Sec. 15-142. Vessel numbering requirements. Certain vessels required to display registration decals.
Sec. 15-142. Vessel numbering requirements. Certain vessels required to display registration decals. (a) Every vessel used upon the waters of this state shall be
numbered, except as otherwise provided in this section and section 15-143. For purposes
of this section and said section 15-143, any launching, mooring or operation of a vessel
upon the waters of this state shall be deemed to be a use of such vessel upon the waters
of this state. No person shall launch, moor or operate and no owner shall permit the
launching, mooring or operation of any vessel unless (1) the owner holds a valid, effective certificate of number awarded by this state or by the United States or by another
state pursuant to the provisions of the federal Boat Safety Act of 1971 and the identification number set forth in such certificate is displayed on each side of such vessel at the
bow, (2) the owner holds a valid marine document issued by the United States Coast
Guard or (3) such vessel is otherwise not required to be numbered in this state under
the provisions of said section 15-143.
(b) Each vessel with respect to which the owner holds a valid marine document
issued by the United States Coast Guard, a valid certificate of number awarded by the
United States pursuant to the provisions of the federal Boat Safety Act of 1971 or a
valid certificate of number awarded by another state, which vessel is used upon the
waters of this state for more than sixty days in any calendar year, shall be required to
display a Connecticut registration decal. No person shall launch, moor or operate and
no owner shall permit the launching, mooring or operation of any such vessel unless
(1) the owner holds a valid, effective certificate of registration awarded by this state and
(2) the registration decal is displayed as directed by the Commissioner of Environmental
Protection, provided the requirements of this subsection shall not be applicable, in the
period commencing on the first day of October in any year to and including the thirtieth
day of April next succeeding, to any such vessel in use upon the waters of this state
exclusively for purposes of delivery of such vessel to a facility in this state for storage,
including dry storage and storage in water by means of apparatus preventing ice damage
to the hull, maintenance or repair or the actual process of storage, maintenance or repair
of such vessel.
(c) Violation of any provision of this section shall be an infraction.
(1961, P.A. 506, S. 8; 1967, P.A. 175, S. 2; P.A. 73-257, S. 8, 27; P.A. 76-381, S. 27; P.A. 81-423, S. 3, 25; P.A. 82-283, S. 1, 4; 82-348, S. 5, 6; P.A. 83-253, S. 1, 3; 83-455, S. 2, 4.)
History: 1967 act required numbering of all motorboats, previous requirement applied only to those "of more than five
horsepower"; P.A. 73-257 required numbering of boat before launching or mooring it as well as before operation and
replaced "Federal Boating Act of 1958" with "Federal Boat Safety Act of 1971"; P.A. 76-381 stated that violation is an
infraction; P.A. 81-423 replaced "motorboats" with "vessels" throughout and required all vessels on Connecticut waters
to have a state certificate of registration and added Subsec. (b) requiring vessels with a certificate of number from the
United States or another state to display a registration decal; P.A. 82-283 added provisions to require that a vessel, with
respect to which the owner holds a valid marine document issued by the United states Coast Guard, shall not be required
to display a number awarded by Connecticut, however, such vessel must display a Connecticut registration decal; P.A.
82-348 removed penalty provision from Subsec. (a) and placed in new Subsec. (c); P.A. 83-253 added language in Subsec.
(a) concerning what shall be deemed the use of a vessel upon the waters of this state; P.A. 83-455 amended Subsec. (b) to
provide that in the period from October first of any year to April thirtieth next following, inclusive, registration requirements
shall not apply to any vessel on waters of state exclusively for purposes of delivery to a facility for storage, maintenance
or repair, effective July 1, 1983, and applicable to such use of vessels on or after said date.
See chapter 881b re infractions of the law.
Cited. 198 C. 168. Cited. 206 C. 253.
Cited. 12 CA 417.
Subsec. (a):
Cited. 20 CA 452.
Subsec. (b):
Cited. 20 CA 452.