Are you looking into purchasing a recreational vessel or yacht sometime soon? If you are, you already know there are lots of choices out there for you so that you can get just the boat you are seeking in your price range. When you have finalized your purchase and are ready to take ownership, you will want to investigate what you need for your boat in the state that you reside. Boat owners today do get options when it comes to how they wish to register their vessel. In the United States, you do have the opportunity of documenting your recreational craft with the Coast Guard if you would like. You should look into the differences between registration and documentation and learn the answer to the question – what is a documented vessel?
Your State and Vessel Registration
When you live in the United States and own a large recreational ship, the law dictates that you will need to register your vessel with your state much in the same way that you are required to register a car when you take ownership of one. Different states have varied regulations and requirements for registration so you will want to look up what is necessary where you live. As an alternative to registration, you can look into documenting your vessel with the Coast Guard so you can receive a Certificate of Documentation (COD). If you get documentation, you are not required to obtain registration from your state. The COD you receive from the federal government is all that you will need to have.
Learning about a Documented Vessel
The answer to the question of what is a documented vessel is easy to understand. A documented vessel is one listed in the Coast Guard database and part of the federal registry. Documentation does provide some benefits for you as a boat owner, including easier facilitation of security clearance when you sail to foreign countries and better title assurances. Documented vessels are also easier to trace regarding ownership and liens because of the records kept. You can also avoid having to display your registration numbers on the hull of your ship (which states require) if you go with documentation.
Where to Document a Vessel
Once you know the answer to what is a documented vessel, your next question will be – how do I get my vessel documented? At Maritime Documentation Center, we make the documentation process quicker for you. We have the registration forms accessible as online forms on our site so that you can fill out the information, attach your supporting documents, and send everything to us. Our expert processors check all your paperwork for you to make sure the forms are accurate before sending them on to the Coast Guard for approval. We have streamlined the documentation process for customers like yourself, so you do not have to worry about mailing forms, making mistakes, or tracking progress, allowing you to concentrate on getting your COD and sailing your boat.