Common Questions about USCG Documentation (And Their Answers)

Do you have questions about USCG documentation but aren’t sure who to ask about them? When you talk to fellow boat owners about the ins and outs of documentation, do you get contradictory answers that don’t quite “add up?” When it comes to vessel documentation, you want to know the real truth before you make a final decision. Indeed, that’s one of the many reasons that folks get an Abstract of Title through our site – they want to know as much as possible before they buy something. Below are the answers to just some of the questions that we’re commonly asked. 

Is My Vessel Eligible for USCG Documentation? 

We typically don’t prefer to answer a question with a question, but: are you a U.S. citizen who owns a vessel that was manufactured in America and measures at least five net tons? Should the answer to our question be “yes,” then the answer to your question is “yes” as well? To be specific, “net tonnage” is a measure of volume and not of weight. So, your vessel doesn’t have to “weigh” five tons, rather, if your vessel is 27 feet in length, then it almost assuredly measures five net tons. 

Common Questions about USCG Documentation

Why Would I Get My Vessel Documented if I Don’t Have to? 

For many, the main reason they get their vessel documented is so that they can get financing for their vessel. A strong majority of lenders require vessels to have their vessels documented. The reason for this is that only documented vessels are eligible for Preferred Ship’s Mortgages. Another reason folks get their vessels documented when they don’t have to is the look of their vessel. Really. When your vessel is documented, you don’t need to have any state registration numbers displayed on your vessel. The name and hailing port go on the vessel instead. 

Do I Seriously Have to Renew My Documentation Every Single Year? 

Yes. Your vessel’s documentation has to be renewed annually. Each year it needs to be renewed on the date that your Certificate of Registration was issued. You’ll note that we specifically did not say that “you” need to do that. Instead, you can go through our site. We’ll take care of it for you. Moreover, we don’t just do that for one year, we’ll actually do it for up to five years. Two, three, four, or even five – those are all years that you don’t have to worry about your registration expiring without your knowledge. 

Where Can I Go to Get More of My Questions Answered? 

At our site. We have an entire staff on hand who can answer any of your questions. In fact, they can even walk you through a form, step by step, so that you don’t have to worry about getting any of this wrong. YOu can email or call us to answer your questions. To see all of the different forms of documentation that we offer, just head to our site.