# Coast Guard Documentation?



## grommet (Dec 26, 2004)

Hi all. I am purchasing a Coast Guard Documented boat and was wondering what the difference between Documentation and State (CA) registration is. Are there any advantages to Documentation? Is it easier, faster, cheaper etc. to transfer documentation and title with the CG or register with the CA State DMV? Any advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks,
g.


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## TrueBlue (Oct 11, 2004)

grommet,
My lender required documentation for my boat as part of the loan process, so I did not have a choice to register with the State. The initial cost of documentation through the USCG was about the same as State registration, however, the one-time fee is good throughout my ownership. Annual USCG renewal is at no additional cost.

Go here for answers to ALL your questions:

http://www.uscg.mil/hq/g-m/vdoc/faq.htm#01

List of all USCG documented boats are available here:

http://www.uscg.mil/hq/g-m/vdoc/faq.htm#01

I also like the fact that no hull registration sticker is necessary.

Steve


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## grommet (Dec 26, 2004)

Thanks for the response...great advice.
g.


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## SailorMitch (Nov 18, 2005)

Grommet,

You still need to check with your state to see if they require you to "register" the boat also, even if it''s documented. Some states require that you do nothing if the boat is documented. Other states (such as Maryland where I live) still require that you pay a yearly fee and then you have to display stickers on the boat as proof. Note this is NOT the full state registration with state numbers and all -- simply a sticker to show you''ve paid the yearly fee.

This topic has been covered inside and out previously, so be prepared.


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## capttb (Dec 13, 2003)

No registration or numbers required of documented vessels in California, but don''t mention it out loud where a politico may hear.


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## paulk (Jun 2, 2000)

Another advantage of documentation is that when you sell the boat, it allows the buyer to do a title search and lien check much more simply. Loan companies like this, so your buyer may be able to get a loan more easily or quicker than he would otherwise. A boat that is sold from OR to CA may have liens against it in OR. A second buyer in CA might find this out while on a cruise -- when he arrives at the marina in OR his boat owes money to, and which he is, by virtue of his ownership of the vessel, liable for. Federal documentation allows for liens and titles to all be traced by the Feds in one place. Much cleaner & neater system than having 50 different states to check when you buy a boat.


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## me262 (Apr 22, 2003)

Don''t you HAVE to have C.G. documentation if you go cruising into foreign waters????


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## paulk (Jun 2, 2000)

CG documentation is not required to "go foreign". It might make it a bit easier dealing with customs officers, however, who may never have heard of Delaware, much less Wilmington, or any other single state. (Who''s the Governor of Delaware, now, anyway? Will he answer the phone if the Republic of Podunk throws you in jail for entering with too many bottles of rum and try to help get you out? Probably not. ) Does your state registration form look like an official document, or something you could have picked up at Kinko''s? Customs officials all over the world are very likely to be familiar with the United States of America 
and the documents it issues to its vessels, however. While some things aren''t required, sometimes common sense is a good idea.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Grommet

Go to the top of this page & click on "Search". Then type in the word, documentation, you will come up with a bunch of stuff on the subject, from this board. You will even find the government links in one or two of the postings.

Walt Ward


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## grommet (Dec 26, 2004)

Thanks all for your great advice. Although I don''t plan to go "foreign" yet (need to improve sailing skills first), it is nice to know that CG Documentation will make traveling easier. The seller has strongly recommended hiring an expediter to facilitate the title transfer and documentation process. Yes perhaps an unnecessary expense but I have heard that dealing with the CG can be tricky.
g.


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## wwilson (Jul 7, 2000)

grommet,

Not tricky at all - I just changed hail port for my boat requiring two forms and a check for the cost. It takes a while (months) but no more time than the "service" that will charge $500 for the transfer. Many lenders will insist that you use a service - not transfer on your own. If they do not force you to use a service, do it yourself. The forms can be downloaded from the USCG site and contain adequate explanation.


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## capttb (Dec 13, 2003)

Absolutely you can do it yourself, I had last boat done by service as lender insisted. They did not do a perfect job and I found dealing with the CG Doc center by phone very easy.


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## Ovniman (May 15, 2005)

One does not need "documentation" to go to Europe. Your vessel can be "state" registered but make sure your registration is current and have registration on board at all times. We were only asked one time in 16 years for our boat papers and that was in Belgium. Smooth sailing.


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## Neicy (May 10, 2005)

If you registered a boat with the CG instead
of the state does this mean you would not
pay property taxes every year??


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

You got to pay the tax in almost all states that require taxes or fees to register. CG documentation is not a replacement for that.


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## nmejicano (Sep 26, 2012)

I am buying a boat in Georgia and bringing it back to Florida where I live and where I will register the boat as a commercial vessel. My documenting agent is telling me that she will "delete" the boat from the Coat Guard and it will cost me an additional $125.00. Can someone enlighten me?


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## gts1544 (Apr 26, 2008)

*grommet*, I purchased a 1981 43' cutter that had been USCG documented in the past, but her documentation had not been kept current through the last several owners. I found the USCG NVDC (National Vessel Documentation Center) very willing to work with me to accomplish the necessary paper trail to bring the *Abstract of Title *(Yes, the USCG maintains such a document since manufacture, just like real estate) current to my ownership. This involved waivers on a number of the *Bills of Sale *which did not contain all of the requisite information. Be sure to use the USCG Bill of Sale, which can be downloaded from their website.

www.uscg.mil/hq/cg5/nvdc/


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## Argyle38 (Oct 28, 2010)

nmejicano said:


> I am buying a boat in Georgia and bringing it back to Florida where I live and where I will register the boat as a commercial vessel. My documenting agent is telling me that she will "delete" the boat from the Coat Guard and it will cost me an additional $125.00. Can someone enlighten me?


I don't understand the need to drop your boat from documentation. I don't have experience with changing the vessels purpose in documentation, but it seems like it would be pretty straightforward to go from "recreational" to "commercial". Also, if you are carrying a note on the boat, the bank will typically require documentation (since it acts as a title). Documentation will also make it a bit easier to sell the boat later, for the same reason. Finally, if you plan on taking the boat to a foreign country, documentation is typically required.

I would ask your agent why she wants to drop your boat from documentation and see if there is an option to simply change the vessels purpose. If she says no, then I would contact NVDC myself, or better yet, just contact NVDC and do the paperwork and save yourself some money.


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## TQA (Apr 4, 2009)

There are many countries that do not accept US state documentation. The French and the French islands are notorious for giving boats that are not carrying the correct papers a hard time with substantial fines. 

Make it easier for yourself when going foreign and get the CG docs.


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