HOWARD CUSTOM BOATS INC HIN Decoder — MIC HCB
Hull Identification Numbers beginning with HCB were assigned by the US Coast Guard to HOWARD CUSTOM BOATS INC of VALENCIA, CA. 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
HCB
Location
VALENCIA, CA
In business
since 1972
Status
Listed active in USCG records
HOWARD CUSTOM BOATS INC built hulls across both HIN eras (1972–present): 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 HOWARD CUSTOM BOATS INC HIN breaks down
A current-format (1984–present) Hull Identification Number is 12 characters. Using the example HCB45678D424 (illustrative):
| Characters | Segment | In example | What it identifies |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–3 | Manufacturer (MIC) | HCB | Identifies HOWARD CUSTOM BOATS INC, assigned by the US Coast Guard. |
| 4–8 | Hull serial number | 45678 | HOWARD CUSTOM BOATS INC'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 HOWARD CUSTOM BOATS INC? 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
HOWARD CUSTOM BOATS INC HIN FAQ
What does a HOWARD CUSTOM BOATS INC HIN look like?
It starts with the three characters "HCB" — the Manufacturer Identification Code the US Coast Guard assigned to HOWARD CUSTOM BOATS INC — followed by a 5-character hull serial and a 4-character date code, 12 characters total. HOWARD CUSTOM BOATS INC built hulls across both HIN eras (1972–present): 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 HOWARD CUSTOM BOATS INC still in business?
USCG records list HOWARD CUSTOM BOATS INC of VALENCIA, CA in the MIC database (registered 1972).
How do I decode the year on a HOWARD CUSTOM BOATS INC HIN?
On current-format HINs the last two characters are the model year and the 9th–10th encode the certification month and year. HOWARD CUSTOM BOATS INC built hulls across both HIN eras (1972–present): 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 HOWARD CUSTOM BOATS INC 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 "HCB" MIC the same as a HOWARD CUSTOM BOATS INC serial number?
No. "HCB" is the Manufacturer Identification Code — characters 1–3 of the HIN — that identifies HOWARD CUSTOM BOATS INC. The hull serial number is characters 4–8: HOWARD CUSTOM BOATS INC'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 HOWARD CUSTOM BOATS INC 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 HOWARD CUSTOM BOATS INC records, the title, or a marine survey to confirm the exact model and configuration.
Other builders in CA
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, "HOWARD CUSTOM BOATS INC HIN Decoder," carwhere.com/hin-decoder/hcb, last verified 2026-06-15.