The hailing port of a boat is a designated location or place from which the vessel claims origin. This can be anywhere the vessel owner chooses, regardless if it is a coastal or landlocked location.
Selecting a Hailing Port
The hailing port must be a place in the United States included in the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Federal Information Processing Standards Publication 55DC. The hailing port must include the State, territory, or possession in which it is located. The Hailing Port marked on a vessel does not have to be the physical location of the vessel, or where the vessel is registered; the owner may elect any hailing port they choose, granted it is an actual location in the United States.
If your vessel is not currently Documented by the US Coast Guard, you may apply via the online webform below:
https://unitedstatesvessel.us/certificate-of-documentation/
If your vessel is currently Documented by the US Coast Guard and you wish to change the name or hailing port of your vessel, you may file the change via the online webform below:
https://unitedstatesvessel.us/vessel-name-hailing-port-change/
Marking the Hailing Port on your vessel
The markings may be made by the use of any means and materials which result in durable markings, must be made in clearly legible letters of the Latin alphabet or Arabic or Roman numerals not less than four inches in height.
The hailing port of the vessel must be marked on some clearly visible exterior part of the stern of the vessel.
