Registration & Documentation
Required Under Section 33 CFR 173 & 46 CFR 67
Registration vs. Documentation
There are two methods of registration for U.S. recreational vessels.
- Vessel Registration: state-issued Certificate of Number
- Vessel Documentation: federally documented with the U.S. Coast Guard & approved for use in any waterway under the control of the United States
Vessel Registration: All undocumented vessels equipped with propulsion machinery must be registered in the state of principal use. A Certificate of Number will be issued upon registration and the number must be displayed on your vessel. The location shall meet the states requirements. The owner/operator of a vessel must also carry the valid Certificate of Number whenever the vessel is in use. Like a motor vehicle registration that must always be with you in your motor vehicle, your Certificate of Number must always be carried while the vessel is in use. Failure to carry Certificate of Number on your vessel while in use, may result in your vessel being ordered to "Terminate Use", impounded by the Coast Guard and/or fined up to $5,000.00 or any combination of the former. When a vessel is moved to a new state of principal use, the Certificate remains valid for 60 days. Check with your state boating authority for registration requirements. Some states require all vessels to be registered, including vessels that are manually propelled and those that are Coast Guard Documented.
Display of Numbers (Registered Vessel)
Numbers must be painted or permanently attached to each side of the forward half of the vessel. The numbers must be read from left to right, and of a color that is contrasting with the background color; for example, black numbers on a white hull. The validation sticker(s) must be affixed within six inches of the registration number. No other letters or numbers may be displayed nearby.
State registered vessel. Note the number and green validation decal
Lettering must be in plain, vertical block characters of not less then 3 inches in height. Spaces or hyphens between letter and number groupings must be equal to the width of a letter other than "I" or a number other than "1".
Notification of Changes to a Numbered Vessel
The owner of a vessel must notify the agency that issued the Certificate of Number within 15 days if:
- The vessel is transferred, destroyed, abandoned, lost, stolen, or recovered
- The Certificate of Number is lost, destroyed, or the owner's address changes.
If the Certificate Number becomes invalid for any reason, it must be surrendered to the issuing authority within 15 days.
Vessel Documentation
The U.S. Coast Guard Certificate of Documentation is a national form of registration dating back to the 11th Act of the First Congress. It serves as evidence of a vessel's nationality for interactional purposes, provides for unhindered commerce between the states, and admits vessels to certain restricted trades, such as coastwise trade and the fisheries. Since 1920, vessel financing has been enhanced through the availability of preferred mortgages on documented vessels.
Recreational vessel are eligible to be documented if they are wholly owned by a citizen of the United States and measures at least five net tons. Net tonnage is a measure of a vessel's volume. Most vessels more than 25 feet in length will measure five net tons or more.
A documented vessel is not exempt from:
- Applicable state or federal taxes
- Compliance with state or federal equipment carriage requirements.
A documented vessel may also be required to pay a registration fee and display a validation decal from the state of principal use. Boaters should check with their state boating agency. A documented vessel will not have to display registration numbers, but again may have to display a state validation decal.
To be in compliance with federal documentation requirements, a Certificate of Documentation must be:
- The original document (photocopy not acceptable).
- On board the vessel (not on board vessel is not documented)
- Current (not expired, no grace period)
- Signed by the Director of the National Vessel Documentation Center (original pen signature, photocopies not acceptable, nor any means other then the original master copy is authorized as proof)
Documented Vessel Marking Requirements
Hull Display
A documented recreational vessel hull display must:
- Have the name and hailing port of the vessel together in one place on the hull (usually on the stern).
- Be in letter not less then 4 inches in height.
- Be clearly readable
- Contrasting colors
- Not in a font style so as to reduce the total height of the content. Regardless of the font used, all information must be 4 inches height
Other requirements may apply, please ask at your local Coast Guard Vessel Documentation Center
The marking requirements for a documented recreational vessel state "together in one place on the hull" Many recreational vessels will place the vessel name and hailing port on the stern, and vessel name on both sides of the bow, which is required for a commercial vessel. Although not required for a recreational vessel, this is an acceptable option.
Interior Display ( Recreational and Commercial)
In addition, the vessel must have the official number permanently affixed in block-type Arabic numerals of not less than 3 inches in height, preceded by the letters "NO." on some clearly visible interior integral structural part of the vessel.
Interior display (recreational and commercial). Numbers must be no less than 3 inches high.
For more information on documented vessels, contact U.S. Coast Guard National Vessel Documentation Center at 1-(800) 799-8362 or online at www.uscg.mil/hq/cg5/nvdc .