When it comes to the process of documenting a vessel, there are going to be a variety of different forms that you will need depending on the specifics of your situation. Some will be for those seeking to get first-time registration, while others will be needed when you need to get it back in place after it’s expired.
Getting your Initial Registration
It might seem like the hardest step is the first one, which is only kind of true. Sure, your initial registration will be the most complicated process in regards to your vessel documentation, but it’s actually not that hard in and of itself. It just involves some paperwork which, yeah, no one likes to fill out, but here we make the form readily available and easy to understand, so you don’t have to worry about it being that complex. All you need to do is provide some information about yourself (or the owner, if you are acting on their behalf) and the vessel, making sure that all identifying details are documented accordingly. Please note that this process is only for those documenting a vessel that has never been registered with the United States Coast Guard.
Renewing Your Registration
After documenting a vessel, our registration is good for between one to five years after it was issued, depending on the time period you applied for. In order to confirm, check your registration for its expiration date. It’s important that you don’t risk yourself by using your boat with an expired registration, since this can result in monetary penalties and even the forced docking of your vessel. It’s always good to set up reminders in regards to the expiration and renewal of your registration to avoid the possibility of sailing with no valid documentation. It’s also important to know that you can only renew your registration for up to thirty days after expiration. If the thirty days have passed, you will have to go through a different process.
Registration Reinstatement
Now, if you have previously registered your vessel but simply let the registration expire at some point, then you will have to go through the reinstatement process. This is fairly similar to the renewal process save for the fact that it’s specifically meant for inactive or expired documentation. It will, however, require most of the same information. Keep in mind that if there are extended periods of time in which you didn’t renew your registration, be it because you were living abroad or simply docked your vessel for some reason, you don’t need to go through the initial registration all over again either. That’s also what the reinstatement process is for. It doesn’t matter how long it’s been since the expiration date of your registration as long as you haven’t gone through the process of deleting it from the registry.
Need Help Documenting a Vessel?
Whether you need your initial US Coast Guard renewal, a reinstatement, or anything else, you can find all the necessary forms on our homepage. Should you need help documenting a vessel, you can reach out to us. Give us a call at 1-866-981-8783 or email us at info@vesseldocumentation.us with your questions.