Missing or Faded Capacity Plate: How to Read It and Get a Proper Replacement

What the plate shows. The Coast Guard rules for builders (33 CFR 183.23 and 183.25) require a yellow-panel label headed "U.S. Coast Guard Maximum Capacities." Depending on the boat, it lists:

• Maximum persons, as a whole number of people and in pounds (for example, "5 Persons or 750 Pounds")
• Maximum weight in pounds. On outboard boats this is "persons, motor, gear"; on inboard and sterndrive boats it's "persons, gear" because the engine weight is already accounted for.
• Maximum horsepower on outboard boats. Some plates show two figures: one for a motor with remote steering and a lower one without (tiller steering).
• "This Boat Not Rated for Propulsion by Motor" on boats meant only for oars or paddles

All three limits apply at the same time. Five adults plus a cooler, fuel and tackle can exceed the weight figure even when you're within the persons number.

Why the pounds figure matters more than the head count. On small boats, the federal formulas (33 CFR 183.39 and 183.41) turn the persons capacity in pounds into a number of people by dividing by 141 pounds (after adding a small allowance). Most adults today weigh more than that, so a group of grown-ups can hit the pounds limit before the persons number. Add up real weights and go by the lower limit.

The certification label. Most boats also have a manufacturer's certification label stating that the boat complies with Coast Guard safety standards, with the builder's name and address (33 CFR 181.15). Some builders combine it with the capacity plate. Federal rules (33 CFR 181.13) say nobody may remove a required label or alter its information unless the Coast Guard authorizes it.

Who must have a capacity plate. Under 33 CFR 183.21, the capacity display is required on monohull boats under 20 feet, except sailboats, canoes, kayaks and inflatable boats. That covers most small runabouts, bass boats, jon boats, skiffs and small center consoles. Boats 20 feet and longer, pontoons and other multi-hulls aren't covered by this federal rule, though many builders post a plate or list capacity in the owner's manual anyway. BoatUS has pointed out that this gap leaves loading of bigger boats to the skipper's judgment, and described a 34-foot cruiser that capsized with 27 people aboard (8 on the flybridge).

Older boats, pontoons and the NMMA tag. Discover Boating notes the federal plate rule took effect on August 1, 1973, so a boat built before then may never have had a compliant plate. Separately, builders in the NMMA certification program put a capacity tag (aluminum plate or Mylar sticker) on their boats under 26 feet and on pontoons of every length, so many pontoons and 20- to 26-foot boats do have a plate even though federal law doesn't require one. Those larger boats' plates say just "Maximum Capacities," without "U.S. Coast Guard." NMMA sells these tags only to certified builders, which is one more reason to go back to the builder rather than an engraving shop.

A new label design is coming. In 2026 the Coast Guard accepted the revised ABYC S-7 capacity standard as an equivalent to the federal label rule, and builders may use the new design from July 15, 2026; NMMA says its certified builders must switch by August 1, 2028 (model year 2029). The big change for outboard boats is a new line: maximum outboard motor running weight. ABYC explains that motors of the same horsepower now vary widely in weight, so a plate can be within the horsepower limit and still be too heavy for the transom. If your boat has the new label, check both numbers when you repower; if it has the old one, ask the builder or dealer what motor weight the transom was designed for.

Why it matters when it's missing. Check your state's boating laws: many states treat overloading or exceeding a boat's rated horsepower as an offense, and a marine surveyor, insurer or buyer will ask about a missing plate. On a small boat, the plate is also the only easy way to know the horsepower limit when you repower.

• Treating the persons number as the only limit and ignoring the weight figure.
• Using the higher "remote steering" horsepower on a tiller-steered boat.
• Copying numbers from a "similar" boat online that turns out to be a different length or layout.
• Having a trophy or engraving shop make a plate from guessed numbers.
• Painting over or riveting accessories across the plate so nobody can read it.
• Assuming a boat over 20 feet or a pontoon "has no limit" because it has no federal plate. Check the owner's manual and use common sense.

• The builder is gone and you can't find a confirmed sister boat (hire a naval architect or marine engineer)
• You plan to repower and aren't sure what the hull can safely take
• The boat has been modified (new floor, added flotation removed, a cut-down transom, a bracket or jack plate added); the original ratings may no longer apply
• You're buying or insuring the boat and need a surveyor's opinion on capacity

• Take a photo of your capacity plate today, while it's readable.
• Post the persons number on a small card near the boarding area so guests know the limit before they step aboard.
• On boats without a plate, keep the owner's manual capacity page aboard.
• No plate and no figure from the builder? BoatUS offers a cautious rule of thumb: carry no more people than there are fixed seats in the main cockpit, not counting bow or flybridge seats, and lighten the load if the boat feels sluggish, rolls a lot or takes water through the scuppers. Don't try to fix poor balance with trim tabs; move the weight.