FIRST BOAT MARINE HIN Decoder — MIC FBM
Hull Identification Numbers beginning with FBM were assigned by the US Coast Guard to FIRST BOAT MARINE of FORT LAUDERDALE, FL. The builder is listed in the USCG MIC database. Enter the full 12-character HIN below for build date, model year, and serial — free, no account.
MIC
FBM
Location
FORT LAUDERDALE, FL
In business
since 2015
Status
Listed active in USCG records
FIRST BOAT MARINE hulls (2015–present) all use the current HIN format: a month letter (A=January…L=December), a certification-year digit, then two model-year digits.
How a FIRST BOAT MARINE HIN breaks down
A current-format (1984–present) Hull Identification Number is 12 characters. Using the example FBM45678D424 (illustrative):
| Characters | Segment | In example | What it identifies |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–3 | Manufacturer (MIC) | FBM | Identifies FIRST BOAT MARINE, assigned by the US Coast Guard. |
| 4–8 | Hull serial number | 45678 | FIRST BOAT MARINE'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 FIRST BOAT MARINE? Check it before you pay.
Decoding the HIN confirms the year and serial, but not the safety record. 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
FIRST BOAT MARINE HIN FAQ
What does a FIRST BOAT MARINE HIN look like?
It starts with the three characters "FBM" — the Manufacturer Identification Code the US Coast Guard assigned to FIRST BOAT MARINE — followed by a 5-character hull serial and a 4-character date code, 12 characters total. FIRST BOAT MARINE hulls (2015–present) all use the current HIN format: a month letter (A=January…L=December), a certification-year digit, then two model-year digits.
Is FIRST BOAT MARINE still in business?
USCG records list FIRST BOAT MARINE of FORT LAUDERDALE, FL in the MIC database (registered 2015).
How do I decode the year on a FIRST BOAT MARINE HIN?
On current-format HINs the last two characters are the model year and the 9th–10th encode the certification month and year. FIRST BOAT MARINE hulls (2015–present) all use the current HIN format: a month letter (A=January…L=December), a certification-year digit, then two model-year digits. Enter the full 12-character HIN above and the decoder works it out, including the legacy formats.
Where is the HIN on a FIRST BOAT MARINE 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 "FBM" MIC the same as a FIRST BOAT MARINE serial number?
No. "FBM" is the Manufacturer Identification Code — characters 1–3 of the HIN — that identifies FIRST BOAT MARINE. The hull serial number is characters 4–8: FIRST BOAT MARINE'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 FIRST BOAT MARINE 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 FIRST BOAT MARINE records, the title, or a marine survey to confirm the exact model and configuration.
Other builders in FL
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, "FIRST BOAT MARINE HIN Decoder," carwhere.com/hin-decoder/fbm, last verified 2026-06-15.