What Does the Documentation Center Do?

It can be easy to get confused about what responsibilities fall under different government agencies and departments. Sometimes it can seem like there is more red tape than is necessary, and departments exist without anyone knowing what they actually do each day. As a boat owner, you are probably aware that the United States Coast Guard (USCG) falls under the Department of Homeland Security and is responsible for keeping the waterways in and around the United States safe. What you may not know is that there is a department of the USCG that is specifically available to help boat owners with particular processes. Finding out what you can about the National Vessel Documentation Center (NVDC) will help you if you ever need to do business with them.

The Documentation Center

The NVDC is part of the Coast Guard. It is responsible for maintaining the national registry of documented vessels in the United States. This registry contains all commercial ships in the country. It also includes many personal pleasure crafts that have opted for national documentation over registration in the state in which the boat resides. The NVDC deals with a lot of paperwork each day, as all the new registration applications come through its office. They are also responsible for registration renewals, replacing lost or damaged documents, and maintaining records regarding ownership, liens, and mortgages that are filed.

Documentation Center

Taking Care of Documentation

It is easy to see why the documentation center can easily be overwhelmed with paperwork at times. Many boat owners lament that they sent in paperwork weeks or even months ago and still do not have a response. It can be challenging to call the center and get assistance or an answer, and nearly all transactions are handled through traditional mail services, leaving you at the mercy of the Post Office. That is why we at the Maritime Documentation Center have set up a website that makes things better for boat owners. We understand the frustration you can feel dealing with the NVDC, and we have come up with a system that can alleviate some of the problems you might typically face.

Help with Your Documentation Issues

Here at the Maritime Documentation Center, we have created a unique online system that gives you electronic access to all the forms you may need to file with the Coast Guard and the NVDC. You can fill out registration forms right on our website and upload all your supporting documents in just a few minutes. We even take your payment information and put it through our encrypted, secure system, so your information is always safe. Once you send everything to us, we have professionals that double-check submissions to catch errors that can cause delays. We then send your application to the NVDC for you, and we track the progress, so you know just when your paperwork is on its way to you. Come to our website today so that you can make use of the best way to work with the NVDC.