The serial number on a Bentley pontoon is its Hull Identification Number, a 12-character code that starts with Bentley's Coast Guard builder code. It tells you who built the boat, its hull serial, the month it was built and its model year. Here is where to find it on a pontoon and how to read it.
Where the number is on a Bentley
A pontoon has no flat transom, so federal rules put the number somewhere else. Under 33 CFR 181.29, a pontoon boat with readily replaceable hulls carries its primary HIN on the aft crossbeam, within one foot of where the starboard tube attaches. Where rails or fittings would hide it, the number goes as close to that spot as possible. Look at the back of the boat, on the right-hand side as you face forward, low down near the tube.
The same rule requires a second, identical number in a hidden place inside the boat or under a piece of hardware. Both numbers should match each other and the registration. The characters must be at least a quarter of an inch high, and the plate must be fixed so that removing it would scar the boat. A plate held on by two loose screws is a warning sign.
Bentley's Coast Guard builder codes
The first three characters identify the builder. The Coast Guard's manufacturer register lists these codes under the Bentley name:
| Code | Registered to | Location |
|---|---|---|
| BNT | Bentley Industries LLC | Lexington, South Carolina |
| BAG | Bentley Acquisition LLC | Lexington, South Carolina |
| ICV | Bentley Industries LLC | Columbia, South Carolina |
| OBN | Bentley Boats LLC | Ooltewah, Tennessee |
Bentley Pontoons says it is headquartered in Lexington, South Carolina, which matches the first three. The register does not say whether the Tennessee company is connected to the pontoon builder, so treat an OBN hull as a separate question and ask the seller where it was built.
How to read the rest of the number
A current-format HIN has four parts. Take a made-up example, BNT12345F526:
- BNT is the builder code.
- 12345 is the hull serial the builder assigned.
- F5 is the build date: F is June (A is January), and 5 is the last digit of the build year, 2025.
- 26 is the model year, 2026.
A pontoon built late in the year is often sold as the next model year, so a boat built in 2025 and sold as a 2026 is normal. A model year that comes before the build year is not. Our guide to reading a boat HIN covers the older formats.
Recalls on Bentley pontoons
The Coast Guard recall database lists no campaigns under the Bentley name. That does not cover the engine, which has its own serial number and its own recalls. Pontoons usually run outboards, so check the motor separately with the outboard recall check.
Checking a used Bentley before you buy
Read the HIN off the crossbeam yourself, or ask the seller for a clear photo of it. Type it into the free HIN decoder to confirm the builder code is one of Bentley's and that the model year matches the listing. Then compare it with the title and registration, character by character. A mismatch is a reason to stop and ask questions. For another pontoon builder's codes, see the Bennington HIN decoder, and run any boat through the boat recall check.
Check the boat, not just the listing
Type the 12-character hull number from the transom. The decoder reads the builder, build month and model year, and the recall lookup lists any US Coast Guard recall campaign on record for that manufacturer. Free, no account.
