FAQ's

To be eligible for USCG documentation, a vessel must meet certain criteria such as size (at least 5 net tons) and must be wholly owned by a citizen of the United States. Vessels that meet those requirements and are to be used for certain commercial activities must be documented.

Vessels that meet the above requirements and are used exclusively for recreational or sporting purposes do not need to be documented. However, they can be documented, should the vessel owner choose to do so.

Your vessel must be registered with the state of New York if you use it recreationally. Commercial vessels are exempt from registration. 

According to the New York DMV, “your boat is exempt from New York State registration if it is a commercial boat with either U.S. or foreign documentation.” 

Additionally, they require that vessel owners “put your registration stickers 18 inches from the bow on both sides of the boat. This is approximately the same position that the stickers are located when a boat is required to have registration numbers on the hull.” 

Yes. 

According to the Connecticut Department of Energy & Environment, “all vessels must be registered with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). Evidence of ownership must be submitted at the time of registration. Upon receipt of the application and fee, an identification number will be assigned and a certificate of number/registration will be issued along with two validation decals.” 

For more information, call them at (860) 434-8638. 
Vessel Documentation Through the Vessel Registrar Center 
Through our site, interested parties can apply for federal documentation for their vessel.

Yes. 

According to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, “Documented vessels must be registered in Ohio and display two Ohio tags, but they are not assigned an Ohio number.”  

Do you want to check the expiration date of your vessel documentation? All you have to do is to look at your current Certification of Documentation. If you look on the lower-left corner of the front page, you’ll find the boat documentation’s expiration date.

If you are wondering how to rename a boat, you can do so through the vessel documentation form “Change of Vessel Name or Hailing Port.”

Depending on several factors, it could be anywhere from one month to four months. To expedite the process to the extent possible, we recommend filing for Rush Processing/Priority Request. With that, your documentation will be put at the very top of our queue. For USCG documentation, click on this form.

The simplest way to discover exactly when your Coast Guard documentation expires is to check your Certificate of Documentation. On the lower-left corner of the front page, you’ll find the expiration date.

When it comes to vessel documentation, you should choose the endorsement that fits how you plan to use the vessel. If you are just going to use the vessel for fun, to have a good time, then your endorsement should be for “Recreation.” You should also choose that endorsement if you are just registering your vessel so that you can apply for a Preferred Ship’s Mortgage.

On the other hand, if you are going to use your vessel for commercial purposes, then you may be required to register it and choose the correct endorsement accordingly.

For example, if you are going to use your vessel for transporting people and/or merchandise on the navigable waters of the United States or in the Exclusive Economic Zone, then you’re going to want to choose the “Coastwise” endorsement.

Yes, it does. If you are transferring ownership of a vessel with documented vessel registration, then either the back of the CG-1270 Certificate of Documentation or the CG-1340 Bill of Sale has to be notarized. This has to be done. It is required.
Documented Vessel Forms That Must Be Notarized
At the Vessel Registrar Center, vessel owners can use this form for their initial vessel documentation.

In particular circumstances, yes. 

According to the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission, “if a boat is operated in New Jersey waters in excess of 180 days OR if the owner leases, owns, maintains, or rents space in New Jersey for storage, mooring, or servicing of the vessel on other than a transient basis, the documented vessel must be registered in New Jersey. Documented vessels do not receive NJ titles.”  

Yes. 

According to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, “You must register all U.S. Coast Guard documented boats used recreationally in Louisiana waters.”