Certificate of Vessel Documentation Renewal
How to easily renew a vessel certificate of documentation with instructions.
A vessel certificate of documentation must be renewed periodically on a 1 to 5 year optional basis. This must be implemented in a timely manner in order to avoid additional fees or perhaps the need for re-documentation. The renewal process is administered by the National Vessel Documentation Center through its online eStorefront system.
Notifications
The Coast Guard will no longer mail vessel Certificate of
Documentation (COD) renewal forms as this
process must now be implemented by establishing an eStorefrone account with
the National Vessel Documentation Center (NVDC). Owners should accordingly
mark their calendars for such event because failure to renew for whatever reason may
result in a penalty or the need for re-documentation.
Caution! Vessel documentation renewals have become a target of scam
operators looking to collect unnecessary fees for providing a service that
can be easily performed yourself in just a matter of minutes. You may
receive a simulated notification that is made to look official with a
solicitation for amounts much greater than those imposed on an actual
filing. There are also a number of scam vessel documentation service
websites with official looking logos and terms that have the deceptive
appearance of an actual government site. Additional information about
deceptive or scam documentation websites can be found in the References for
this guide.
Renewal Methods
Certificate of documentation renewals can no longer be
implemented by email or regular mail. You must now establish an account with
the NVDC's online eStorefront and file for a renewal through this system.
Early Renewal: CODs renewed more than 60 days prior to expiration will be issued with a new
issue/expiration date, shortening the validity period of your current document. CODs
renewed 60 days or less from expiration will maintain the same expiration month.
Late Renewal: Renewal requests received up to 30 days after the expiration date of the COD will be
considered late and will require payment of a $5 late fee in addition to any other
application fees.
Renewal requests received 31 days after the expiration date of the COD will result in
the COD being expired and will require reinstatement, which can be processed in
eStorefront.
Renewal Fees
The NVDC provides a schedule of vessel documentation renewal
fees based you choice of terms. This can be found in the Referrals for this
guide. Be sure to check these against any deceptive looking renewal
notifications.
Late Fees - There is a late fee involved when
renewing an expired documentation within 30 days of its expiration.
Reinstatement - When renewing a documentation that has expired beyond 30
days, you will need apply for a re-documentation along with payment of the
respective fees.
Payment Options - Renewal fee payments can only
be made with a major credit card which is facilitated through the
eStorefront system at the time of renewal.
Conclusion
Renewing a vessel certificate of documentation is very straightforward and easy to implement. Just be sure to do this before the expiration date in order to avoid additional fees. You may contact the National Vessel Documentation Center direct for additional information or concerns.
References and Referrals
Comments - Suggestions - Corrections