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UK boats are subject to a range of marking and identification requirements depending on their type, size and use. Some are mandatory under law; others are voluntary schemes. This guide covers the main requirements — official numbers, hull marking, SSR registration, lifebuoy marking and more — and explains what each one means in practice.

Custom made BW Roundel for Fuel Boat PEGASUS, with FUEL BOAT and company name in place of the standard British Waterways

Another happy Customer with their boat name fitted - Guiding Star

Boat name fitted by customer to their Narrow Boat , Ethel May

Customer photo of their boat name fitted to their Beneteau Boat

The right size for a boat name depends on the type of boat, the length of the name, where it's being placed and the font you choose. This guide gives practical sizing guidelines for narrowboats, yachts and motor cruisers in metric and imperial, with advice on font choice, colour contrast and placement.

There are no strict legal requirements dictating the exact size or font of a recreational boat name in the UK, but there are practical conventions and registration-linked requirements worth knowing. This guide covers where a boat name should go, how big it should be, what the rules actually say, and how to get yours made.