JOHNSON LURES LTD HIN Decoder — MIC ZJL
Hull Identification Numbers beginning with ZJL were assigned by the US Coast Guard to JOHNSON LURES LTD of DELTA, ON. The company is recorded as out of business since 1997 — 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
ZJL
Location
DELTA, ON
In business
since 1974
Status
Out of business (1997)
JOHNSON LURES LTD built hulls across both HIN eras (1974–1997): 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 JOHNSON LURES LTD HIN breaks down
A current-format (1984–present) Hull Identification Number is 12 characters. Using the example ZJL45678D424 (illustrative):
| Characters | Segment | In example | What it identifies |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–3 | Manufacturer (MIC) | ZJL | Identifies JOHNSON LURES LTD, assigned by the US Coast Guard. |
| 4–8 | Hull serial number | 45678 | JOHNSON LURES LTD'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 JOHNSON LURES LTD? Check it before you pay.
JOHNSON LURES LTD is recorded out of business (1997) — which affects recalls, parts support, and resale. 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
JOHNSON LURES LTD HIN FAQ
What does a JOHNSON LURES LTD HIN look like?
It starts with the three characters "ZJL" — the Manufacturer Identification Code the US Coast Guard assigned to JOHNSON LURES LTD — followed by a 5-character hull serial and a 4-character date code, 12 characters total. JOHNSON LURES LTD built hulls across both HIN eras (1974–1997): 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 JOHNSON LURES LTD still in business?
USCG records list JOHNSON LURES LTD as out of business since 1997. 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 JOHNSON LURES LTD HIN?
On current-format HINs the last two characters are the model year and the 9th–10th encode the certification month and year. JOHNSON LURES LTD built hulls across both HIN eras (1974–1997): 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 JOHNSON LURES LTD 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 "ZJL" MIC the same as a JOHNSON LURES LTD serial number?
No. "ZJL" is the Manufacturer Identification Code — characters 1–3 of the HIN — that identifies JOHNSON LURES LTD. The hull serial number is characters 4–8: JOHNSON LURES LTD'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 JOHNSON LURES LTD 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 JOHNSON LURES LTD records, the title, or a marine survey to confirm the exact model and configuration.
Other builders in ON
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, "JOHNSON LURES LTD HIN Decoder," carwhere.com/hin-decoder/zjl, last verified 2026-06-15.