ARCTIC WELDING SERVICE HIN Decoder — MIC AWS
Hull Identification Numbers beginning with AWS were assigned by the US Coast Guard to ARCTIC WELDING SERVICE of FAIRBANKS, AK. The company is recorded as out of business since 2005 — common for older hulls, and useful to know when hunting parts or records. Enter the full 12-character HIN below for build date, model year, and serial — free, no account.
MIC
AWS
Location
FAIRBANKS, AK
In business
since 1975
Status
Out of business (2005)
ARCTIC WELDING SERVICE built hulls across both HIN eras (1975–2005): boats before August 1984 carry legacy straight-year or model-year date codes; later hulls use the current month-letter format. The decoder handles all three.
How a ARCTIC WELDING SERVICE HIN breaks down
A current-format (1984–present) Hull Identification Number is 12 characters. Using the example AWS45678D424 (illustrative):
| Characters | Segment | In example | What it identifies |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–3 | Manufacturer (MIC) | AWS | Identifies ARCTIC WELDING SERVICE, assigned by the US Coast Guard. |
| 4–8 | Hull serial number | 45678 | ARCTIC WELDING SERVICE's own production number for the specific hull (the letters I, O, Q are never used). |
| 9 | Certification month | D | Month built — A=January … L=December (D = April). |
| 10 | Certification year | 4 | Last digit of the certification year. |
| 11–12 | Model year | 24 | The boat’s model year. |
Free · no account · the HIN is on the transom, upper starboard (right) corner
Buying this ARCTIC WELDING SERVICE? Check it before you pay.
ARCTIC WELDING SERVICE is recorded out of business (2005) — which affects recalls, parts support, and resale. The $9.99 Boat Report adds the full CPSC marine-recall check, a HIN consistency check, a verify-before-you-buy checklist, and the USCG builder record for this hull — one downloadable report, one-time, no subscription. See what's included
ARCTIC WELDING SERVICE HIN FAQ
What does a ARCTIC WELDING SERVICE HIN look like?
It starts with the three characters "AWS" — the Manufacturer Identification Code the US Coast Guard assigned to ARCTIC WELDING SERVICE — followed by a 5-character hull serial and a 4-character date code, 12 characters total. ARCTIC WELDING SERVICE built hulls across both HIN eras (1975–2005): boats before August 1984 carry legacy straight-year or model-year date codes; later hulls use the current month-letter format. The decoder handles all three.
Is ARCTIC WELDING SERVICE still in business?
USCG records list ARCTIC WELDING SERVICE as out of business since 2005. That's common for older hulls — the HIN still decodes normally, and the out-of-business date helps date the boat and guides parts-hunting toward salvage and owner groups rather than a dealer network.
How do I decode the year on a ARCTIC WELDING SERVICE HIN?
On current-format HINs the last two characters are the model year and the 9th–10th encode the certification month and year. ARCTIC WELDING SERVICE built hulls across both HIN eras (1975–2005): boats before August 1984 carry legacy straight-year or model-year date codes; later hulls use the current month-letter format. The decoder handles all three. Enter the full 12-character HIN above and the decoder works it out, including the legacy formats.
Where is the HIN on a ARCTIC WELDING SERVICE boat?
On the outside upper-starboard (right) corner of the transom, within two inches of the top — required by 33 CFR 181.29. Since August 1984 an identical duplicate HIN is also molded into an unexposed interior location as an anti-theft measure. Both should match the title, registration, and insurance card exactly.
Is the "AWS" MIC the same as a ARCTIC WELDING SERVICE serial number?
No. "AWS" is the Manufacturer Identification Code — characters 1–3 of the HIN — that identifies ARCTIC WELDING SERVICE. The hull serial number is characters 4–8: ARCTIC WELDING SERVICE's own production number for that specific boat (the letters I, O, and Q are never used). The full 12-character HIN combines the MIC, the serial, and the date code.
Can a ARCTIC WELDING SERVICE HIN tell me the exact model?
Not on its own. A HIN encodes the builder, hull serial, certification month/year, and model year — not the model name or length. Match the decoded year and serial against ARCTIC WELDING SERVICE records, the title, or a marine survey to confirm the exact model and configuration.
Other builders in AK
Sources: verified against the USCG Manufacturer Identification Code database (refreshed monthly) · HIN format per 33 CFR Part 181, Subpart C. Reviewed by Sam Reynolds, Lead Researcher, CarWhere. Cite this page: CarWhere, "ARCTIC WELDING SERVICE HIN Decoder," carwhere.com/hin-decoder/aws, last verified 2026-06-15.