Obtaining a Certificate of Documentation with a Coastwise Endorsement
If your vessel measures at least five net tons, fully U.S.-owned, and intended for commercial transportation of people or goods, Coast Guard documentation is recommended.
As you complete the form, be sure to select the “Coastwise” endorsement.
Use the link below to file for a Certificate of Documentation.
If you’ve already registered your vessel and need to switch to a Coastwise endorsement, follow this link for a Change of Endorsement/Trade Indicator.
Support for Acquiring and Maintaining a COD
At the Vessel Registrar Center, vessel owners can find assistance with documentation, renewal, and reinstatement needs, as well as other beneficial services.
The following laws may be applicable to you and your vessel:
Subpart B—Forms of Documentation; Endorsements; Eligibility of Vessel
- 67.15 Form of document—all endorsements.
(a) The form of document is a Certificate of Documentation, form CG–1270.
(b) Upon application in accordance with subpart K of this part and determination of qualification by the Director, National Vessel Documentation Center, a Certificate of Documentation may be issued with a registry, coastwise, fishery, or recreational endorsement.
(c) A Certificate of Documentation may bear simultaneous endorsements for recreation and more than one trade, including operation under 46 CFR part 68.
Note:
Where a vessel possesses a Certificate of Documentation bearing more than one endorsement, the actual use of the vessel determines the endorsement under which it is operating.
- 67.17 Registry endorsement.
(a) A registry endorsement entitles a vessel to employment in the foreign trade; trade with Guam, American Samoa, Wake, Midway, or Kingman Reef; and any other employment for which a coastwise, or fishery endorsement is not required.
(b) Any vessel eligible for documentation under § 67.5 is eligible for a registry endorsement.
- 67.19 Coastwise endorsement.
(a) A coastwise endorsement entitles a vessel to employment in unrestricted coastwise trade, dredging, towing, and any other employment for which a registry or fishery endorsement is not required.
(b) If eligible for documentation and not restricted from coastwise trade by paragraph (c) or (d) of this section, the following vessels are eligible for a coastwise endorsement:
(1) Vessels built in the United States (§ 67.97);
(2) Forfeited vessels (§ 67.131);
(3) Vessels granted coastwise trading privileges by special legislation (§ 67.132);
(4) Wrecked vessels (§ 67.133);
(5) Captured vessels (§ 67.134); and
(6) Vessels purchased, chartered, or leased from the Secretary of Transportation by persons who are citizens of the United States (46 U.S.C. 57109).
(c) A vessel otherwise eligible for a coastwise endorsement under paragraph (b) of this section permanently loses that eligibility if:
(1) It is thereafter sold in whole or in part to an owner:
(i) Not a citizen as defined in subpart C of this part, or
(ii) Not a person permitted to document vessels pursuant to 46 CFR part 68;
(2) It is thereafter registered under the laws of a foreign country;
(3) It undergoes rebuilding as defined in § 67.177 outside of the United States; or
(4) It is a crude oil tanker of 20,000 deadweight tons or above, and after October 17, 1978, has segregated ballast tanks, a crude oil washing system, or an inert gas system installed outside of the United States as defined in § 67.3.
(d) A vessel otherwise eligible for a coastwise endorsement under paragraph (b) of this section loses that eligibility during any period in which it is:
(1) Owned by a corporation which does not meet the citizenship requirements of § 67.39(c);
(2) Owned by a partnership which does not meet the citizenship requirements of § 67.35(c); or
(3) Mortgaged to a person not identified in § 67.233(b).
- 67.21 Fishery endorsement.
(a) A fishery endorsement entitles a vessel to employment in the fisheries as defined in § 67.3, subject to Federal and State laws regulating the fisheries, and in any other employment for which a registry or coastwise endorsement is not required. A fishery endorsement entitles a vessel to land its catch, wherever caught, in the United States.
(b) If eligible for documentation and not restricted from the fisheries by paragraph (c) of this section, the following vessels are eligible for a fishery endorsement:
(1) Vessels built in the United States (§ 67.97);
(2) Forfeited vessels (§ 67.131);
(3) Vessels granted fisheries privileges by special legislation(§ 67.132);
(4) Wrecked vessels (§ 67.133); and
(5) Captured vessels (§ 67.134).
(c) A vessel otherwise eligible for a fishery endorsement under paragraph (b) of this section permanently loses that eligibility if it undergoes rebuilding as defined in § 67.177 outside of the United States.
(d) A vessel otherwise eligible for a fishery endorsement under paragraph (b) of this section loses that eligibility during any period in which it is:
(1) Owned by a partnership which does not meet the requisite citizenship requirements of § 67.35(b);
(2) Owned by a corporation which does not meet the citizenship requirements of § 67.39(b); or
(3) Chartered or leased to an individual who is not a citizen of the United States or to an entity that is not eligible to own a vessel with a fishery endorsement, except that time charters, voyage charters and other charters that are not a demise of the vessel may be entered into with Non-Citizens for the charter of dedicated Fish Tender Vessels and Fish Processing Vessels that are not engaged in the harvesting of fish or fishery resources without the vessel losing its eligibility for a fishery endorsement.
(e) A vessel operating with a fishery endorsement on October 1, 1998, under the authority of the Western Pacific Fishery Management Council, or a purse seine vessel engaged in tuna fishing outside of the EEZ of the United States or pursuant to the South Pacific Regional Fisheries Treaty may continue to operate as set out in 46 U.S.C. 12113(c)(3), provided that the owner of the vessel continues to comply with the fishery endorsement requirements that were in effect on October 1, 1998.
(f) An individual or entity that is otherwise eligible to own a vessel with a fishery endorsement shall be ineligible if an instrument or evidence of indebtedness, secured by a mortgage of the vessel, to a trustee eligible to own a vessel with a fishery endorsement is issued, assigned, transferred, or held in trust for a person not eligible to own a vessel with a fishery endorsement, unless the Commandant determines that the issuance, assignment, transfer, or trust arrangement does not result in an impermissible transfer of control of the vessel and that the trustee:
(1) Is organized as a corporation that meets § 67.39(b) of this part, and is doing business under the laws of the United States or of a State;
(2) Is authorized under those laws to exercise corporate trust powers which meet § 67.36(b) of this part;
(3) Is subject to supervision or examination by an official of the United States Government or a State;
(4) Has a combined capital and surplus (as stated in its most recent published report of condition) of at least $3,000,000; and
(5) Meets any other requirements prescribed by the Commandant.
For vessels greater than or equal to 100 feet in length, approval of such an arrangement from the Maritime Administration will be accepted as evidence that the above conditions are met and will be approved by the Commandant. For vessels less than 100 feet, a standard loan and mortgage agreement that has received general approval under 46 CFR 356.21 will be accepted as evidence that the above conditions are met and will be approved by the Commandant.
- 67.23 Recreational endorsement.
(a) A recreational endorsement entitles a vessel to pleasure use only.
(b) Any vessel eligible for documentation under § 67.5 is eligible for a recreational endorsement.
Subpart D—Title Requirements for Vessel Documentation
- 67.50 Requirement for title evidence.
The owner of a vessel must present title evidence in accordance with one of the methods specified in this subpart:
(a) When application is made for a coastwise endorsement for a vessel which has not previously been qualified for such endorsement;
(b) For initial documentation of a vessel;
(c) When the ownership of a documented vessel changes in whole or in part;
(d) When the general partners of a partnership owning a documented vessel change by addition, deletion, or substitution, without dissolution of the partnership; or
(e) When a vessel which has been deleted from documentation is returned to documentation and there has been an intervening change in ownership.
- 67.53 Methods of establishing title.
Title to a vessel may be established through one of the following methods:
(a) Simplified method without evidence of build. The owner must produce a copy of the last registration of the vessel (State, Federal, or foreign) and evidence which establishes chain of title from that registration to the present owner.
(b) Simplified method with evidence of build. The owner must produce a copy of the last registration of the vessel (State, Federal, or foreign) and evidence which establishes the chain of title from that registration to the present owner along with evidence of the facts of build in accordance with subpart F of this part.
(c) Complete chain of title, without evidence of citizenship for each entity in that chain of title. The owner must provide evidence which establishes:
(1) The facts of build in accordance with subpart F of this part; and
(2) A complete chain of title for the vessel from the person for whom the vessel was built to the present owner.
(d) Complete chain of title, with evidence of citizenship for each entity in that chain of title. The owner must provide evidence which establishes:
(1) The facts of build in accordance with subpart F of this part; and
(2) A complete chain of title for the vessel from the person for whom the vessel was built to the present owner, accompanied by competent and persuasive evidence establishing the citizenship of each entity in the chain of title.
- 67.55 Requirement for removal from foreign registry.
The owner of a vessel must present evidence of removal of the vessel from foreign registry whenever:
(a) The owner applies for initial documentation of a vessel that has at any time been registered under the laws of a foreign country; or
(b) The owner applies for reentry into documentation of a vessel that had been registered under the laws of a foreign country since it was last documented under the laws of the United States.