There are two scenarious where a boat doesn’t have a title: Either it is a larger vessel (greater than 27ft) that has a name and hailing port marked on the back (US Coast Guard Documented vessels do not have titles) or it is a smaller vessel with a lost title. This instruction set will address the purchase and transfer of ownership of larger Documented vessels. Smaller vessels with lost or misplaced titles must be transferred through their respective New York State Registrar/DMV.
If the Bill of Sale is a notarized CG-1340 Bill of Sale, it is very likely that you are Documenting the vessel. There is no requirement to obtain a title for a Documented vessel.
If you intend to federally Document your vessel through the US Coast Guard, you may proceed to the instructions below. All forms may be completed online for Coast Guard Documentation. If you intend to register your boat with your respective state and obtain a title, you must visit your New York State Registrar/DMV to complete the registration process.
Obtaining a title for a US Coast Guard Documented vessel requires Deletion from the US Coast Guard database, and registering with the State.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR OBTAINING A CERTIFICATE OF DOCUMENTATION FOR YOUR VESSEL
If you have recently purchased a vessel and it already has an Official Documentation Number, please use the form for Transfer/Exchange of Documentation via the link below and be sure to upload the appropriate Bill of Sale and/or State Title:
https://unitedstatesvessel.us/transfer-exchange/
If you are unsure if your vessel has ever been Documented by the U.S. Coast Guard, please send the Administrator an email requesting verification to: administrator@unitedstatesvessel.us. Please include the vessel name and Hull Identification number in your message.
If your vessel has never been Documented, you may apply online for Initial Documentation via the link below:
https://unitedstatesvessel.us/initial-documentation/
Even though it is up to the owner to ensure the Certificate does not pass expiration, the Coast Guard will send a Notice of Renewal to the managing owner approximately 45 days prior to expiration. See the instruction letter Renewal of Certificate of Documentation elsewhere at this site regarding renewal procedures.
https://forms.unitedstatesvessel.us/renewal-uscg-documentation
A Certificate of Documentation may be endorsed for fishery, coastwise, registry, or recreation. Any Documented vessel may be used for recreational purposes, regardless of its endorsement, but a vessel Documented with a recreational endorsement only may not be used for any other purpose. Registry endorsements are generally used for foreign trade.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR ADDING A COMMERCIAL ENDORSEMENT TO YOUR CERTIFICATE OF DOCUMENTATION
If you wish to add a commercial endorsement, such as a fishery, coastwise or registry endorsement, you may complete the application online via the link below:
https://unitedstatesvessel.us/change-endorsement-trade-indicator/
