(a) The owner of each vessel requiring numbering by this state shall file an application for number with the secretary on forms approved by the secretary. The application shall be signed by the owner of the vessel and shall be accompanied by the vessel registration fee prescribed pursuant to Kan. Stat. Ann. § 32-1172, and amendments thereto, and by proof of payment of any tax imposed under the provisions of Kan. Stat. Ann. § 12-187, 12-198, the Kansas retailers’ sales tax act or the Kansas compensating tax act, and amendments thereto, as the case requires, upon forms devised and furnished by the department of revenue to every county treasurer for such purpose. Upon receipt of the application in approved form and proof of payment of sales or compensating tax, the secretary shall enter the same upon the records of the department and issue to the applicant a certificate of number stating the number awarded to the vessel and the name and address of the owner. Unless otherwise provided by rules and regulations, the owner shall paint on or attach to each side of the bow of the vessel the identification number in such manner as prescribed by rules and regulations of the secretary in order that it may be clearly visible. The number shall be maintained in legible condition. The certificate of number shall be pocket size and, unless otherwise provided by rules and regulations, shall be available at all times for inspection on the vessel for which issued, whenever such vessel is in operation. No person charged with a violation of the preceding sentence shall be convicted of such offense if such person produces in court or the office of the arresting officer a certificate of number issued and valid at the time of such person’s arrest.

(b) The owner of any vessel already covered by a number in full force and effect which has been awarded to it pursuant to the then operative federal law or a federally approved numbering system of another state shall record the number prior to operating the vessel on the waters of this state in excess of the 60-day reciprocity period provided for in subsection (1) of Kan. Stat. Ann. § 32-1113, and amendments thereto. Such recordation shall be in the manner and pursuant to the procedure required for the award of a number under this subsection, including the submission of proof of payment of sales or compensating tax, except that no additional or substitute number shall be issued.

(c) Should the ownership of a numbered vessel change, a new application form with fee and proof of payment of sales or compensating tax shall be filed with the secretary and a new certificate of number shall be awarded in the same manner as provided for in an original award of number, except that where the state of principal use remains unchanged the number may be identical with the previous one.

(d) If an agency of the United States government has in force an overall system of identification numbering for vessels within the United States, the numbering system employed pursuant to this act by the secretary shall be in conformity therewith.

(e) The secretary may award any certificate of number directly or may authorize any person to act as agent for the awarding thereof. If a person accepts such authorization, such person may be assigned a block of numbers and certificates therefor which upon award, in conformity with this act and with any rules and regulations of the secretary, shall be valid as if awarded directly by the secretary.

(f) All records of the secretary made or kept pursuant to this section shall be public records.

(g) Every certificate of number awarded pursuant to this act shall continue in full force and effect for a period of three years unless sooner terminated or discontinued in accordance with the provisions of this act. Certificates of number may be renewed by the owner in the same manner provided for in the initial securing of the number.

(h) The secretary shall fix a day and month of the year on which certificates of number due to expire during the calendar year shall lapse and no longer be of any force and effect unless renewed pursuant to this act.

(i) The owner shall furnish the secretary notice of the transfer of all or any part of such owner’s interest other than the creation of a security interest in a vessel numbered in this state pursuant to subsections (a) and (b) or of the destruction or abandonment of such vessel within 15 days thereof. Such transfer, destruction, or abandonment shall terminate the certificate of number for such vessel and the certificate of number shall be surrendered to the secretary as a part of the notification of transfer, destruction, or abandonment except, that in the case of a transfer of a part interest which does not affect the owner’s right to operate such vessel, such transfer shall not terminate the certificate of number.

(j) Any holder of a certificate of number shall notify the secretary within 15 days if the holder’s address no longer conforms to the address appearing on the certificate and shall, as a part of such notification, furnish the secretary with a new address. The secretary may provide by rules and regulations for the surrender of the certificate bearing the former address and its replacement with a certificate bearing the new address or for the alteration of an outstanding certificate to show the new address of the holder.

(k) No number other than the number awarded to a vessel or granted reciprocity pursuant to this act shall be painted, attached, or otherwise displayed on either side of the bow of such vessel.

(l) If a certificate of number becomes lost, destroyed, mutilated or illegible, the owner of the vessel for which the same was issued may obtain a duplicate of such certificate upon application therefor to the secretary. The application shall be in writing, shall describe the circumstances of the loss or destruction and shall be accompanied by the duplicate fee prescribed pursuant to Kan. Stat. Ann. § 32-1172, and amendments thereto.

(m) The secretary is authorized, in the secretary’s discretion, to provide and have issued for vessels requiring registration and numbering under this act, a 30-day temporary registration permit for the temporary vessel registration fee prescribed pursuant to Kan. Stat. Ann. § 32-1172, and amendments thereto.

Such permits shall be in the form as prescribed by the secretary and available for purchase or resale by any person designated by the secretary. In addition to the permit fee, any person selling such temporary permits may collect a service charge of not to exceed $1 for each permit issued.

Such temporary permit shall expire 30 days from the date of issuance.

(n) (1) The owner of any vessel documented by the United States Coast Guard and the new owner of any vessel, who upon the sale or transfer of the vessel that documents the vessel with the United States Coast Guard, shall apply for a vessel certificate of registration and pay a fee equal to the amount required for a vessel registration pursuant to Kan. Stat. Ann. § 32-1172, and amendments thereto, before using such vessel on the waters of this state. The application shall include the county in which such vessel will be normally maintained by the owner and any other information required by the secretary.

A certificate of registration and a set of registration decals in the form prescribed by the secretary shall be issued for a documented vessel. A nonresident shall make application for a vessel certificate of registration within 60 days after acquiring a vessel in this state or bringing a vessel into this state if the vessel will be kept in this state for a period in excess of 60 consecutive days. A delinquency penalty fee of $20 shall be imposed for each 30 days of delinquency, not to exceed a total of $60. If the secretary learns that any person failed to acquire a vessel certificate of registration in accordance with this section or has sold a vessel documented by the United States Coast Guard without obtaining a certificate of registration as provided by this section, the secretary shall cancel the registration of all vessels registered in the name of the person, whether as sole owner or a co-owner, and shall notify the person that the cancellation will remain in force until the person pays the delinquency penalty fee together with all fees, charges and payments which the person should have paid in connection with the vessel certificate of registration. The secretary shall maintain a listing of such registered documented vessels, to be supplied to the county assessor of each county in the state as required under Kan. Stat. Ann. § 32-1104, and amendments thereto. Such vessels shall not be included in the total number of registered vessels of the state applied toward the number reflected on any United States Coast Guard grants, where prohibited.

(2) The registration decals for any vessel documented by the United States Coast Guard shall be in force and effect for a period of three years so long as the vessel is owned or held by the original holder of the certificate of registration and shall be renewed upon application and payment of a registration renewal fee equal to the amount required for a vessel registration pursuant to Kan. Stat. Ann. § 32-1172, and amendments thereto. The owner shall attach the registration decals to both sides of the forward half of the bow of the documented vessel in a place that is fully visible.

(3) Upon the sale or transfer of any vessel documented by the United States Coast Guard, the new owner shall submit, in addition to the properly assigned certificate of registration, proof of release from the documentation of the United States Coast Guard and shall comply with the provisions of this section. If the new owner elects not to document the vessel with the United States Coast Guard, the owner shall comply with the applicable provisions for registering vessels in this state.

(4) The certificate of registration shall be available at all times for inspection on the vessel for which it is issued, whenever the vessel is in operation, moored or occupied while on waters within this state.

(o) The secretary shall adopt, in accordance with Kan. Stat. Ann. § 32-805, and amendments thereto, rules and regulations for the administration of the provisions of this section, including but not limited to numbering applications, certificates of number, temporary 30-day permits, display of number and reports on change of address, destruction and sale or transfer of ownership.