How Do I Find a Documented Vessel’s Tonnage?

Boater Registration Lookup

When you conduct a lookup on our platform, you’ll have access to essential details about a documented vessel, including its tonnage.

Additionally, the search provides information on when the vessel’s Certificate of Documentation was issued, its expiration date, and its dimensions, among other specifications.

Use this link to start a boater registration lookup.

Laws Relevant to Boat Documentation Searches

The Vessel Registrar Center is designed to support vessel owners of all experience levels with locating and completing the required documentation for their vessels. Depending on your circumstances, the following laws may be applicable:

67.57 Extent of title evidence required for initial documentation.

(a) Vessels never registered under any system:

(1) Where a coastwise endorsement is sought, the only title evidence required for a vessel being documented by the owner for whom it was built is the certification of the builder (form CG–1261) described in § 67.99. Any other applicant must present title evidence in accordance with § 67.53(d).

(2) Where a fishery endorsement is sought, the only title evidence required for a vessel being documented by the owner for whom it was built is the certification of the builder (form CG–1261) described in § 67.99. Any other applicant must present title evidence in accordance with either paragraph (c) or (d) of § 67.53.

(3) Where a registry or recreational endorsement is sought, the only title evidence required for a vessel being documented by the first owner of the vessel is the certification of the builder (form CG–1261) described in § 67.99, or a Manufacturer’s Certificate of Origin. Any other applicant must also present title evidence in accordance with either paragraph (c)(2) or (d)(2) of § 67.53.

Note:

Manufacturer’s Certificates of Origin are sometimes used as shipping documents for vessels, and may recite as the first owner a person other than the person for which the vessel was built. Therefore, a chain of title which begins with a Certificate of Origin will be deemed incomplete.

(b) Vessels previously registered under the laws of a State or a foreign government:

(1) Where a coastwise endorsement is sought, title evidence must be presented in accordance with § 67.53(d).

(2) Where a fishery endorsement is sought, title evidence must be presented in accordance with paragraph (b), (c), or (d) of § 67.53.

(3) Where a registry or recreational endorsement is sought, title evidence must be presented in accordance with paragraph (a), (b), (c), or (d) of § 67.53.

67.59 Extent of title evidence required for change in ownership of a documented vessel.

When the ownership of a documented vessel changes, in whole or in part, the applicant for documentation must present:

(a) Title evidence in accordance with subpart E of this part to reflect all ownership changes subsequent to the last issuance of a Certificate of Documentation; and

(b) Where a registry, fishery, or recreational endorsement is sought, evidence of the citizenship of all owners subsequent to the last owner for whom the vessel was documented except for a vessel:

(1) Identified in § 67.11(b); or

(2) For which the Maritime Administration has granted approval for transfer or sale under 46 CFR part 221.

(c) Where a coastwise endorsement is sought, evidence establishing the citizenship of all owners subsequent to the last owner for whom the vessel was documented with a coastwise endorsement, if such evidence is not already on file with the Coast Guard. If the vessel has never been documented with a coastwise endorsement, evidence must be presented to establish the citizenship of each owner of the vessel for whom such evidence is not already on file with the Coast Guard.

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.

67.41 Governmental entity.

A governmental entity is a citizen for the purpose of obtaining a vessel document if it is an entity of the Federal Government of the United States or of the government of a State as defined in § 67.3.

67.43 Evidence of citizenship.

When received by the Coast Guard, a properly completed original Application for Initial Issue, Exchange, or Replacement of Certificate of Documentation; or Redocumentation (form CG–1258) establishes a rebuttable presumption that the applicant is a United States citizen.

67.47 Requirement for Maritime Administration approval.

(a) The following transactions, among others, require approval of the Maritime Administration in accordance with 46 CFR part 221:

(1) Placement of the vessel under foreign registry;

(2) Operation of the vessel under the authority of a foreign country; and

(3) Sale or transfer of an interest in or control of the vessel from a citizen of the United States to a person not a citizen of the United States, as defined in 46 U.S.C. 50501.

(b) A Certificate of Documentation may not be issued for a vessel which subsequent to the last issuance of a Certificate of Documentation has undergone any transaction listed in paragraph (a) of this section, even if the owner meets the citizenship requirements of this subpart, unless evidence is provided that the Maritime Administration approved the transaction.