Generally, owning a vessel does not come for free: in most cases, it will attain a decent load of work. The more you work the busier you are, so it is a no-brainer you may happen to miss your United States Coast Guard (USCG) Renewal date. This article will explain everything you need to know about the subject: from how much in advance you are supposed to submit your COD up to what to do once it has already expired.
What is a Certificate of Documentation (COD)?
A USCG Certificate of Documentation is a formal document that establishes the ownership and country of origin of a vessel. Recreational boats with a net tonnage of over five tons (about 27 feet) can choose to document their vessel with the United States Coast Guard and therefore obtain their mentioned Certificate of Documentation.
This document will allow navigating internationally, as it is recognized abroad and makes it easier for boats to enter and leave foreign ports.
Furthermore, it will permit boat owners not to display the state registration numbers and to show the vessel’s name and hailing port instead.
Finally, it will authorize boat owners to have their boats financed, as they will now qualify for preferred mortgages.
Lastly but not less importantly, a consequence of having your boat documented is that the price of the boat itself will probably rise, as there are some requirements from having your boat registered that you will have to comply with, and therefore, the buyer can be assured you have been keeping the boat well maintained.
What Happens if the Certificate of Documentation Expires?
As we were saying, the objective of this article is to explain what to do when you miss your USCG renewal date.
The validity of your certificate depends on your type of vessel: Commercial vessels need to be renewed yearly while recreational boats can extend the expiration date of their certificates for an additional 2 to 5 years.
Certificates renewed more than 60 days in advance of the expiration date will now have a new expiration date, shortening their validity period. When the CODS are renewed 60 days or less from the expiration date they will remain the same.
Furthermore, requests received by the USCG up to 30 days after the expiration date will be considered late and will now incur an extra fee. If more than 30 days have passed since the expiration date then you will need to obtain different documentation: reinstatement of certificate.
The Maritime Documentation Center Can Take Care of Your Documentation
Regardless of the documentation, you are looking for, the Maritime Documentation Center has got your back. You do not have to take care of all of this paperwork: our friendly staff can do it for you. Things like certificate reinstatement or late fees will not happen with us: we will make sure they arrive at the Coast Guard on time. So, do not wait until the USCG Renewal date is due: reach out to us by completing any of the forms from our page and help us help you!