FREEDOM UNIVERSE NAUTICAL HIN Decoder — MIC FUV

Hull Identification Numbers beginning with FUV were assigned by the US Coast Guard to FREEDOM UNIVERSE NAUTICAL of SEATTLE, WA. 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

FUV

Location

SEATTLE, WA

In business

since 2016

Status

Listed active in USCG records

FREEDOM UNIVERSE NAUTICAL hulls (2016–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 FREEDOM UNIVERSE NAUTICAL HIN breaks down

A current-format (1984–present) Hull Identification Number is 12 characters. Using the example FUV45678D424 (illustrative):

CharactersSegmentIn exampleWhat it identifies
1–3Manufacturer (MIC)FUVIdentifies FREEDOM UNIVERSE NAUTICAL, assigned by the US Coast Guard.
4–8Hull serial number45678FREEDOM UNIVERSE NAUTICAL's own production number for the specific hull (the letters I, O, Q are never used).
9Certification monthDMonth built — A=January … L=December (D = April).
10Certification year4Last digit of the certification year.
11–12Model year24The boat’s model year.

Free · no account · the HIN is on the transom, upper starboard (right) corner

Buying this FREEDOM UNIVERSE NAUTICAL? 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

FREEDOM UNIVERSE NAUTICAL HIN FAQ

What does a FREEDOM UNIVERSE NAUTICAL HIN look like?

It starts with the three characters "FUV" — the Manufacturer Identification Code the US Coast Guard assigned to FREEDOM UNIVERSE NAUTICAL — followed by a 5-character hull serial and a 4-character date code, 12 characters total. FREEDOM UNIVERSE NAUTICAL hulls (2016–present) all use the current HIN format: a month letter (A=January…L=December), a certification-year digit, then two model-year digits.

Is FREEDOM UNIVERSE NAUTICAL still in business?

USCG records list FREEDOM UNIVERSE NAUTICAL of SEATTLE, WA in the MIC database (registered 2016).

How do I decode the year on a FREEDOM UNIVERSE NAUTICAL HIN?

On current-format HINs the last two characters are the model year and the 9th–10th encode the certification month and year. FREEDOM UNIVERSE NAUTICAL hulls (2016–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 FREEDOM UNIVERSE NAUTICAL 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 "FUV" MIC the same as a FREEDOM UNIVERSE NAUTICAL serial number?

No. "FUV" is the Manufacturer Identification Code — characters 1–3 of the HIN — that identifies FREEDOM UNIVERSE NAUTICAL. The hull serial number is characters 4–8: FREEDOM UNIVERSE NAUTICAL'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 FREEDOM UNIVERSE NAUTICAL 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 FREEDOM UNIVERSE NAUTICAL records, the title, or a marine survey to confirm the exact model and configuration.

Other builders in WA

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, "FREEDOM UNIVERSE NAUTICAL HIN Decoder," carwhere.com/hin-decoder/fuv, last verified 2026-06-15.