1.    The owner of each motorboat shall file an application for number and license with the department on forms approved by it. The application must be signed by the owner of the motorboat and must be accompanied by the appropriate fee. Upon receipt of the application in approved form, the department shall enter the same upon the records of its office and issue the applicant a certificate of number and license stating the number awarded to the motorboat and the name and address of the owner. When an identification number has previously been issued by the department, the same application procedure and fee apply for the issuance of a current license. The department shall pay all funds collected hereunder to the state treasurer who shall credit such funds to the state game and fish fund to pay for the costs of administering this chapter. The owner shall attach to each side of the bow of the motorboat the identification number and current license of such type and in such manner as may be prescribed by rules of the department in order that they may be clearly visible. The number and license must be maintained in legible condition. The certificate of number must be available at all times for inspection on the motorboat for which issued, whenever such motorboat is in operation.

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2.    The owner of any motorboat already covered by a number in full force and effect which has been awarded to it pursuant to then operative federal law or a federally approved numbering system of another state may operate the motorboat on the waters of this state for the ninety-day reciprocity period provided for in section 20.1-13-06. After the    ninety-day reciprocity period has expired, such motorboats are subject to the numbering and licensing provisions of subsection 1.

3.    Should the ownership of a motorboat change, a new application form, with the license fee prorated on a yearly basis, must be filed with the department and a new certificate of number and license must be awarded in the same manner as provided for in an original award of number and license.

4.    In the event that an agency of the United States government has in force an overall system of identification numbering for motorboats within the United States, the numbering system employed pursuant to this chapter by the department must be in conformity therewith.

5.    The department may award any certificate of number or license directly or may authorize any person to act as agent for the awarding thereof. In the event that a person accepts such authorization, that person may be assigned a block of numbers, certificates, and licenses which upon award, in conformity with this chapter and with any rules of the department, are valid as if awarded directly by the department.

6.    All records of the department made or kept pursuant to this section are public records.

7.    Every certificate of number and license awarded pursuant to this chapter continues in full force and effect for a period of three years unless sooner terminated or discontinued in accordance with this chapter. Certificates of number and licenses may be renewed by the owner in the same manner provided for in the initial securing of the same.

8.    The department shall fix a day and month on which certificates of number and licenses due to expire during the calendar year lapse and are no longer of any force and effect unless renewed pursuant to this chapter.

9.    The owner shall furnish the department notice of the transfer of all or any part of the owner’s interest other than the creation of a security interest in a motorboat numbered and licensed in this state pursuant to subsections 1 and 2, of the theft or recovery of such motorboat, or of the destruction or abandonment of such motorboat, within fifteen days thereof. Such transfer, destruction, or abandonment terminates the certificate of number and license for such motorboat except that, in the case of a transfer of a part interest which does not affect the owner’s right to operate such motorboat, such transfer does not terminate the certificate of number and license.

10.    Any holder of a certificate of number and license shall notify the department within fifteen 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 department with the holder’s new address. The department may provide in its rules 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.

11.    No number other than the number and license awarded to a motorboat or granted reciprocity pursuant to this chapter may be painted, attached, or otherwise displayed on either side of the bow of such motorboat.

12.    The certificate of number for vessels less than twenty-six feet [7.92 meters] in length and leased or rented to another for the latter’s noncommercial use of less than twenty-four hours may be retained on shore by the vessel‘s owner or owner’s representative at the place from which the vessel departs or returns to the possession of the owner or owner’s representative. A vessel which does not have the certificate of number on board must be identified while in use and comply with such other requirements as the department prescribes.

13.    Any person who violates this section is guilty of a class 2 noncriminal offense.