Have you been looking for a site that has all of the USCG documentation forms that you might need for owning a vessel? Are you tired of finding one form at one site, then having to go to another one to find the rest of the forms? We hear you. Those are just some of the reasons that we created the Maritime Documentation Center. Here, we put all of the forms that you might need, in one place.
We didn’t want to just “put” the forms somewhere. Indeed, we wanted to make it so that it was easier to fill out these forms, too. Thus, we made them optimized for mobile devices, too. That means that vessel owners can fill these out from anywhere and on any device, too. That way, no one has to stay inside all day at their computer filling out vessel documentation. No matter what stage of vessel ownership you’re at, we can help.
Before You Buy
If you’re like so many other vessel owners (or would-be vessel owners), before you purchase a vessel, you want to know as much about it as possible. So, we have the forms that can provide information about a vessel you can trust. At our site, you can send in forms that will get you information from the USCG, an unimpeachable source with all of the info you could potentially need.
Most first opt for the “Abstract of Title.” This form can show you who owns the vessel, how long they’ve owned it, how old the vessel is, and so forth. You’ll also get the lowdown about whether or not there are any liens recorded (and satisfied) against the vessel. With this information, you can make a better, more informed decision about potentially purchasing a vessel.
Of course, the “abstract of title” is primarily for vessels in the United States. If the vessel you happen to have your eye on is in some other country, we may be able to help there, too. The “Foreign Vessel Title Search Request/Transcript of Registry” form can give you similar information about particular vessels in some other countries.
Registration and Renewal
Hopefully, you used the Abstract of Title or the Foreign Vessel Title Search Request/Transcript of Registry to find more information about a vessel that you were interested in purchasing and then did so. Once you’ve purchased a vessel, you may then decide to register it. We can help there, too. At our site, one of our most popular forms is the “initial registration.” With that, you can register your vessel and receive all of the benefits of vessel registration.
Additionally, when it comes time to renew your registration, you can do that at our site, too. In fact, you can do that for up to five years at once, all on our homepage. Should you want to receive your registration all that much faster, too, you can opt for a rush processing/priority request. That way, we’ll put you at the top of our queue.
Financing and Other Options
The most common endorsement is “recreation,” and many vessel owners use it to be able to get a Preferred Ship’s Mortgage. With that, you may be able to receive better financing terms so as to be able to afford the vessel that you want. Of course, when you’ve satisfied that mortgage, you can find the forms to do that on our site, too.
When Changes Occur
On the water and in life, our course can alter, and changes can occur. When they do, in terms of your vessel documentation, we can help. At our site, you can find the forms for “Change of Address” as well as “Change of Vessel Name or Hailing Port.” Thus, when you move to a new location, you can always stay in compliance with the changes that be.
Additionally, if you’ve decided to change your vessel’s purpose/endorsement, you can do that at our site as well. The “Change of Endorsement/Trade Indicator” can allow you to utilize your vessel in a whole new way, all while staying in compliance.
Sometimes, the “change” that occurs is that you lose your Certificate of Registration. You can’t just “have a copy” or “have a pic in the cloud.” You need a physical, actual certificate to be in compliance. We can help you to get a replacement for when you need it.
USCG Documentation Forms for Moving On and Starting Anew
Eventually, for most vessel owners, the time will come to move on from a vessel. To that end, we offer the “Transfer/Exchange” form as well as the “Deletion” one. Of course, rarely does someone decide never to own a vessel again. Thus, you can go right back to the “Abstract of Title” and begin the process all over again. To see everything we offer, head to our site.