How to Maintain Your US Coast Guard Certificate of Documentation

You finally got your US Coast Guard Certificate of Documentation – are you worried about how you’re going to maintain it? Have you forgotten exactly when and for how long your certificate is valid? It can take a lot of work and time to get your initial documentation. So, the last thing any vessel owner wants is for all of that work to become invalid, making them go through the entire process all over again. At our site, we make it easier than ever to keep your documentation going strong. 

US Coast Guard Certificate of Documentation

Before you have to worry about maintaining your Certificate of Documentation, you have to get it in the first place. At our site, you can do that in a manner of minutes (provided you have all of the information that you need either memorized or in front of you). Simply click on “Initial,” and then fill out the form. To make it even easier, we’ve marked the sections you absolutely have to fill out (so you can skip the rest). Additionally, if you need it even faster, you can opt for “rush processing.” That means we’ll put it at the top of our queue. 

Easier US Coast Guard Certificate of Documentation Renewal 

You have to renew your documentation every year. You’ll note that’s not “every other year” or “when you feel like it,” but every single year. However, if you go through our site, we can actually do that for you. You can choose to renew your documentation for an extra year, two, three, four, or even five. Imagine not having to worry about your documentation for the next half decade. We see it as one more way that we can optimize documentation for our customers. 

A Valid Certificate 

To be in compliance, you must have a physical Certificate of Documentation. A picture on your phone, a link in an email, something like that is not good enough. If your Certificate is lost or even mutilated/damaged, then you need to get a new one. You can do that through our site, too. This is one of those things that are easy to “put off” for later, but if you do that, you increase the risk that you’ll incur penalties or worse. 

More than Just the Certificate 

We know that many of our customers, particularly those who have come to us for the first time, may have allowed their documentation to expire. For them, we offer the “Reinstatement” option. This Is what it sounds like: once your documentation’s due date has passed, you can’t just “renew” it anymore. “Reinstatement,” however, makes it possible for you to be in compliance again. A Certificate of Documentation may be the beginning of the documentation for your vessel, but it’s rarely the end. To find all of the forms that you’ll need throughout the course of your vessel ownership, just come to our site. If you have any questions, our staff are happy to answer them at (800) 535-8570 or fill out our contact form.