What are the requirements for USCG documentation?
To qualify for USCG documentation, a vessel must be wholly owned by a citizen of the United States and measure at least five net tons. Net tonnage is a measurement not of weight but of volume. A simple rule: if a vessel measures more than 25 feet in length, it almost invariably measures at least five net tons.
How do I change the name of a documented vessel?
You can change the name of your documented vessel legally through our site. All you have to do is to click on the “Change of Vessel Name or Hailing Port” form and fill it out. Do so here.
How do I know the expiration date of my USCG documentation?
The expiration date of a vessel’s USCG registration can be found on the lower-left-hand corner of your certificate of documentation.
How do I mark the official number and hailing port on my vessel?
To be in compliance with the USCG, a documented vessel must be marked properly.
Specifically, “NO.” (“N” and “O” followed by a period) must be marked before the vessel’s assigned official number. This must be marked in Arabic numerals that are at least three inches high and in block type. Additionally, these must be placed on some interior structural part of the hull where they’ll be clearly visible and, they must be permanently affixed. In terms of “clearly visible,” use common sense.
Specifically, “NO.” (“N” and “O” followed by a period) must be marked before the vessel’s assigned official number. This must be marked in Arabic numerals that are at least three inches high and in block type. Additionally, these must be placed on some interior structural part of the hull where they’ll be clearly visible and, they must be permanently affixed. In terms of “clearly visible,” use common sense.
How do you read a HIN hull identification number?
Read it in the same way and in the same context you would a VIN number on a car. Essentially, that’s what a Hull Identification Number/HIN is, just for your vessel.
How to Find Who Owns a Vessel?
There are multiple ways to use our vessel documentation portal to discover who owns a particular vessel. To discover who the Managing Owner is, as well as the entire ownership history of the vessel, apply for an Abstract of Title. You can do so here.
How to Perform a USCG Documentation Search?
Through our site, you can conduct a Coast Guard boat registration search. You can search by HIN (“Hull Identification Number”) or the Official Number of the vessel. Through this, you will receive information about a vessel’s name, tonnage measurements, particulars/dimensions, and more. You will not receive the owner’s name as that information was stricken from public access in 2018.
How to Transfer Title?
Titled vessels are, most likely, not registered with the USCG. They aren’t “documented vessels,” not with the Coast Guard. Instead, they’re registered with a particular State. USCG documented vessels are required to carry the USCG vessel documentation version of a title of vessel, called a “Certificate of Documentation.” If eligible, you can apply for one here.
I Bought a Boat and Found There are Some Liens On It. How Can I Find All of the Liens and Get Them Removed?
Filing for an Abstract of Title can tell you whether or not there are any liens/mortgages against your vessel.
I Lost my Certificate of Documentation. What do I do now?
If the owner of a vessel with United States Coast Guard (USCG) documentation loses their Certificate of Documentation, they will need to apply for a duplicate from the National Vessel Documentation Center. This can be done either electronically or via regular mail.
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At NVDC Renewal, we utilize the very best in website security. We understand how serious a responsibility it is for our clients to trust us with their information. Thus, we make sure that our security is as impregnable as can be. Currently, we utilize SSL encryption.
My Boat Doesn’t Have a Hull Identification Number. What Does That Mean?
Most likely, it means your vessel was manufactured or imported before 1972. Those vessels are exempt from having a HIN/Hull Identification Number.