The internet's most comprehensive resource for Coast Guard
documentation, boat registration, and yacht registry.
A complete gathering of affordable services, forms, research tools, information, guidelines, and resources.
Serving vessel owners, buyers, sellers, marine lenders, yacht brokers, boat dealers, and attorneys.
VESSEL DOCUMENTATION
All you need to know about Coast Guard documentation and preferred ships mortgages.
STATE BOAT REGISTRATION
Resources and information for state level boat, trailer, and
outboard motor registration or titling.
VESSEL RECORD SEARCH
The internet's most powerful vessel record search with six major boat
record databases all rolled into one.
BOAT TRANSACTION FORMS
A full compliment of forms for Coast Guard vessel documentation, state level boat registration,
and vessel transactions.
VESSEL TITLE SERVICES
A complete lineup of Coast Guard vessel documentation, state level registration
or titling, and boat record search services.
BOAT TITLING GUIDES
Learn all about boat titling
with our collection
of handbooks and guides. Find answers to all of your titling
questions.
Federal - State - Foreign
COAST GUARD VESSEL DOCUMENTATION PREFERRED SHIPS MORTGAGES
VESSEL TITLE RESEARCH BOAT REGISTRATION
YACHT REGISTRY BOAT TITLING
Recreational - Commercial
BOAT OWNER RESOURCES
Information, resources,
and guidelines for maintaining a title and selling your boat. Learn how to
protect your ownership.
BOAT BUYER RESOURCES
Guidelines and resources
for making the right choices
on buying and titling a boat. Complete vessel search resources.
MARINE LENDER RESOURCES
Resources and guidelines for securing boat loans on
Coast Guard documented vessels and state registered boats.
VESSEL TITLE ADVISOR
Answers to all of your questions about boat titling, registration, Coast
Guard documentation and marine transactions.
VESSEL DATABASE INDEX
A complete gathering of boat titling, registration, vessel
documentation, and other marine related databases.
BOAT OWNER LISTINGS
Search for owners of documented vessels by multiple criteria with
downloadable mailing lists in various label formats.
Welcome!
You are about to experience the world of vessel titling like never
before. With the latest online advancements, we can now place
everything you will ever need to document, register, title, and
research any
vessel right at your fingertips. In addition to a wealth of
information, our web pages offer a full compliment of services,
forms, databases, and guides.
Coast
Guard Documentation - Coast Guard documentation is a
national form of vessel registration which is administered by the U.S.
Coast Guard's National Vessel Documentation Center. It is one of the
oldest functions of our Government, dating back to the 11th Act of the
First Congress. Vessels that meet the required qualifications are issued
a Certificate of Documentation that serves as evidence of ownership and
entitles the vessel to engage in certain commercial activities. Although
vessel documentation is optional for vessels that operate exclusively
for recreational purposes, it is required for vessels that will engage
in commercial activities within U.S. waters. Certificates of
documentation for commercial vessels must be endorsed for the respective
types of usage.
Reasons for Vessel
Documentation - Coast Guard documentation is not
required for pleasure or recreational usage, which includes bareboat
charters. However, there are several reasons for which vessels are
placed into Coast Guard documentation. First, a vessel can not engage in
commercial activities within the United States unless it becomes
documented and attains the respective trade endorsements. Second, marine
lenders usually require vessel documentation in order to acquire a
Preferred Mortgage which grants the ultimate contractual lien against
any vessel. Third, owners who venture into international waters usually
elect to document their vessels in order to attain certain protections
afforded by the US flag. A certificate of documentation makes it easier
for passage into foreign ports and is widely accepted by customs
officials. Finally, some owners elect to document their vessel just for
the prestige of owning a vessel which is said to carry the U.S. flag.
From a visual perspective, Coast Guard documentation also
precludes vessels from having to display state registration numbers. In
summary, vessel documentation provides a more
universally recognized certificate of ownership that is recognized
worldwide and is supported by a detailed abstract reflecting all
vessel ownership and lien transactions.
Vessel
Qualifications for Documentation - In basic terms, a vessel must measure
in volume at a minimum of five net tons. Depending the length beam, and overall
depth, most vessels will need to be at least approximately twenty five
feet in length to qualify. Vessel tonnage is determined by a measurement process rather than by calculating the vessel's weight or
displacement. Depending on a vessel's length, the Cost Guard will
require either a simple declaration from the owner, or a formal detailed
measurement by an approved agency. Although the place of build is not an
issue for recreational vessels, evidence that a vessel was built in the United States is required
for a vessel which is to be used in a fisheries or coastwise trade. This
is usually provided by the builder who will issue a Builder's
Certificate, which also serves as the vessel's first evidence of title.
Ownership
Qualifications
for Vessel Documentation - As a general rule, all owners of a documented
vessel must be US Citizens. This also applies to legal entities such as
Corporations, Limited Liability Companies, and Partnerships.
Corporations must be registered in the U.S. in order to own a documented
vessel. Principals who own and operate corporations other legal entities
that own a documented vessel must be
U.S. Citizens in their own right. An individual person who owns all or
part interest in a documented vessel must be native born, naturalized,
or a derivative U.S. citizen. Cost Guard documented vessels may be
operated or placed under the command of a foreign citizen only if the
vessel is used for recreational purposes.
Requirements
for Documented Vessels. -- The Coast Guard
assigns a unique documentation number when each vessel is first placed
into documentation. The owner must also designate a name and hailing
port to coincide with the documentation number. These items must be
affixed to the vessel in a certain manner before it commences operation
under a valid certificate of documentation. The certificate of
documentation and any mortgages recorded against the vessel must be
carried on board at all times. A replacement certificate of
documentation must be applied for if there are any changes in the
vessel's ownership or the documentation's status. Certificates of
documentation must be renewed on a yearly basis at no cost to the
vessel's owner.
Vessel
Documentation Process - Vessel documentation procedures can vary in
complexity with respect to the type of transaction and a vessel's
intended usage. Documentation requirements and procedures are based on a
set of federal rulings known as the Code of Federal Regulations. These
are administered by The National Vessel Documentation Center in Falling
Waters, West Virginia. This facility implements all vessel documentation recordings and issues the Certificates of Documentation.
Vessel documentation forms, guidelines, and instructions may be found on
our web site or by visiting the National Vessel Documentation Center's
home page. This agency also administers all subsequent vessel recordings
and changes to the certificate of documentation.
Vessel
Documentation Costs - Vessel documentation fees for initial
documentation, changes of ownership, mortgage recordings, and other
miscellaneous transactions have increased over the past several years.
However, the basic cost of vessel documentation in itself is not
prohibitive when compared to other maintenance and operational expenses.
On the positive side, there are no yearly renewal fees or ancillary
taxes associated with documentation. In most cases, the benefits of
documentation outweigh the expenses involved placing a vessel under the
U.S. flag. A schedule of documentation fees can be viewed on our Federal
page.
Vessel
Documentation Information - You will find our web site to be one of the
most informative resources on the internet with respect to Coast Guard
vessel documentation. Our Federal Page is a good starting point
for those who wish to learn more about the documentation process. Although
most of our pages contain references to Coast Guard documentation, our Federal Page,
Forms Page, and Database Page cover most aspects of documented vessel research and
the vessel documentation process. You may also wish to visit
the National Vessel Documentation Center's home page where you will find
additional forms and basic information about Coast Guard vessel documentation.
Vessel Documentation Services
A complete range of Coast Guard documentation self services, forms
services, and full services.
Abstract of Title Service
Coast Guard Abstract of Title self service or full service with an
interpretive summary report.
Vessel Documentation Search
Search over 330,000 Coast Guard documentation records by official
number, hull ID, or state registration.
Vessel Documentation Guide
A comprehensive hand book covering all aspects of Coast Guard vessel
documentation.
Vessel Abstracting Guide
All you need to know about ordering and interpreting a U.S. Coast Guard
vessel abstract of title.
Coast Guard Documentation
Visit our federal page for in depth information about Coast Guard
documentation and mortgages.
Owner Mailing Lists
Coast Guard documentation owner mailing lists can be searched by
multiple criteria.
MarineTitle.com
is the longest running Coast Guard documentation and boat registration
internet site on the world wide web. Our home page was first published
over a decade ago as a customer service for one of the nation's leading
full-service vessel documentation companies. We now enjoy a high profile in our
own right as a major player in both the domestic and foreign
marketplaces.
The knowledge and
expertise we offer with respect to boat titling is second to none within
the marine industry. Our principals have owned, managed, and operated
maritime related companies for almost thirty years. Such experience
includes Coast Guard vessel documentation, state titling, marine escrow,
yacht brokerage, new boat sales, yacht charters, commercial fishing, and
marine related internet technology. We continue to build on this
framework through ongoing relationships with vessel owners, buyers, sellers, yacht brokers, boat
dealers, marine lenders, and marine attorneys from all over the world.
With high speed internet
servers, we can now render all aspects of Coast Guard documentation,
boat registration, and foreign registry directly into the hands of the
boating public. This includes a complete gathering of affordable
services, forms, research tools, information, and guidelines. As the
industry's leading resource, we are constantly looking for new and even
better methods of disseminating boat titling information and services.
Our goal is to simply
provide the absolute best in professional maritime services. We are
keenly aware that our continued success relies entirely on customer
satisfaction. It is for this reason, that our system is built around the
very finest in customer support. We value every client and look forward
to maintaining our prominence in maritime community
as we move forward in the coming years.
Boat History Search
Six major boat databases all rolled into one with multiple search
criteria and boat owner mailing lists.
Vessel Title Advisor
Answers to your questions about our services or anything related to boat
titling and closing transactions.
Boat Title Services
A complete menu of affordable Coast Guard documentation and boat titling
services.
Partners & Affiliates
Visit all of the great marine related services offered by our web
partners and affiliates.
Boat Registration Information
Visit our state page for a complete index of articles and links related
to state level boat registration.
Welcome to the
internet's most comprehensive Coast Guard vessel documentation, boat
titling, and yacht registration web site. Our pages are loaded with
valuable details pertaining to every aspect of documenting, titling,
registering, transferring, and financing a vessel. Here you will find a
wide array of articles, guidelines, instructions, links, and other tools
for implementing any type of vessel transaction or recording. We have it
all covered on both the state and federal levels for everything from mega-yachts to ski-boats.
It is our mission to
address the titling needs of each and every segment of the entire
boating community. We have accordingly designed this publication to suit
the interests of vessel owners, buyers, sellers, yacht brokers,
boat dealers, marine lenders, and attorneys. In doing so, we have
created special entry points or gateways for each particular type of
client. These unique landing pages are designed to enhance your browsing
experience in accessing the most expansive vessel documentation and boat
registration web site you will ever find on the internet.
Just follow our clients link at the top of this page to discover the
gateway that best facilitates your particular interests.
In addition to our client
gateways, you will find a row of links across the top of each and every
page of this entire site. These identify the logical sections of our
domain and will serve as a common reference point as you navigate among
its numerous features. Before embarking on your journey, it would be
worthwhile to click through these links and just get a sense about the
wealth of information and resources you will find at your disposal. Each
landing page has a short description of its contents and contains
sub-sections with return buttons which will allow you to easily retrace
your steps.
We encourage our readers
to bookmark this web site for frequent usage as an ongoing resource for
Coast Guard vessel documentation, boat registration, and yacht registry.
This will allow you to remain current on the new and exciting changes
that will be forthcoming about our site, services, and the industry in
general. Marine business entities may also wish to join our link
exchange program, which will allow mutual clients to address questions
or concerns about Coast Guard vessel documentation, ships mortgages, and
other boat registration issues.
It is our
pleasure that you have allowed us the opportunity of conveying our
message and we wish to express our gratitude. We sincerely hope you will
find the information contained herein to be meaningful and constructive.
Please let us know if
you have any comments or suggestions about how we may further enhance this
publication to better serve
your needs.
Client Index
Visit our clients page for an index of special information targeted to
various segments of our industry.
Boat Titling Glossary
A complete listing of terms related to boat titling, vessel
documentation, and vessel transactions.
Boat Titling Forms
Forms related to vessel documentation, boat registration, marine
lending, and transactions.
We would like to share a sampling of comments from our world wide
network of readers and clients.
Brian from Gig Harbor - Thanks for getting on
this so quick!! Don't see this much anymore!!
Captain Dave, a charter boat operator - Thank you so much. You
turned my day around - I was afraid my (boat) could not be used (for
chartering purposes).
Joel from California - Just a note to say thank you for your help, got
the job done and I now have my new title work in hand. Please keep (my
information) in your files, you never know what the future may bring.
Emma, an Attorney from Louisiana - Thanks (title specialist)! This won't
be the last time you will hear from me!
Nicolas from Washington - By the way, in talking to my
father, it turns out you helped him (several years ago). Very cool that
you are helping transfer its ownership twice in a row.
Eric, a sailboat owner - Thank you so much!! We were heading
down the wrong path (with vessel markings) and you have corrected that
and we are very grateful.
Ken, a self service client - Thanks for your quick, concise
answers to my questions. It is the best use of $29.95 I can remember.
How (other) services can charge up to $300 for (Coast Guard)
documentation help defies logic.
Vicki, a banker from Tennessee - Thanks for your quick
response to my inquiry. I'll forward this information to our attorneys
so they can follow with the (other) bank as regards the release (of
vessel mortgage).
Gregory, an offshore boat owner - Thank you for the quick
reply and for the good information. I will take your advice and look at
your website for the kits to do it right.
Daniels, a foreign boat buyer - Thanks (title specialist). I
also made an inquiry at Belgian customs. Apparently there are no import
costs involved in purchasing a boat from the U.S. Only VAT and
transport. So that is good news. Thanks again.
Ellen, an administrative assistant - Thank you for your
quick response to my plea. The file on the boat was handed to me and my
boss has been trying to resolve this since last year.
Ana from Spain - First of all, thank (you) so much for
your quick answer. I am in a hurry about this subject and a bit lost
too. The vessel has been sold 2 times here in Spain.
Client Pages
Visit our clients page for special information targeted to
various segments of our industry.
Client Services
A complete listing of Coast Guard vessel documentation and boat
registration services.
Client Advisor
Get answers to all of your questions about vessel documentation, boat
titling, and marine transactions.
