U.S. COAST GUARD HEADQUARTERS HIN Decoder — MIC HQZ
Hull Identification Numbers beginning with HQZ were assigned by the US Coast Guard to U.S. COAST GUARD HEADQUARTERS of WASHINGTON, DC. 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
HQZ
Location
WASHINGTON, DC
In business
since 1993
Status
Listed active in USCG records
U.S. COAST GUARD HEADQUARTERS hulls (1993–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 U.S. COAST GUARD HEADQUARTERS HIN breaks down
A current-format (1984–present) Hull Identification Number is 12 characters. Using the example HQZ45678D424 (illustrative):
| Characters | Segment | In example | What it identifies |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–3 | Manufacturer (MIC) | HQZ | Identifies U.S. COAST GUARD HEADQUARTERS, assigned by the US Coast Guard. |
| 4–8 | Hull serial number | 45678 | U.S. COAST GUARD HEADQUARTERS'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 U.S. COAST GUARD HEADQUARTERS? 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
U.S. COAST GUARD HEADQUARTERS HIN FAQ
What does a U.S. COAST GUARD HEADQUARTERS HIN look like?
It starts with the three characters "HQZ" — the Manufacturer Identification Code the US Coast Guard assigned to U.S. COAST GUARD HEADQUARTERS — followed by a 5-character hull serial and a 4-character date code, 12 characters total. U.S. COAST GUARD HEADQUARTERS hulls (1993–present) all use the current HIN format: a month letter (A=January…L=December), a certification-year digit, then two model-year digits.
Is U.S. COAST GUARD HEADQUARTERS still in business?
USCG records list U.S. COAST GUARD HEADQUARTERS of WASHINGTON, DC in the MIC database (registered 1993).
How do I decode the year on a U.S. COAST GUARD HEADQUARTERS HIN?
On current-format HINs the last two characters are the model year and the 9th–10th encode the certification month and year. U.S. COAST GUARD HEADQUARTERS hulls (1993–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 U.S. COAST GUARD HEADQUARTERS 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 "HQZ" MIC the same as a U.S. COAST GUARD HEADQUARTERS serial number?
No. "HQZ" is the Manufacturer Identification Code — characters 1–3 of the HIN — that identifies U.S. COAST GUARD HEADQUARTERS. The hull serial number is characters 4–8: U.S. COAST GUARD HEADQUARTERS'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 U.S. COAST GUARD HEADQUARTERS 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 U.S. COAST GUARD HEADQUARTERS records, the title, or a marine survey to confirm the exact model and configuration.
Other builders in DC
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, "U.S. COAST GUARD HEADQUARTERS HIN Decoder," carwhere.com/hin-decoder/hqz, last verified 2026-06-15.