2023 Idaho Code › Title 67 - STATE GOVERNMENT AND STATE AFFAIRS › Chapter 70 - IDAHO SAFE BOATING ACT › Section 67-7008 - CERTIFICATE OF NUMBER — EXPIRATION — FEES.

67-7008. CERTIFICATE OF NUMBER — EXPIRATION — FEES. (1) Within fifteen (15) days after purchase, or as otherwise provided in this section, the owner of each vessel requiring numbering by the state of Idaho shall file an application for a certificate of number with an assessor or authorized vendor on forms provided by the department. The application shall be signed by the owner and shall be accompanied by the fee designated in this section. Upon receipt of an application in approved form and the appropriate fee, the assessor or authorized vendor shall enter the same on the records of its office and issue to the applicant two (2) validation stickers and a certificate of number, the receipt of any fee paid, and the name and address of the owner. The owner shall also receive a vessel number that shall be permanently assigned to the boat. The owner shall paint on or permanently attach to each side of the bow of the vessel the vessel number and validation sticker in a manner as may be prescribed by rules of the department in order that they may be completely visible, and the number shall be maintained in legible condition. The certificate of number shall be pocket-size and shall be on board and available at all times for inspection on the vessel for which issued whenever that vessel is in operation, except that livery operators may have the rental agreement on board rented vessels in lieu of the certificate of number.
(2) The owner of any vessel for which a current certificate of number has been issued pursuant to any federal law or a federally approved numbering system of another state shall, if the vessel is operated on the waters of this state in excess of sixty (60) days, make application for an Idaho certificate of number in the manner prescribed in this section. Each assessor and authorized vendor shall record, on a form provided by the department, the names of all owners of vessels who make application for certificates of number, together with the amount of the fees paid by the owners.
(3) All records of the department made or kept pursuant to this section shall be kept current and shall be public records.
(4) Every certificate of number issued shall continue in full force and effect through December 31 of the year displayed on the validation sticker unless sooner terminated or discontinued in accordance with law. Certificates of number may be renewed by the owner in the same manner provided for in the initial securing of them.
(5) The owner of any vessel shall notify the department within fifteen (15) days if his vessel is destroyed or abandoned, or if it is sold or transferred either wholly or in part to another person or persons, or if the owner’s address no longer conforms to the address appearing on the certificate of number. In all such cases, the notice shall be accompanied by a surrender of the certificate of number. When the surrender of the certificate is by reason of the vessel being destroyed, abandoned or sold, the department shall cancel the certificate and enter that fact in its records. If the surrender is by reason of a change of address on the part of the owner, the new address shall be endorsed on the certificate and the certificate returned to the owner.
(6) Whenever the ownership of a vessel changes, the purchaser shall, within fifteen (15) days after acquisition, make application to the department for transfer to him of the certificate of number issued for the vessel, giving his name, address, and the vessel number and shall, at the same time, pay to the department a transfer fee of three dollars ($3.00). Upon receipt of the application and fee, the department shall transfer the certificate of number issued for the vessel to the new owner or owners. Unless the application is made and the fee paid within fifteen (15) days, the vessel shall be considered to be without a certificate of number.
(7) No numbers other than the validation stickers and vessel number issued to a vessel or granted by reciprocity pursuant to law shall be painted, attached, or otherwise displayed on either side of the bow of the vessel.
(8) If any certificate of number becomes lost, mutilated, or illegible, the owner of the vessel for which the same was issued shall obtain a duplicate of the certificate from the department upon application and the payment of a fee of three dollars ($3.00). If one or both validation stickers are lost, stolen, or destroyed, any sticker remnants and the certificate of number should be returned to the department along with a three-dollar ($3.00) fee and an application for a duplicate certificate of number and validation stickers.
(9) A person engaged in the manufacture or sale of vessels of a type otherwise required to be numbered by law may obtain, pursuant to regulations duly promulgated by the department, certificates of number for use in the testing or demonstration only of a vessel upon payment of thirteen dollars ($13.00) for each certificate. Certificates of number so issued may be used by the applicant in the testing or demonstration only of vessels by temporary placement of the numbers assigned by the certificates on the vessel tested or demonstrated and shall be issued and displayed as otherwise prescribed by this chapter or by regulation of the department.
(10) The fees for each calendar year shall be:
(a) Vessels 0-12 feet in length
(b) Vessels over 12 feet in length
plus $2.00 per foot for each additional foot
in excess of 12 feet.
(11) The provisions of subsection (10) of this section with respect to the amount of payment of fees shall not apply to vessels owned by any charitable or religious organization, scout organization or any similar organization not used and operated for profit. All vessels currently numbered by the state of Idaho and having paid the fees imposed by subsection (10) of this section shall not be assessed and taxed as personal property in the state of Idaho.
(12) The fee for vessels owned by any charitable or religious organization, scout organization or similar organization not used and operated for profit shall be two dollars ($2.00) per year.
(13) Each vessel number required by this section shall: be in plain vertical block characters of not less than three (3) inches in height; contrast with the color of the background; have spaces or hyphens that are equal to the width of a letter other than "I" or a number other than "1" between the letter and number groupings; be read from left to right; be maintained in legible condition; and be as high above the waterline as practicable without decreasing the visibility of the number.
(14) Manufacturers and dealers. When a vessel is used by a manufacturer or dealer for testing or demonstrating, the vessel number may be painted on or attached to removable plates that are temporarily but firmly attached to each side of the forward half of the vessel.
(15) Special circumstances. On vessels so configured that a vessel number on the hull or superstructure would not be easily visible, the vessel number shall be painted on or attached to a backing plate that is attached to the forward half of the vessel so that the vessel number is visible from each side of the vessel.
(16) Each vessel number issued according to this section shall consist of the prefix "ID," which denotes Idaho as the state of issuing authority, followed by not more than four (4) numerals followed by not more than two (2) capital letters; or by not more than three (3) numerals followed by not more than three (3) capital letters. A vessel number suffix may not include the letters "I," "O," or "Q," which may be mistaken for numerals.
(17) Validation stickers issued according to this section shall: be displayed within six (6) inches of and directly in line with the vessel number displayed on the vessel; be approximately three (3) inches square; and indicate the year in which each validation sticker expires by the colors green, red, blue, and international orange, in rotation beginning with green for stickers that expire in 1987.
(18) Validation stickers issued according to this section that have become invalid shall be removed from the vessel.
(19) Except as allowed in this chapter, each application for a certificate of number and each certificate of number referred to in this section shall contain: the number issued to the vessel; expiration date of the certificate; state of principal use; name of the owner; address of the owner, including ZIP code; whether the vessel is used for pleasure, rent or lease, dealer or manufacturer demonstration, commercial passenger carrying, commercial fishing, or other use; manufacturer’s hull identification number, if any; make of the vessel; year the vessel was manufactured; overall length of the vessel; whether the vessel is an open boat, cabin cruiser, houseboat, or other type; hull material; whether the propulsion is inboard, outboard, inboard out-drive, or sail; whether the fuel is gasoline, diesel, or other; the number previously issued by an issuing authority for the vessel, if any; whether the application is for a new certificate of number, renewal of a certificate of number, or transfer of ownership; and the signature of the owner.
(20) A certificate of number issued to a manufacturer or dealer to be used on a vessel for test or demonstration purposes may omit the requirements of this chapter if the word "manufacturer" or "dealer" is plainly marked on the certificate.
(21) A certificate of number issued to a vessel that is to be rented or leased without propulsion machinery may omit the requirements of this chapter if the words "livery vessel" are plainly marked on the certificate.
(22) Each applicant for a certificate of number as prescribed in this section shall submit to the department or authorized vendor the bill of sale from the dealer or a bill of sale from the previous owner of the vessel and, if the vessel is homebuilt, a sworn statement attesting to the identity of the builder, the location or place of construction, the source of the material used for construction, and a description of the vessel. The statement must also be accompanied by any receipts received from the purchase or acquisition of the materials used in the construction of the vessel and a copy of the construction plans, if any; if the vessel has been rebuilt, it must contain a sworn statement attesting to the identity of the builder, the location or place of rebuilding, the source of the material used for rebuilding, and a description of the vessel. The statement must also be accompanied by any receipts received for the purchase or acquisition of the materials used in the rebuilding of the vessel and documentation indicating the source of the original hull and proof of ownership from the previous owner. If none of the documents listed in this subsection are available, the applicant must submit an affidavit of ownership to the department.
(23) Only those counties in the state with a boating improvement program recognized by the department shall be eligible to receive moneys from the state vessel account. A "boating improvement program" means that one (1) or more recognized boating facilities are being developed and/or maintained within the county’s jurisdiction and/or that the county has or is actively developing a recognized boating law enforcement program.
(24) A boating improvement program is recognized if it contains one (1) or more boating facilities that are being maintained within the county’s jurisdiction or boating facilities that are being developed within the county’s jurisdiction. A boating facility is an improved public boating access site that includes at least an improved concrete or asphalt boat ramp and any type of parking area for vehicles and their attached boat trailers. "Being developed" means that substantiating evidence can and shall be presented in proof of the development and/or that the county has or is actively developing a boating law enforcement program. A boating law enforcement program is a program whereby an agent of the county sheriff’s department is currently patrolling, or has in the recent past patrolled, the county’s waterways and has enforced the provisions of this chapter. "Actively developing" means that substantiating evidence can and shall be presented in proof of the development.
History:
[67-7008, added 1986, ch. 207, sec. 2, p. 519; am. 1994, ch. 65, sec. 3, p. 130; am. 2007, ch. 240, sec. 1, p. 710; am. 2014, ch. 338, sec. 2, p. 839; am. 2022, ch. 218, sec. 3, p. 714; am. 2023, ch. 74, sec. 1, p. 250.]