Assigned number format
Texas assigns numbers in the pattern TX 1234 AB, using the TX prefix. The validation decal number must match the certificate of number.
State Requirement Summary
Texas Boat Registration Number Requirements
Texas issues vessel numbers in the TX 1234 AB pattern, and Texas Parks and Wildlife is specific about two things owners get wrong: the characters must read as plain block type at least three inches tall, and the validation decal sits in line with the number exactly three inches toward the stern. Design your TX numbers below and we cut a matched port-and-starboard pair from marine-grade vinyl, sized so the three-inch minimum is met on the character body itself.
Boat number requirements
Last regulatory review: August 22, 2026
Assigned number example
TX 1234 AB
- Minimum character height
- 3 inches
- Lettering style
- BLOCK characters
- Contrast
- Contrasting color, clearly visible
- Spacing / separator
- Space or hyphen between TX, numerals and suffix
- Reading direction
- Left to right
- Number location
- Each side of the forward half / bow, above the waterline
- Validation decal
- In line with and exactly 3 inches toward the REAR / STERN from the TX number
- State agency
- Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
What we sell vs. what the state issues: RegistrationDecals.com supplies the registration-number lettering, designed to meet the displayed Texas size and formatting requirements. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department 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 TX numbers
Starts with the Texas format (TX 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 Texas requirements. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department issues the validation decal.
Texas placement diagram
Both sides of the hull carry the number. The grey square marks where the state-issued validation decal goes — in line with and exactly 3 inches toward the rear / stern from the tx number.
- Height: 3 inches, block characters
- Spacing: Space or hyphen between TX, numerals and suffix
- Location: Each side of the forward half / bow, above the waterline
- Validation decal: In line with and exactly 3 inches toward the REAR / STERN from the TX number
Diagram is illustrative. Confirm exact positioning against the instructions issued with your Texas registration.
Official source
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department — Primary state agency source. Last verified August 22, 2026 (source check 2026-08-22).
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department — Boat owner informationRegistration 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.
Texas rules in detail
Minimum character height
Texas 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, reading left to right. Script, italic and decorative treatments are not what this style describes.
Contrast requirement
Contrasting color, clearly 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.
Spacing and separator
Space or hyphen between TX, numerals and suffix. Example: TX 1234 AB. Running the groups together with no separation does not match the stated format.
Placement on the hull
Each side of the forward half / bow, above the waterline. Assigned TX number only in the registration area.
Validation decal placement
In line with and exactly 3 inches toward the REAR / STERN from the TX number. The validation or expiration decal is issued by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department — RegistrationDecals.com supplies the registration-number lettering only.
Common mistakes
- Ordering the number without the TX 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.
- Losing the required separation between the groups — space or hyphen between TX, numerals and suffix.
- Placing the state validation decal somewhere other than the position Texas describes: in line with and exactly 3 inches toward the REAR / STERN from the TX number.
- Leaving no room aft of the number for the validation decal, which Texas places exactly 3 inches toward the stern and in line with the number.
- Applying the number below the rub rail or waterline instead of on the forward half, above the waterline.
Frequently asked questions
What does a Texas boat registration number look like?
Texas numbers follow the pattern TX 1234 AB, using the TX prefix, a numeral group, and suffix letters.
How tall do Texas boat registration numbers have to be?
3 inches, measured on the character itself, in BLOCK characters.
What lettering style does Texas require?
BLOCK characters, reading left to right, and contrasting color, clearly visible.
How much space goes between the letters and numbers in Texas?
Space or hyphen between TX, numerals and suffix. Example: TX 1234 AB.
Where do the numbers go on the boat in Texas?
Each side of the forward half / bow, above the waterline. Assigned TX number only in the registration area.
Where does the Texas validation decal go?
In line with and exactly 3 inches toward the REAR / STERN from the TX number. The decal itself is issued by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department; we supply the registration-number lettering.
Who regulates boat registration numbers in Texas?
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Confirm the current instructions issued with your registration before applying anything to your hull. Last regulatory review: August 22, 2026.
Can I order Texas boat registration numbers online?
Yes. Enter your assigned TX 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 Texas registration numbers?
You need the number displayed on both sides of the vessel — each side of the forward half / bow, above the waterline — so every order ships as a matched port-and-starboard pair.
Where does the Texas validation decal go relative to the numbers?
In line with the TX number and exactly 3 inches toward the rear/stern of the vessel. Leave that gap clear when you position your decals.
Can I order Texas boat numbers online?
Yes. Enter your assigned TX number in the designer on this page, choose a contrasting decal color, and we ship a matched port-and-starboard pair to the 48 contiguous states.
Related guides
Ready to design your TX numbers?
Our designer starts with plain block characters and proper group spacing, so you can see exactly how TX 1234 AB will read on your hull before you order.
Source: Texas Parks and Wildlife Department · 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.