Michigan Secretary of State / Michigan DNR · 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.
