Assigned number format
New Jersey assigns numbers in the pattern NJ 1234 AB, using the NJ prefix. Expired registration decals should not remain visible.
State Requirement Summary
New Jersey Boat Registration Number Requirements
Boats registered in New Jersey display an NJ-prefixed number such as NJ 1234 AB. New Jersey calls for characters 3 inches high in plain block characters, reading left to right, contrasting / legible, positioned both sides of the forward half / bow. Our lettering is designed to meet the displayed New Jersey 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
NJ 1234 AB
- Minimum character height
- 3 inches
- Lettering style
- Plain block characters
- Contrast
- Contrasting / legible
- Spacing / separator
- Space or hyphen
- Reading direction
- Left to right
- Number location
- Both sides of the forward half / bow
- Validation decal
- 3 inches AFT of the registration number
- State agency
- New Jersey State Police Marine Services / NJ MVC
What we sell vs. what the state issues: RegistrationDecals.com supplies the registration-number lettering, designed to meet the displayed New Jersey size and formatting requirements. New Jersey State Police Marine Services / NJ MVC 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 NJ numbers
Starts with the New Jersey format (NJ 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
Decal color
We supply the registration-number lettering, sized to the displayed New Jersey requirements. New Jersey State Police Marine Services / NJ MVC issues the validation decal.
New Jersey placement diagram
Both sides of the hull carry the number. The grey square marks where the state-issued validation decal goes — 3 inches aft of the registration number.
- Height: 3 inches, plain block characters
- Spacing: Space or hyphen
- Location: Both sides of the forward half / bow
- Validation decal: 3 inches AFT of the registration number
Diagram is illustrative. Confirm exact positioning against the instructions issued with your New Jersey registration.
Official source
New Jersey State Police Marine Services / NJ MVC — Official state publication. Last verified August 22, 2026 (source check 2026-08-22).
New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission — Boat 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.
New Jersey rules in detail
Minimum character height
New Jersey 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
Plain block characters, reading left to right. Script, italic and decorative treatments are not what this style describes.
Contrast requirement
Contrasting / legible. 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
Space or hyphen. Example: NJ 1234 AB. Running the groups together with no separation does not match the stated format.
Placement on the hull
Both sides of the forward half / bow. No other numbers on the bow.
Validation decal placement
3 inches AFT of the registration number. The validation or expiration decal is issued by New Jersey State Police Marine Services / NJ MVC — RegistrationDecals.com supplies the registration-number lettering only.
Common mistakes
- Ordering the number without the NJ 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 plain block characters.
- Losing the required separation between the groups — space or hyphen.
- Placing the state validation decal somewhere other than the position New Jersey describes: 3 inches AFT of the registration number.
Frequently asked questions
What does a New Jersey boat registration number look like?
New Jersey numbers follow the pattern NJ 1234 AB, using the NJ prefix, a numeral group, and suffix letters.
How tall do New Jersey boat registration numbers have to be?
3 inches, measured on the character itself, in plain block characters.
What lettering style does New Jersey require?
Plain block characters, reading left to right, and contrasting / legible.
How much space goes between the letters and numbers in New Jersey?
Space or hyphen. Example: NJ 1234 AB.
Where do the numbers go on the boat in New Jersey?
Both sides of the forward half / bow. No other numbers on the bow.
Where does the New Jersey validation decal go?
3 inches AFT of the registration number. The decal itself is issued by New Jersey State Police Marine Services / NJ MVC; we supply the registration-number lettering.
Who regulates boat registration numbers in New Jersey?
New Jersey State Police Marine Services / NJ MVC. Confirm the current instructions issued with your registration before applying anything to your hull. Last regulatory review: August 22, 2026.
Can I order New Jersey boat registration numbers online?
Yes. Enter your assigned NJ 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 New Jersey registration numbers?
You need the number displayed on both sides of the vessel — both sides of the forward half / bow — so every order ships as a matched port-and-starboard pair.
Related guides
Ready to design your NJ numbers?
Our designer starts with plain block characters and proper group spacing, so you can see exactly how NJ 1234 AB will read on your hull before you order.
Source: New Jersey State Police Marine Services / NJ MVC · Official state publication · State boating manual · 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.