TRUE WORLD MARINE INC HIN Decoder — MIC TZO
Hull Identification Numbers beginning with TZO were assigned by the US Coast Guard to TRUE WORLD MARINE INC of BEAUFORT, NC. 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
TZO
Location
BEAUFORT, NC
In business
since 2002
Status
Listed active in USCG records
Parent company
TRUE WORLD GROUP
TRUE WORLD MARINE INC hulls (2002–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 TRUE WORLD MARINE INC HIN breaks down
A current-format (1984–present) Hull Identification Number is 12 characters. Using the example TZO45678D424 (illustrative):
| Characters | Segment | In example | What it identifies |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–3 | Manufacturer (MIC) | TZO | Identifies TRUE WORLD MARINE INC, assigned by the US Coast Guard. |
| 4–8 | Hull serial number | 45678 | TRUE WORLD MARINE 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 TRUE WORLD MARINE 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
TRUE WORLD MARINE INC HIN FAQ
What does a TRUE WORLD MARINE INC HIN look like?
It starts with the three characters "TZO" — the Manufacturer Identification Code the US Coast Guard assigned to TRUE WORLD MARINE INC — followed by a 5-character hull serial and a 4-character date code, 12 characters total. TRUE WORLD MARINE INC hulls (2002–present) all use the current HIN format: a month letter (A=January…L=December), a certification-year digit, then two model-year digits.
Is TRUE WORLD MARINE INC still in business?
USCG records list TRUE WORLD MARINE INC of BEAUFORT, NC in the MIC database (registered 2002), associated with TRUE WORLD GROUP.
How do I decode the year on a TRUE WORLD MARINE INC HIN?
On current-format HINs the last two characters are the model year and the 9th–10th encode the certification month and year. TRUE WORLD MARINE INC hulls (2002–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 TRUE WORLD MARINE 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 "TZO" MIC the same as a TRUE WORLD MARINE INC serial number?
No. "TZO" is the Manufacturer Identification Code — characters 1–3 of the HIN — that identifies TRUE WORLD MARINE INC. The hull serial number is characters 4–8: TRUE WORLD MARINE 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 TRUE WORLD MARINE 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 TRUE WORLD MARINE INC records, the title, or a marine survey to confirm the exact model and configuration.
Other builders in NC
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, "TRUE WORLD MARINE INC HIN Decoder," carwhere.com/hin-decoder/tzo, last verified 2026-06-15.