# Should I transfer CG Documentation?



## acarter92 (Jan 17, 2012)

I just bought an 1987 O'day 322. The previous owner has it documented, I got the notarized bill of sale from him and was all set to transfer the documentation until I saw the $348 fee while finishing up the app online. Now I'm wondering if it's really worth it, I know what BOAT stands for, but I still don't like throwing my money away. I still have to register it in Maine and pay the Maine fees and I don't plan on leaving the country with it anytime soon. I could see getting to the Bahmas one day, but there was no problem going there with a registered powerboat (no CG Doc, just state reg.) so it doesn't seem like I will need it for this boat either. It seems like the only advantage is that I won't have to display reg numbers on the bow, not worth $300 plus another $60/ year to me. Am I missing something? There is no lien and I doubt it will make much of a difference if I go to sell it so I'm not seeing any reason to keep it documented...


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## RegisteredUser (Aug 16, 2010)

The 300 sounds weird.

I canceled uscg doc when I bought my boat. I didnt see any benefit


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## acarter92 (Jan 17, 2012)

Well, now I feel dumb. I thought I was filling out stuff on the USCG website and apparently it was a third party that came up in the google search before the USCG website (looked like the USCG website...) that's why it was going to cost $350, LOL


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## Tanley (Aug 20, 2009)

$26 a year for documentation, not sure what the registration fee is in Maine. You can also pay for multiple years in advance so it doesn't have to be an annual chore. Not having to put Reg #'s on the boat is worth it to me.

I can't remember the fee to exchange COD (USCG Exchange/Withdrawal COD). A quick call to the USCG documentation center should clear it up. I've been pleasantly surprised when calling in the past. Always a living, breathing human being and very helpful. Can't say that about many places today.

EDIT: SEE HERE:

EXCHANGE, REINSTATEMENT OR RETURN TO DOCUMENTATION

NVDC Home


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## acarter92 (Jan 17, 2012)

Tanley said:


> $26 a year for documentation, not sure what the registration fee is in Maine. You can also pay for multiple years in advance so it doesn't have to be an annual chore. Not having to put Reg #'s on the boat is worth it to me.
> 
> I can't remember if I had to pay a fee to exchange COD (USCG Exchange/Withdrawal COD). A quick call to the USCG documentation center should clear it up. I've been pleasantly surprised when calling in the past. Always a living, breathing human being and very helpful. Can't say that about many places today.
> 
> NVDC Home


Yeah, I was getting hacked by some "documentation service". Printed, signed, scanned the forms and emailed them in the last 15 minutes. total cost was $92 for the transfer. It's worth that much to me since the hard work was already done by the previous owner and yearly upkeep is minimal. Just wasn't worth over $300...


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## capecodda (Oct 6, 2009)

That private "service" sends me a letter every year to "renew" my documentation. Looks like it's from the government. Many of my friends fell for it, I almost did too. You are not dumb, IMHO communication like that is deceptive. Good advice above ^^^. Best of luck with the new boat.


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## VIEXILE (Jan 10, 2001)

You're going to get hit hardest by the Maine Use Tax. 5.5%. Unless you're from out of State, in which case, with certain proofs, I think you pay about 2.5%.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

The decision to document starts with whether one plans to travel internationally, where it is required 99% of the time. The exceptions are often dubious, so I still prefer to just have it done.

There are additional considerations too. It is ultimately a form of title, where liens are recorded. State titles are much harder to research, particularly if the boat has sold between State’s over the years. Even if you buy in good faith and do a local lien search, the potential of having a prior lien, from a prior State, is still valid and attached to your boat. USCG documentation lien search is one stop shopping, if it’s been perpetually documented, and I think should provide comfort to a buyer. When you go to sell, hopefully it will have some value.


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## denverd0n (Jun 20, 2008)

acarter92 said:


> Well, now I feel dumb. I thought I was filling out stuff on the USCG website and apparently it was a third party that came up in the google search before the USCG website (looked like the USCG website...) that's why it was going to cost $350, LOL


No need to feel dumb. At least you caught it before you paid the exorbitant fees. Lots of people get taken by these scammers, who go to extreme lengths to try to fool people into thinking that their website is the "official" USCG site.


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## RegisteredUser (Aug 16, 2010)

Minnewaska said:


> The decision to document starts with whether one plans to travel internationally, where it is required 99% of the time. The exceptions are often dubious....


Plz name an exception that's dubious
Plz name some countries that will not accept state title/registration


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## capta (Jun 27, 2011)

Not documenting a boat that someone may want to one day buy to sail outside the US, seriously devalues the vessel. If it isn't that sort of vessel then state registration should be sufficient.


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## RegisteredUser (Aug 16, 2010)

...errr...hogwash


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## VIEXILE (Jan 10, 2001)

It certainly helps if you're going to sail internationally. Toss 'em the current NVDC doc. That said, going downisland I've never heard of anyone having issues clearing in with a State or Territory-registered only vessel. Not that it hasn't happened. Sailed into SXM, Antigua . . . can't remember. It was foggy down there . . . with just a registration. Not that that hasn't changed as well. Otherwise, why bother?


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## capt jgwinks (Sep 24, 2013)

I'm in Michigan where you have to state register documented or not. $168 every three years if I remember correctly. My boat was doc'ed when I bought it and I transferred the doc to me. Annual doc used to be free, I did get a little ticked off when they started charging for it, but I keep paying it anyway. If you don't transfer the doc, the seller should terminate the doc with NVDC, otherwise the number still comes back to him even though it's not renewed.


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## VIEXILE (Jan 10, 2001)

You have to State register boats (here we go!) whether documented or not. I don't know of any jurisdiction where Fed Doc gets you a free ride with the State fish cops. Many States go out LOOKING for boats either without stickers OR registered in another State. If you've been there longer than (insert 30 days, 60 days, etc. here) they'll make you register in that State.


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## capta (Jun 27, 2011)

VIEXILE said:


> You have to State register boats (here we go!) whether documented or not. I don't know of any jurisdiction where Fed Doc gets you a free ride with the State fish cops. Many States go out LOOKING for boats either without stickers OR registered in another State. If you've been there longer than (insert 30 days, 60 days, etc. here) they'll make you register in that State.


Well, I guess you know nothing about SC. One *cannot* state register a documented vessel there. *PERIOD!* 
There are other states as well, but I can't recite them to you.
In SC you will have to pay excise tax, but if it is your primary residence, that's pretty cheap. The USCG notifies every state each year of vessels home ported in each state and that is where they get the information to tax you.


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## overbored (Oct 8, 2010)

AK, AZ, CA, CO, DE, HI, ID, KY, MA, ME, MN, MS, MT, NC, ND, NE, SC, VA, VT.


VIEXILE said:


> You have to State register boats (here we go!) whether documented or not. I don't know of any jurisdiction where Fed Doc gets you a free ride with the State fish cops. Many States go out LOOKING for boats either without stickers OR registered in another State. If you've been there longer than (insert 30 days, 60 days, etc. here) they'll make you register in that State.





VIEXILE said:


> You have to State register boats (here we go!) whether documented or not. I don't know of any jurisdiction where Fed Doc gets you a free ride with the State fish cops. Many States go out LOOKING for boats either without stickers OR registered in another State. If you've been there longer than (insert 30 days, 60 days, etc. here) they'll make you register in that State.


AK, AZ, CA, CO, DE, HI, ID, KY, MA, ME, MN, MS, MT, NC, ND, NE, SC, VA, VT. don't require state reg. if documented


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## RegisteredUser (Aug 16, 2010)

capta said:


> Well,





capta said:


> Well, I guess you know nothing about SC. ......


I've never seen so many new members start to participate as we have had recently
Attacks turn off new folks

Kind and gentle...we all make our own way


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## VIEXILE (Jan 10, 2001)

That's funny! I'm in Maine. So you're wrong there, and that raises suspicions on all of the them. Same with the U.S. Virgin Islands. I suggest inquiring with your State Registration Agency. I think you'll find you are very wrong in most instances. There is no reason for them to give up registration fees. You just don't have to display registration numbers (but you do have to display the State sticker) on a documented vessel. Which is why I said "here we go!" This is an old wive's tale, continually repeated. Prove to me my NVDC Doc supplants the Maine registration (or V.I. for that matter). It has to be Statutory - a specific state law that exempts NVDC vessels. I'd like to know which ones have that law in place.


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## VIEXILE (Jan 10, 2001)

There you go. Good information on SC. The point is they want the tax paid. In Maine, you HAVE to register the boat if it is here more than (30 or 60?) days. Same thing with aircraft, even if they're sitting in a yard or hanger getting worked on. You can't register without paying the use tax (a sales tax) and annual registration fees. Few, if any, States are going to give up the taxation. That's all. So, yes, "here we go."


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## VIEXILE (Jan 10, 2001)

Another thing is protection of jurisdictional creditors. The concept is the same as "registry of deeds." USCG NVDC records preferred ship's mortgages, and creditors are protected thusly from a Federal standpoint. The recording is effectively actual knowledge of the claim against the vessel. States, on the other hand, have a "registry" where liens are perfected by filing with the Lieutenant Governor's Office or Secretary of State. Sounds like SC is as interested (and rightly so) in protecting creditors as anything.


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## Jeff_H (Feb 26, 2000)

I think that maybe this discussion is going off the rails possibly due to semantics. Maryland like many other states charges a 'use fee', and/or a registration fee, and a 'Title Fee' or a 'sales tax' on any boat that is the the state longer than some specific period. That tax/Title fee amount is reduced by the amount of sales tax that you paid in other states for the same boat. 

The state also requires that all boats have a sticker that show that the bi-annual user/registration fee has been paid. That user fee is tiny for a documented boat vs the registration fee for a registered boat, but in either case you must have an up-to-date sticker. Documented boats still must pay the taxes when they stay in the state longer than the prescribed period and the reduced user fee. They just have different names than they do for a boat that only has a state registration. 

Jeff


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## flee27 (Jan 16, 2018)

I recently purchased a documented vessel from Florida. I am moving the boat inland in Georgia where it will be located for the next 3-4 years. I couldn't find any good reason to transfer the USCG documented status. I cancelled with the USCG and will just register with the state. I can always re document the vessel when it becomes applicable for me. 

Foster


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## VIEXILE (Jan 10, 2001)

I don't see anything going off the rails. It's going to be different under the laws of every State, but few will give up fees and excise, "use", sales, annual or other taxes. In the USVI and Maine, for example, BOTH require registration so the fish cops have recorded jurisdiction over the vessel. This also applies to Uniform Commercial Code liens for loans against all forms of vessels. The NVDC simply provides a national database for recording ship's preferred first mortgage and sales docs on documented vessels. On larger vessels and loans for boats that may travel interstate, lenders prefer that.


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## DeepDish (Apr 2, 2019)

Kentucky (at least in 2019 when we were there) *refuses* to register a boat that is documented, unless you got a release form from the USCG saying that it is OK to do so. I recall that there were about 6 states that do not require a state registration if you have a documented vessel. I think that the list of states provided a few posts back is longer than is accurate.

But...Kentucky does have an annual property tax to pay on the value of the vessel, and it is very, very cheap. (1.5 cents per $100)

This upsets some people: https://www.kentucky.com/news/local/watchdog/article182243271.html

On the other hand, when you bring a documented boat (with no registration because you are in Kentucky) down to Florida, you must register it immediately. The 90 day grace period only applies to boats with a registration. (They offer reciprocity on registration, not on documentation.)


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## VIEXILE (Jan 10, 2001)

Wow to the Kentucky tax disparity. Bottom line on the whole discussion is _check with your State or the State where the boat will be located more than (insert number of days here 30, 60, 90) days a year. _


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