SHALLOW SPORT BOATS HIN Decoder — MIC SZX
Hull Identification Numbers beginning with SZX were assigned by the US Coast Guard to SHALLOW SPORT BOATS of LOS FRESNOS, TX. 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
SZX
Location
LOS FRESNOS, TX
In business
since 1983
Status
Listed active in USCG records
SHALLOW SPORT BOATS built hulls across both HIN eras (1983–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 SHALLOW SPORT BOATS HIN breaks down
A current-format (1984–present) Hull Identification Number is 12 characters. Using the example SZX45678D424 (illustrative):
| Characters | Segment | In example | What it identifies |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–3 | Manufacturer (MIC) | SZX | Identifies SHALLOW SPORT BOATS, assigned by the US Coast Guard. |
| 4–8 | Hull serial number | 45678 | SHALLOW SPORT BOATS'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 SHALLOW SPORT BOATS? 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
SHALLOW SPORT BOATS HIN FAQ
What does a SHALLOW SPORT BOATS HIN look like?
It starts with the three characters "SZX" — the Manufacturer Identification Code the US Coast Guard assigned to SHALLOW SPORT BOATS — followed by a 5-character hull serial and a 4-character date code, 12 characters total. SHALLOW SPORT BOATS built hulls across both HIN eras (1983–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 SHALLOW SPORT BOATS still in business?
USCG records list SHALLOW SPORT BOATS of LOS FRESNOS, TX in the MIC database (registered 1983).
How do I decode the year on a SHALLOW SPORT BOATS HIN?
On current-format HINs the last two characters are the model year and the 9th–10th encode the certification month and year. SHALLOW SPORT BOATS built hulls across both HIN eras (1983–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 SHALLOW SPORT BOATS 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 "SZX" MIC the same as a SHALLOW SPORT BOATS serial number?
No. "SZX" is the Manufacturer Identification Code — characters 1–3 of the HIN — that identifies SHALLOW SPORT BOATS. The hull serial number is characters 4–8: SHALLOW SPORT BOATS'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 SHALLOW SPORT BOATS 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 SHALLOW SPORT BOATS records, the title, or a marine survey to confirm the exact model and configuration.
Other builders in TX
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, "SHALLOW SPORT BOATS HIN Decoder," carwhere.com/hin-decoder/szx, last verified 2026-06-15.