Mississippi Code Title 59. Ports, Harbors, Landings and Watercraft § 59-21-31

No person shall remove, change or in any manner mutilate or deface any number awarded a vessel, or any motor number or other stamped, cast, or forged numbers or letters or other marks upon any vessel, outboard motor, boat or boat trailer, or assist in so doing, or, having knowledge of such change, fail to report the same to the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks in which such vessel, motor, boat or boat trailer is usually moored, docked, housed or garaged. Any person or owner, being in possession of a vessel, outboard motor, boat or boat trailer, shall examine the same and report such changes to the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks.

No person shall buy, sell or possess a vessel, outboard motor, boat or boat trailer on which any awarded number or identification number has been removed, changed, mutilated or defaced. It shall be the duty of any person buying, or any lienholder financing, a vessel, outboard motor, boat or boat trailer, to inspect the vessel, outboard motor, boat or boat trailer prior to its purchase or creation of a lien thereon, to ensure that it is in compliance with this section.