Your Connecticut Kayak Needs Contact Information—Not a Particular Sticker

Connecticut does not require every kayak to carry the state’s official “If Found” sticker. The law generally requires current, valid owner contact information to be legibly printed on or attached to a vessel placed on Connecticut waters. The exception is a vessel whose owner holds a valid certificate of number from Connecticut, another state or the federal government, according to Section 3 of Public Act 26-60.

The official sticker is one convenient option. DEEP also permits other methods that keep the information current, legible, waterproof and firmly attached, as detailed in its Public Act 26-60 compliance fact sheet.

The short answer and five-minute compliance check

If your kayak is not covered by a valid certificate of number, add your contact information before launching on Connecticut waters. You may use the free Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection decal, but that particular sticker is not mandatory.

Run through this quick check:

• Current: The owner contact information still works.
• Valid: The details provide a genuine way to reach the owner.
• Legible: Someone finding the vessel can read the information without guessing.
• Waterproof: Rain, spray or water in the cockpit will not immediately destroy it.
• Firmly attached: The label, tag or sealed note will not readily come loose.
• Readable today: Fading, abrasion and peeling have not made the marking useless.

Possible methods include an official “If Found” sticker, a secured waterproof luggage tag, duct tape labeled with waterproof marker, a sealed note taped inside the vessel or permanent writing on the hull.

The identification also serves a practical safety purpose. When emergency responders find an empty kayak, canoe or paddleboard, the contact details can help them determine whether the craft drifted away or its operator may be in danger. DEEP describes the sticker as a way to help responders establish whether a true emergency exists when a boat is found on its own, on the official “If Found” sticker page.

Which boats are covered—and which are exempt?

This is better understood as a vessel-identification requirement than a “kayak sticker law.” It applies based on the vessel’s use on Connecticut waters and the certificate-of-number exception—not merely on whether the craft looks like a conventional kayak.

DEEP’s covered examples include unnumbered kayaks, canoes, stand-up paddleboards, rowboats and small sailboats.

Vessel situation	Contact information required?	Official sticker required?
Unnumbered kayak used on Connecticut waters	Yes	No
Unnumbered canoe or stand-up paddleboard used on Connecticut waters	Yes	No
Vessel whose owner holds a valid certificate of number from Connecticut, another state or the federal government	No, under the statutory exception	No

The exemption turns on the owner holding a valid certificate of number for the vessel. It should not be assumed merely because a craft has another label, permit or identifying feature.

Paddlers dealing with an inflatable kayak, rental fleet, private water or interstate waterway should seek case-specific guidance from the Connecticut Boating Division rather than assuming that the general rule creates an exemption or requires a particular marking method.

What information is required versus recommended?

The statute and DEEP guidance perform different roles. The statute creates the duty to provide current, valid owner contact information and says it must be legibly printed on or attached to the vessel. DEEP’s guidance adds the practical details used to comply, including a name, acceptable marking qualities and recommended additional information. The distinctions below follow the DEEP compliance fact sheet.

Item	Status	Practical meaning
Current, valid owner contact information	Required by statute	It must provide a usable way to contact the owner
Legible printing or attachment	Required by statute	The information must be readable
Name	Called for by DEEP guidance	Either a first or last name is acceptable
Second phone number	Highly recommended by DEEP	It is not stated as a statutory minimum
Address	Optional	Include it only if you choose
Conservation ID	Optional	It is not part of the basic required marking

DEEP strongly recommends providing two phone numbers because the owner’s phone may enter the water and stop working during an emergency. A second number gives responders another contact to try. That is agency advice, not a statutory requirement to display exactly two numbers.

Practical example:

Taylor — 860-555-0100 — alternate: 203-555-0101

This is not prescribed legal wording. It simply combines a name, a primary contact number and an alternate number in a compact format. Whatever format you use, update it when a phone number changes.

Privacy is a reasonable concern when marking a portable boat. DEEP says an address and Conservation ID are optional and suggests putting the information inside the vessel when privacy is a concern. The guidance does not designate one mandatory position beside the cockpit, near the bow or elsewhere on the hull.

Five acceptable ways to mark the kayak

DEEP provides five examples of acceptable marking methods, but they are not an exhaustive list. Another method may also work if the information remains current, valid, legible, waterproof and firmly attached.

Method	Setup effort	Removability	Privacy implications
“If Found” sticker	Fill in and attach	Replaceable	Exposed if placed outside
Waterproof luggage tag secured to the vessel	Write details and fasten tag	Easy to replace	Can be placed less prominently
Duct tape labeled with waterproof marker	Write and apply tape	Usually removable	Depends on placement
Paper sealed in a bag and taped inside	Seal and attach securely	Easy to update	Keeps details inside
Permanent marker on the hull	Write directly on a suitable surface	Difficult to remove	Visible where written

Each method has trade-offs. Permanent writing is simple but awkward to change if a phone number changes or the kayak is sold. A luggage tag is easy to update but must be secured firmly. A sealed note offers more privacy, but the bag and attachment still have to withstand a wet environment.

DEEP suggests interior placement for paddlers concerned about privacy. That is a recommendation, not a legal command to use a specific compartment or part of the hull. Choose a place where the information will remain protected but can still be found and read.

Inspect the marking during your normal pre-launch gear check. Replace or repair it when the writing becomes unreadable, the attachment starts failing or the contact information becomes outdated. This is practical maintenance rather than a state-prescribed inspection schedule.

For an inflatable kayak, check the boat manufacturer’s care instructions before applying adhesive or permanent marker. Do not assume that a marking method suitable for a rigid hull is appropriate for every flexible material.

How to request a free Connecticut DEEP sticker

Connecticut residents may request waterproof “If Found” stickers from DEEP at no charge. Each decal provides space for a name and two phone numbers. The official DEEP sticker page provides two ordering routes:

1. Use the online request form linked from the page.
2. Email deep.boating@ct.gov with your mailing address and the number of stickers required.

For additional questions, contact the Connecticut Boating Division at 860-434-8638 or use the same email address.

DEEP warns that sticker supplies may be limited. A shortage does not mean you must wait for the official decal before marking the boat. A waterproof tag, labeled tape, sealed note, permanent writing or another method meeting DEEP’s standards can be used instead.

Effective date and what the law says about penalties

Public Act 26-60 was approved on May 20, 2026. Section 3, which contains the owner-contact-information requirement, became effective upon passage. That section does not establish a separate penalty specifically for failing to display the information, according to the enacted act.

The absence of a separate Section 3 penalty should not be treated as proof that the requirement cannot be enforced. It means only that Section 3 does not state a distinct fine for this violation.

The marking rule must also be kept separate from the act’s vessel-abandonment provisions. The act’s $750-to-$1,000 fine applies to abandoning a vessel, not simply to launching a kayak without owner contact information.

For interpretation, the enacted act is the controlling source for the legal duty, effective date and certificate-of-number exception. DEEP’s fact sheet supplies the practical guidance about information, materials and marking methods.

The launch-day instruction is simple: if your kayak is not covered by a valid certificate of number, add current owner contact information in a legible, waterproof and firmly attached form before using it on Connecticut waters. The free DEEP sticker is convenient, but that particular decal is not required.