If you own a vessel or are about to do so, it is important to be well-informed about everything surrounding the boat itself. Rules and regulations, boating vocabulary, and maps are just some of the many items you should know about if you don’t want to risk paying costly fines. The United States Coast Guard is the maximum authority when it comes to maritime security and administration. To accomplish the task of keeping Americans safe they created an organizational unit called the National Vessel Documentation Center (NVDC). Here’s what you need to know about it.
What is the NVDC?
In the words of Cornell.edu, the NVDC is the organizational unit designated by the Commandant to process vessel documentation transactions and maintain vessel documentation records. Who needs to get this type of documentation? It is mandatory to be USCG-documented for vessels that exceed the net weight of 5 tons and are used for commercial purposes. This is the equivalent of 26 feet long boats. Boats that are used for leisure activities, on the other hand, can choose to get this type of license if they exceed the same net weight.
Why would someone who owns a recreational boat want to register his vessel with the US Coast Guard? There are three main reasons that may lead you to get it. Some banks, if you are interested in getting a preferred ship mortgage, may compel you to be documented. If you plan to travel internationally, this license can help you enter and leave foreign ports. Finally, if for aesthetic reasons you don’t want to display your state registration number, when you are registered you can show your vessel name and hailing port instead. Keep in mind that this type of licensing works at a federal level, meaning that you will still need to comply with the appropriate state requirements.
Boating Paperwork you can Get at the NVDC
The certificate of documentation (COD) is not, however, the only document that you can get at the NVDC website. Apart from your initial vessel documentation, you can also find the forms you need for your exchange, reinstatement, or return to documentation, renewal, replacement, or deletion of your COD, a notice of claim of lien, or samples for your change of address for or satisfaction or release of mortgage according to your needs.
After deciding what application you are trying to get, it is only a matter of downloading it, completing it either in hand or electronically, and sending the document to the NVDC main offices via regular post.
Boating Applications Online in the Maritime Documentation Center
In life, there is always an alternative to whatever you decide. The same applies to vessels. If you don’t want to lose any more time dealing with the NVDC, the Maritime Documentation Center is the place to call. We are a third-party agency that allows you to get any type of boating documentation completely online. In addition to that, our experienced representatives also make sure that you didn’t make any mistakes on your application that would delay you from getting the documentation. Contact us today with any other questions you may have.