Can someone school me on coast guard boat registration

[Steve-o]

I get that the coast guard requires you to register with whatever state the boat is primarily used in but what if we usually boat in the ocean and occasionally trailer to havasu? I have always just done state registration but is coast guard maybe a better way to go?

 

[shunter2005]

I get that the coast guard requires you to register with whatever state the boat is primarily used in but what if we usually boat in the ocean and occasionally trailer to havasu? I have always just done state registration but is coast guard maybe a better way to go?

If you are talking about documenting your boat, not really. You still have to register your boat in state because they are still going to get their pound of flesh. Plus, you have to register and display a name and hailing port also (how they track you). My boat was previously documented, so I was thinking about re-upping it, but the only advantage I could see was that I wouldn't have to display my state registration numbers. You do however, have to display your registration sticker(s) if your state requires you to. Kinda defeats the whole purpose and wasn't worth the money to do it, in my opinion. It costs upward of a C-note to register your boat every year with the CG, plus what your state sticks you for.

USCG Fee Schedule
http://www.uscg.mil/nvdc/instr/fee sch.pdf

 

[Dkahnjob]

Not exactly as stated above.
When you document your boat it must have a minimum displacement and there is a formula. When I had my 35 Fountain it was no problem, but with the current boat 270T Hallett the boat doesn't weigh enough so it wouldn't qualify. Once you are documented you do not have to register in a state. I used the Fountain in CA, AZ, and the ocean and was never questioned. You do have to pay any sales tax for the state that it is Hailing from (except in AZ if you bought it from a private party then there is no sales tax), CA you would have to pay no mater what. Once the boat is documented I believe you do have to renew it every 2 or 3 years. There is a technicality that says during time of war the Federal Government has the right to take the boat and use it if they need it (but I would consider that to be highly unlikely).
Hope this helps.

 

[Singleton]

Most boats over 26' qualify to be documented (based on USCG site). I am looking to switch my Ultra over, but not sure I want to deal with it.

 

[shunter2005]

It has nothing to do with the weight of the boat. It?s net tonnage. My 270S was documented by a prior owner and USCG documentation is good for one year and must be renewed each year.

This is from the USCG website.

HOW DO I KNOW IF MY VESSEL MEASURES FIVE NET TONS?
Net tonnage is a measure of a vessel's useful capacity, expressed as a volume (gross tonnage minus deductible spaces). It should not be confused with the vessel's weight or total cargo carrying capacity, which may also be expressed in tons. Vessels of more than 25 feet are likely to measure five net tons or more under the Simplified Measurement System, although, they may measure less than five net tons if formally measured. For information about how tonnages are determined, including the Adobe Acrobat simplified measurement form that calculates tonnages, visit the U.S. Coast Guard Marine Safety Center's web site at the Marine Safety Center's Tonnage Page Marine Safety Center's Tonnage Page.

I believe that it is up to the state where your boat is registered, whether they will require you to continue to register your boat once documented. Most will require you to continue to register for the fees they receive. If they didn?t, everyone who could qualify would document their boat and they would lose a bunch of money. My state does require that you register your boat and pay them every two years. We also have to display a valid registration sticker on each side of the boat whether you display the state registration numbers or not. You have to check your state?s laws regarding documentation by the USCG.

You are also required to have the USCG documentation number (as assigned by the USCG) displayed somewhere on your boat. It does not require that the number be openly displayed. A friend of mine had his displayed inside his motor compartment and thus was in compliance.

 

[TPC]

We're 33' and get stopped and boarded by the CG from time to time and they're good with the Cali registration.

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BTW FYI:
Their only concerns are:
If you have a toilet/head they want the discharge valve, if the outlet is below waterline, to be shut and secured and a sticker displayed with the discharge regs on it.
If it's open like in you forgot to close it and you're in the harbor, you're fucked deluxe.
Then the usual vests, throw cushion etc.
They run the serial no's on all firearms and the boat VIN and all passengers DL's.

If you're in your dingy at night if you have the proper nav lights and stickers on you are good to go.
Half the people don't.

Every time they stop us they have the Sheriffs with them and that's where the DUI and wants issues may kick in.

Best thing to do is cooperate and they pretty much leave you alone the next few times they spot you.
If they have newbies in training, we may be a mark to be stopped because we cooperate.

We've done over 50 crossings from NPB to Avalon in the past few years.
The hottest CG activity is around Alameda Harbor (LB), Sunset Harbor (HB) Two Harbors Catalina and Avalon.

It sux.
The time delay it creates is the difference between good boating and mooring conditions to very bad.

 

[port austin pirate]

my boat reg with cg it is now 25 bucks a year to renew. dont need reg #s but have you must cert #s displayed inside eng compt, must compley with all safety regs( life jackets ect) must have boat name and port of call town en state displayed on transom, can be any state or town. to my knowledge can run boat anywhere. have been stopped (must carry cert on board) but no problem once you show cert and have safety equip, although you sometimes have to explain cert to newbies. to state the obivious town en state have to match. I personaly prefer cg cert no #s or stickers on boat, only other thing is boat must be certain size dont recall spec, hope this helps. pretty easy to do just contact CG for info.

 

[BoatCop]

A few issues with USCG Federal Documentation.

1. Non-transferable. Once a boat is sold, the current document is void. It must be either re-documented in the new owner's name, or registered with the proper state.

2. Owner of record must be a US Citizen.

3. Some States also require registration and payment of fees, but not the issuance or display of numbers. (Neither CA or AZ, and possibly not NV, require this.)

4. Name and hailing port must be displayed on the transom or as near-to as possible on rounded or pointed transoms.*

5. Original Document in the current owner's name must be on board. NO COPIES.*

6. Official number (issued by the Coast Guard) must be engraved, etched, burned, embossed or otherwise permanently placed on the main beam or other, visible, non removable interior portion of the hull.*

*If ALL three of things are not present, the vessel is treated as unregistered or "stateless" and may be seized until proper and official ownership is determined.

7. The boat becomes a "Vessel of the United States Government" and is treated as US Sovereign soil when in foreign ports or on the high seas. As such, it can be boarded, anywhere in the world by the US Coast Guard, or within the 12 mile limit by US Customs Officers, for any or no reason. When so ordered by the President, Congress, or Secretary of Dept. of Homeland Security, the vessel can be commandeered and placed into service by the US Government with no compensation to the owner.

 

[port austin pirate]

Boat cop is right on all counts, However transfer of cert is easy just contact CG they give you all info and paperwork to do it, when you complete and pay for it they send you cert, fits in standard envelope, I just put mine in boat glovebox (put in plastic baggie if dampness concerns) if boat was already CG reg name , port of call, and cert #s are already in place(unless you want to chg nm poc still easy) my cert # is on wooden plaque screwed on flat spot in engine comp #s burned in wood never questioned. And if your not a citizen or not trying to be why the hell should CG give you a cert. hope this helps:rolleyes