Obtaining Your Certificate of Documentation Online

certificate of documentation

Every ship in the United States requires to carry proper documentation to operate legally. One of the most important documents of a vessel is the certificate of documentation. Comply with the authorities to be a responsible boat owner at all times.

The certificate of documentation applies only for federal-level documented vessels under the United States Coast Guard registry. It does not apply for state-registered pleasure crafts under 5 tons with a local DMV. Read further to know if your boat is eligible for USCG documentation and how to fill the form.

certificate of documentation

Requirements For Documenting A Vessel

To tell if your ship applies for documentation, you must first determine whether you will use it for coastwise and/or fisheries activities, or for recreational purposes. If the boat is intended for commercial use, the certificate of documentation is mandatory despite the vessel’s measure. If it’s a recreational ship over 5 net tons (26 feet approximately), it can be eligible to obtain a certificate of documentation.

Even if your vessel does not require documentation, you might want to do it anyway instead of acquiring state registration. A certificate of documentation is internationally recognized and facilitates clearance for a US vessel to enter and leave foreign ports. It also provides financing facilities as most lenders require documentation so that their interest may be secured by a Preferred Ship’s Mortgage recorded by the U.S. Coast Guard.

Information For The Form

Provide the name you chose for the vessel and point out if you already own the ship, if you bought it from another owner or if it was just built. If this is your first time applying for a certificate of documentation, leave the following spaces blank: official number, hull ID, and international maritime organization (IMO) number. The hailing port is mandatory.

Provide the personal information of the new owner. The physical address shall include street address, city, ZIP code city, state, and country. If the mailing address differs from the physical address, you must inform it since it is where the documentation will be sent.

Next in line is the vessel information. Specify if it is already built or is still under construction. The dimensions must include overall length, breadth, and depth. Indicate the vessel’s primary service and horsepower

The next step consists mainly .in certifying the citizen ownership of the vessel and that you are indeed a US citizen. Provide signature and the current date as well.

At the end of the process, you can choose additional documentation to be done. Also, you can apply for a certificate of documentation renewal for 5 years. Enter your credit card information and you are ready to go.

All The Forms In One Place

Vessel Documentation Online helps thousands of boat owners during the year to deal with the hardest part of having a vessel: forms and applications. Finding what you need is not always easy, so we designed this website for comfort and simple navigation. Your personal information is protected by SSL encryption to protect our customer’s privacy safe.