The difference between boat documentation vs. registration might be confusing for many people. If you don’t pay attention to the distinction between the two kinds of categorization, you might make a mistake. Owners of pleasure boats (or boats) face penalties if they don’t meet their responsibilities. In the same way that a vehicle or a…
Any maritime vessel that gets documentation from the US Coast Guard has generated what is called an “Abstract of Title”, which is also called a general index. We’ll go more into depth in this article about what’s on this document, but it generally includes information about the vessel, ownership and financial history, and its current…
USCG documentation renewal may be a tedious, time-consuming, and expensive procedure that involves a lot of downtime. A well-known adage goes like this: “Things change, but they remain the same.” When it comes to renewing their United States Coast Guard (USCG) documents, this phrase nicely explains why many individuals still prefer to go to their…
Commercial vessels and recreational boats that plan to engage in commercial activities are required to obtain Coast Guard documentation. It’s optional (though often beneficial) for non-commercial recreational vessels to also seek USCG documentation. This legal documentation keeps track of certain important information about maritime vessels, including ownership and financial history. Another facet of a vessel’s…
A bill of sale is probably familiar if you’ve ever purchased or sold a boat or watercraft. It’s a legal document used to transfer ownership of a boat, whether it’s a motorized or non-powered vessel. Taking a boat off the state’s registry is impossible without evidence of ownership. In order to register a vessel, both…
Many commercial vessels are required to have US Coast Guard boat documentation. Typically, these are vessels measuring over 5 tons that deal in commerce or trade on the US coasts, the Great Lakes, US Fisheries, or other American or Exclusive Economic Zone navigable waters. However, plenty of other commercial, recreational, and pleasure vessels qualify but…