(a) No person shall operate or give permission for the operation of any vessel on the waters of Tennessee unless the vessel is numbered in accordance with this chapter.

(b) The owner of every vessel required to be numbered by this chapter shall file an application for a number with the agency on forms approved by the executive director. The application shall be signed by the owner, or owners, of the vessel and shall be accompanied by the fee as set forth in this part. In situations involving abandoned or salvaged vessels, the fee shall be the same as set forth in this part; however, the applicant shall follow procedures as set out in rules and regulations.

(c) Upon receipt of the application in approved form, the agency shall issue to the applicant a certificate of number, which shall contain the identification number issued to the vessel and such additional information as the commission may, by regulation, prescribe. The certificate shall be pocket-sized and shall be available for inspection when the vessel is in operation. The owner shall paint on or attach the identification number to each side of the bow of the vessel for which issued, displaying it in the manner required by the regulations of the commission and maintaining it in legible condition.

(d) Certificates shall be valid for a period of one (1) year from date of issue; provided, that certificates shall be issued for periods up to three (3) years upon application of the owner. The fee to be collected for certificates shall be as follows:

(e) The fees levied pursuant to subsection (d) prior to June 13, 1997, shall continue to be levied as provided in such subsection. The commission is authorized to adjust such fees by regulation in such amount as may be necessary to administer this chapter; provided, that the percentage increase for any such fee adjustment shall not exceed the percent of increase in the average consumer price index all items-city average as published by the United States department of labor, bureau of labor statistics, since the last change in such fees. All such fees, and any adjustments to the fees, shall be deposited in the wildlife resources fund and shall be expended solely for the administration and operation of the commission's programs and responsibilities authorized pursuant to this chapter.

(f) The agency shall be the office of records for all transactions and transfers of vessels numbered in this state.

(g) The numbering system to be used shall conform to the numbering system promulgated by the federal government.

(h) An owner of two (2) or more vessels that are subject to the requirements of this chapter and that are used as rental vessels in connection with the operation of a commercial boat dock shall, upon payment of the prescribed fee for each such vessel and upon the owner's written request for a blanket certificate, be entitled to have issued a blanket certificate of number covering all of the vessels for which fee is paid. The same vessel identification number followed by a dash (—) and a different suffix number for each vessel shall be painted on or attached to the bow of each such vessel, as provided in this section. In addition, the name of the boat dock or the owner of each such vessel shall be prominently displayed on the vessel as is provided in § 69-9-206 for exempt vessels.