This is just my 2 cents... I have not asked F&G yet, so take it with a grain of salt. I think people are confusing two different laws to come up with this idea.
The 2007 regs state "Bob houses must be removed from public waters, public property or private property prior to April 1. Owner’s name and address shall be plainly marked on the bob house and shall have 12 square inches of reflective material half-way up on the outside of each side."
Now, in the same book... but for INTERSTATE water regs it reads "Ice Fishing Shacks
No person who owns any shack or temporary structure used for ice fishing shall place, or allow to be placed, the shack or structure on the ice more than 3 days before the waters on which shack or structure is
located are open to ice fishing... All ice fishing shacks, while on the ice, must have the name and address of the owner on the outside in 2-inch letters."

I do think the first reg is open to interpretation as a portable bobhouse IS a bobhouse... BUT, the reflective tape rule was made due to so many accidents at night with snowmobiles/wheelers hitting bobhouses. And the name on the bobhouse law was designed so F&G could locate whoever's bobhouse was on the ice unattended. Seeing that most portable bobhouses are never left unattended, not so much a need for a name on it. However, I'd say if you were fishing in a portable after dark you probably should have reflective tape just for your own safety.

Years ago, my brother, my father and I had the bad opportunity to find our bobhouse smashed once on Webster Lake. We thought someone had broken in to steal stuff. After further inspection we found where someone on a three wheeler had gone airborn on a snow drift and ended up driving their front tire through the back of our ice house! So it does happen. Better to have reflectors and make it safer for everyone.

Either way... be safe and have fun.

Reflective material? Since it was made a rule it has applied to portables. I know because I bought my shanty (frabil portable) the year the law came out and asked F&G specifically via email. They confirmed that it applied to portables too.

Name and address are also supposed to be on there too.

It does makes sense for the reflective tape. However, if you have ever witnessed some of the irresponsible ____s out there on sleds doing 100MPH in the dark over a lake, you almost instantly know that they law was to protect themselves from their own harm.

My wife went to "Martins house of clothes" (?) and got some reflective material that is used for firemans coats. 3 bucks a yard and she sewed it on. I got sick of the tape falling off every trip.

Brian

Thank you Brian and Slipknot. I thought the only good method would be to sew it in. I did not think of firemans clothes etc. Brian, you are lucky to have a wife who sews!
I was talking to a game warden yesterday. He said the best way to put your name on a portable is with a "sharpie".
Thanks again guys.
Richard

Good to know... I've never had my name OR reflective material on my portable. Oops. I'll have to remedy that.