JOHNSTON IND INC HIN Decoder
Hull Identification Numbers beginning with JST were assigned by the US Coast Guard to JOHNSTON IND INC of LOS ANGELES, CA. The company is recorded as out of business since 1979 — 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
JST
Location
LOS ANGELES, CA
In business
—
Status
Out of business (1979)
JOHNSTON IND INC hulls (1972–1979) predate the current HIN format — expect the legacy straight-year (MMYY) or model-year (M + year + month letter) date codes used 1972–1984.
Free · no account · the HIN is on the transom, upper starboard (right) corner
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JOHNSTON IND INC HIN FAQ
What does a JOHNSTON IND INC HIN look like?
It starts with the three characters "JST" — the Manufacturer Identification Code the US Coast Guard assigned to JOHNSTON IND INC — followed by a 5-character hull serial and a 4-character date code, 12 characters total. JOHNSTON IND INC hulls (1972–1979) predate the current HIN format — expect the legacy straight-year (MMYY) or model-year (M + year + month letter) date codes used 1972–1984.
Is JOHNSTON IND INC still in business?
USCG records list JOHNSTON IND INC as out of business since 1979. 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 JOHNSTON IND INC HIN?
On current-format HINs the last two characters are the model year and the 9th–10th encode the certification month and year. JOHNSTON IND INC hulls (1972–1979) predate the current HIN format — expect the legacy straight-year (MMYY) or model-year (M + year + month letter) date codes used 1972–1984. Enter the full 12-character HIN above and the decoder works it out, including the legacy formats.
Other builders in CA
Sources: USCG Manufacturer Identification Code database (uscgboating.org, refreshed monthly) · HIN format per 33 CFR 181 subpart C. Cite this page: CarWhere, "JOHNSTON IND INC HIN Decoder," carwhere.com/hin-decoder/jst, last verified 2026-06-12.