If you’re a boat owner, then you know that having your boaters license is critical for staying legal on the water and avoiding costly fines. A lost boater’s license does not help. At our vessel documentation company, we don’t offer licenses, exactly, but instead, we provide easier access to apply for documentation. That isn’t a license – it’s federal documentation that provides certain rights and privileges. However, as a vessel owner and/or operator, you may very well also have a license. The information below may help you to maintain compliance in multiple ways.
Introducing the Issue of Lost Boaters Licenses
Losing your boating license means you won’t be able to legally operate your boat or watercraft on the open waters. This could ruin a day out on the lake or river with family and friends. But don’t fret, there are ways to prevent this from happening and steps you can take to get a replacement license if it does. The good news is that reporting a lost boater’s license is a quick and easy process. Simply visit your local Department of Natural Resources office or go online to their website. They’ll help you fill out the necessary paperwork and issue you a new license in no time.
Lost Boat License Rules: Different in Different States
From there, the process varies depending on the state you’re in. Some states may issue you a temporary license while you wait for your new one to arrive, while others may require you to take a boater’s safety course before issuing a new license. Whatever the process, just remember that it’s important to always have your boater’s license on hand while out on the water. Make sure to keep your license in a safe place this time around to avoid any future mishaps.
Tips for If You Lose Your Vessel Documentation Certificate
The above may have covered what can be done to help if you’ve lost a boating license. That’s not really our department. What we can help with, however, is to replace a lost Certificate of Documentation. While this document is very different from a license, one thing they do have in common: you need to have the actual, “real” document on the boat. You can’t get by with just a copy, something in the cloud, or anything like that. If your certificate has been lost or damaged, you can request a replacement as well as a certified copy through our site.
Keeping in Compliance with the Water
If you remember to stay proactive with replenishing all of your necessary documents regularly then you can enjoy more days spent out on the water with less precious time wasted off it. So empower yourself with precautions to combat any unexpected moments that may come your way in respect to having a valid boater’s license today, so that you can go where the waters may take you tomorrow. When it comes to vessel documentation and other federal forms, we encourage you to look at all of the forms we have on our site.