Tasmania’s recreational motor boats and PWCs are registered with Marine and Safety Tasmania. Unlike most mainland agencies, MAST currently publishes explicit letter heights on its “how to register” page. Those figures can change — treat the live MAST page as the source, not this summary.
Not legal advice. This page summarises publicly available Marine and Safety Tasmania (MAST) information so you can order vinyl more confidently. It is not a substitute for the current statute, handbook or identification sheet. Confirm letter height, colour, contrast and placement on the official page before you cut or apply anything.
MAST: how to register a boat or PWC
On this page
Who needs to register in TAS
MAST currently requires recreational boats with a motor of 4 hp or more, and all personal watercraft, to be registered before you head out. Applicants must be at least 16, lodge an Application for Registration of a Recreational Vessel with evidence of identity and proof of ownership, and pay the fee (Service Tasmania can assist). Tasmanian recreational registrations share a common 31 December expiry, with renewals mailed in November. Interstate boats generally need Tasmanian registration after they have been in Tasmanian waters for a continuous period of three months or longer — confirm the current visitor wording.
Display and identification
- MAST currently publishes that registration numbers must be 150 mm high and displayed on each side of the vessel, and that registration numbers on a PWC may be 75 mm. Re-read those sentences on mast.tas.gov.au immediately before you order; we will not invent a different legal size.
- MAST may issue a personalised identifier on application, subject to their refusal rules (similar, offensive or prohibited marks).
- A Safe Operation Sticker must be affixed to a PWC. That is an official MAST item, not a decorative vinyl graphic.
- Southern UV, icy slipways and antifoul overspray all shorten film life. Use outdoor vinyl and avoid applying over wet or salt-caked gelcoat.
When you are ready, open the official source again: MAST: how to register a boat or PWC.
Placement on the hull
MAST’s own wording is “each side of the vessel”. Measure a fair, relatively flat run of topsides so 150 mm characters (or the current published height) actually fit without wrapping around a tight chine. If the hull cannot take that height, talk to MAST — do not shrink the letters below the published figure.
For application technique — cleaning, hinge method, squeegee — use the vinyl install guide. A legally sized number that is applied over wax or salt will still fail in the water.
PWC and jetski notes
PWCs must be registered with MAST. MAST currently allows a smaller published height on PWCs than on displacement boats, and requires a Safe Operation Sticker. Capacity labels are not required on a PWC according to the current MAST page. Confirm each of those points on the live page before you buy vinyl.
Vinyl from Stickafix
We can cut 150 mm or 75 mm (or whatever MAST currently publishes) characters in marine vinyl once you have the allocated number. We do not post MAST certificates, personalised-identifier approvals, or Safe Operation Stickers.
Frequently asked questions
Why does Tasmania list millimetres when other states do not on this site?
Because MAST currently prints those heights on its public how-to-register page. Other states often keep sizes in PDFs or handbooks that we will not paraphrase into a made-up spec. Always confirm TAS figures on MAST before cutting.
Do AMSA-registered ships skip MAST?
MAST currently says vessels carrying Australian ship registration with AMSA must also be registered with MAST. That is a dual-paperwork issue, not a vinyl issue — read MAST and AMSA, then letter the MAST number you are told to display.
Other Australian guides
Design the vinyl after you confirm the rules
Stickafix cuts the characters. We do not issue registration numbers, certificates or government labels. Measure the hull, read the official page, then open a designer.
Boat registration designer
Cut marine-grade vinyl registration numbers once you have confirmed the official size, colour and placement for your vessel.
Open designerBoat rego outline designer
Multi-stroke outline registration lettering when you need extra contrast on a busy hull.
Open designerJetski / PWC registration designer
Vinyl-cut PWC numbers on a smaller, more curved panel — still match the authority’s published rules.
Open designer