How Can I Discover Information on a Documented Vessel in The United Kingdom?

Discover More About UK Vessels Through Our Foreign Vessel Title Search

Those looking to gain insights into a vessel registered in the United Kingdom can utilize the Foreign Vessel Title Search/Transcript of Registry.

The information provided by this form generally includes the vessel’s name, its official registration number, home port, ownership information, registration status, vessel specifications, and any associated liens or mortgages.

This form is also designed to allow access to vessel documentation for vessels in Canada, Bermuda, The Bahamas, the Cayman Islands, and the British Virgin Islands.

The details contained in a Foreign Vessel Title Search/Transcript of Registry are subject to the availability of records in each country.

While most U.S. title searches are completed within 48 hours, the processing times for other countries may vary significantly.

Use the link here to request a Foreign Vessel Title Search/Transcript of Registry.

For information on U.S.-registered vessels, please use this link to request an Abstract of Title.

Initial Documentation, the Abstract of Title, and Other US Documentation

At the Vessel Registrar Center, accessing vessel details from both the U.S. and abroad is straightforward. We also offer a comprehensive vessel documentation search.

The following regulations may offer clarity regarding your specific needs:

67.5 Vessels eligible for documentation.

Any vessel of at least five net tons wholly owned by a citizen or citizens of the United States is eligible for documentation under this part. This includes, but is not limited to, vessels used exclusively for recreational purposes and vessels used in foreign trade.

67.7 Vessels requiring documentation.

Any vessel of at least five net tons which engages in the fisheries on the navigable waters of the United States or in the Exclusive Economic Zone, or coastwise trade, unless exempt under § 67.9(c), must have a Certificate of Documentation bearing a valid endorsement appropriate for the activity in which engaged.

Subpart C—Citizenship Requirements for Vessel Documentation

67.30 Requirement for citizen owner.

Certificates of Documentation may be issued under this part only to vessels which are wholly owned by United States citizens. Pursuant to extraordinary legislation at 46 U.S.C. 12118 (Bowater Amendment) and 46 U.S.C. 12117 (Oil Pollution Act of 1990), Certificates of Documentation with limited endorsements may be issued in accordance with part 68 of this chapter to vessels owned by certain persons who are not citizens as defined in this part.

67.31 Stock or equity interest requirements.

(a) The stock or equity interest requirements for citizenship under this subpart encompass: title to all classes of stock; title to voting stock; and ownership of equity. An otherwise qualifying corporation or partnership may fail to meet stock or equity interest requirements because: Stock is subject to trust or fiduciary obligations in favor of non-citizens; non-citizens exercise, directly or indirectly, voting power; or non-citizens, by any means, exercise control over the entity. The applicable stock or equity interest requirement is not met if the amount of stock subject to obligations in favor of non-citizens, non-citizen voting power, or non-citizen control exceeds the percentage of the non-citizen interest permitted.

(b) For the purpose of stock or equity interest requirements for citizenship under this subpart, control of non-fishing industry vessels includes an absolute right to: Direct corporate or partnership business; limit the actions of or replace the chief executive officer, a majority of the board of directors, or any general partner; direct the transfer or operations of any vessel owned by the corporation or partnership; or otherwise exercise authority over the business of the corporation or partnership. Control does not include the right to simply participate in these activities or the right to receive a financial return, e.g., interest or the equivalent of interest on a loan or other financing obligations.

(1) The right to direct the business of the entity that owns the vessel;

(2) The right to limit the actions of or to replace the chief executive officer, the majority of the board of directors, any general partner, or any person serving in a management capacity of the entity that owns the vessel;

(3) The right to direct the transfer, the operation, or the manning of a vessel with a fishery endorsement.

(d) For purposes of meeting the stock or equity interest requirements for citizenship under this subpart where title to a vessel is held by an entity comprised, in whole or in part, of other entities which are not individuals, each entity contributing to the stock or equity interest qualifications of the entity holding title must be a citizen eligible to document vessels in its own right with the trade endorsement sought.

67.33 Individual.

An individual is a citizen if native-born, naturalized, or a derivative citizen of the United States, or otherwise qualifies as a United States citizen.

67.35 Partnership.

A partnership meets citizenship requirements if all its general partners are citizens, and:

(a) For the purpose of obtaining a registry or recreational endorsement, at least 50 percent of the equity interest in the partnership is owned by citizens.

(b) For the purpose of obtaining a fishery endorsement, at least 75 percent of the equity interest in the partnership, at each tier of the partnership and in the aggregate, is owned by citizens.

(c) For the purpose of obtaining a coastwise endorsement at least 75 percent of the equity interest in the partnership is owned by citizens or the vessel qualifies under § 68.60 or § 68.105 of this chapter.

67.36 Trust.

(a) For the purpose of obtaining a registry or recreational endorsement, a trust arrangement meets citizenship requirements if:

(1) Each of its trustees is a citizen; and

(2) Each beneficiary with an enforceable interest in the trust is a citizen.

(b) For the purpose of obtaining a fishery endorsement, a trust arrangement meets citizenship requirements if:

(1) It meets all the requirements of paragraph (a) of this section; and

(2) At least 75 percent of the equity interest in the trust, at each tier of the trust and in the aggregate, is owned by citizens.

(1) It meets the requirements of paragraph (a) of this section and at least 75 percent of the equity interest in the trust is owned by citizens; or

(2) It meets the requirements of § 68.60 or § 68.105 of this chapter.

67.37 Association or joint venture.

(a) An association meets citizenship requirements if each of its members is a citizen.

(b) A joint venture meets citizenship requirements if each of its members is a citizen.

67.39 Corporation.

(a) For the purpose of obtaining a registry or a recreational endorsement, a corporation meets citizenship requirements if:

(1) It is incorporated under the laws of the United States or of a State;

(2) Its chief executive officer, by whatever title, is a citizen;

(3) Its chairman of the board of directors is a citizen; and

(4) No more of its directors are non-citizens than a minority of the number necessary to constitute a quorum.

(b) For the purpose of obtaining a fishery endorsement, a corporation meets citizenship requirements if:

(1) It meets all the requirements of paragraph (a) of this section; and

(2) At least 75 percent of the stock interest in the corporation, at each tier of the corporation and in the aggregate, is owned by citizens.

(1) It meets the requirements of paragraph (a) of this section and at least 75 percent of the stock interest in the corporation is owned by citizens; or

(2) It meets the requirements of § 68.60 or § 68.105 of this chapter.

(d) A corporation which does not meet the stock interest requirement of paragraph (c) of this section may qualify for limited coastwise trading privileges by meeting the requirements of part 68 of this chapter.

Subpart F—Build Requirements for Vessel Documentation

67.95 Requirement for determination.

Evidence that a vessel was built in the United States must be on file for any vessel for which a coastwise or fishery endorsement is sought, unless the vessel is otherwise qualified for those endorsements/

67.97 United States built.

To be considered built in the United States a vessel must meet both of the following criteria:

(a) All major components of its hull and superstructure are fabricated in the United States; and

(b) The vessel is assembled entirely in the United States.

67.99 Evidence of build.

(a) Evidence of the facts of build may be either a completed original form CG–1261, or other original document containing the same information, executed by a person having personal knowledge of the facts of build because that person:

(1) Constructed the vessel;

(2) Supervised the actual construction of the vessel; or

(3) Is an officer or employee of the company which built the vessel and has examined the records of the company concerning the facts of build of the vessel.

(b) A vessel owner applying for documentation must file a separate certificate from each builder involved in the construction of the vessel.

67.101 Waiver of evidence of build.

(a) A vessel owner applying for documentation unable to obtain the evidence of build required by § 67.99 may apply for a waiver of that requirement to the Director, National Vessel Documentation Center.

(b) No waiver of the requirement in § 67.99 to produce evidence of build may be granted unless the applicant provides:

(1) A written request for the waiver, explaining why the evidence required by § 67.99 cannot be furnished; and

(2) Competent and persuasive evidence of the facts of build.

Subpart G—Tonnage and Dimension Requirements for Vessel Documentation

67.105 Requirement for determination.

The gross and net tonnage and dimensions of a vessel must be determined:

(a) For initial documentation;

(b) Whenever there is a change in the gross or net tonnage or dimensions of a documented vessel; or

(c) When the gross or net tonnage of a vessel returning to documentation has changed since the vessel was last documented.

67.107 System of measurement; evidence.

(a) The gross and net tonnage and dimensions of a vessel for purposes of this part are determined in accordance with 46 CFR part 69.

(b) A certificate of measurement issued by an authorized official is the only acceptable evidence of the gross and net tonnage of a vessel measured in accordance with subpart B, C, or D of 46 CFR part 69. A certificate of measurement is not issued for vessels measured under subpart E of 46 CFR part 69 since the gross and net tonnage are determined as part of the documentation process.

Subpart H—Assignments and Designations Required for Vessel Documentation

67.111 Assignment of official number.

(a) The owner of a vessel must submit an Application for Initial Issue, Exchange, or Replacement of Certificate of Documentation; or Redocumentation (form CG–1258) to the Director, National Vessel Documentation Center, to apply for an official number for the vessel when:

(1) Application is made for initial documentation of the vessel; or

(2) An existing vessel has been severed, with two or more vessels resulting. In this case, the official number of the original vessel is retired and the owner of each resulting vessel must apply for designation of a new official number.

(b) Upon receipt of form CG–1258, the Director, National Vessel Documentation Center will have an official number assigned to the vessel and furnish it to the vessel owner.

67.113 Managing owner designation; address; requirement to report change of address.

The owner of each vessel must designate a managing owner on the Application for Initial Issue, Exchange, or Replacement of Certificate of Documentation; or Redocumentation (CG–1258).

(a) The managing owner of a vessel owned by one person is the owner of the vessel.

(b) The managing owner of a vessel owned by more than one person must be one of the owners. The person designated as managing owner must have an address in the United States except where no owner of the vessel has an address in the United States.

(d) The address of the managing owner must be as follows:

(1) For an individual, any residence of the managing owner.

(2) For a partnership, its address:

(i) In the State under whose laws it is organized; or

(ii) Of its principal place of business.

(3) For a corporation, its address:

(i) For service of process within the State of incorporation; or

(ii) Of its principal place of business.

(e) Whenever the address of the managing owner changes, the managing owner shall notify the Director, National Vessel Documentation Center within 10 days.

67.117 Vessel name designation.

(a) The owner of a vessel must designate a name for the vessel on the Application for Initial Issue, Exchange, or Replacement of Certificate of Documentation; or Redocumentation (form CG–1258) submitted to the Director, National Vessel Documentation Center:

(1) Upon application for initial documentation of the vessel; or

(2) When the owner elects to change the name of the vessel.

(b) The name designated:

(1) Must be composed of letters of the Latin alphabet or Arabic or Roman numerals;

(2) May not be identical, actually or phonetically, to any word or words used to solicit assistance at sea; and

(3) May not contain nor be phonetically identical to obscene, indecent, or profane language, or to racial or ethnic epithets.

(c) The name of a documented vessel may not be changed without the prior approval of the Director, National Vessel Documentation Center.

(d) Until such time as the owner of a vessel elects to change the name of a vessel, the provisions of paragraph (b) of this section do not apply to vessels validly documented before January 1, 1994.

67.119 Hailing port designation.

(a) Upon application for any Certificate of Documentation, the owner of a vessel must designate a hailing port to be marked upon the vessel.

(b) The hailing port must be a place in the United States included in the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Federal Information Processing Standards Publication 55DC.

(d) The Director, National Vessel Documentation Center has final authority to settle disputes as to the propriety of the hailing port designated.

(e) Until such time as the vessel owner elects to designate a new hailing port, the provisions of paragraph (c) of this section do not apply to vessels which were issued a Certificate of Documentation before July 1, 1982.