Can you confirm that your MMSI number?

I bought a new radio. The radio that was in the boat when I bought it has an MMSI number, but I'd like to confirm that is it actually registered to my boat before plugging the number into the new radio. I'm concerned because at some point in the past, the previous owner had transferred some electronics from another boat into this one. I have no way of knowing whether he updated the MMSI number when he did that.

Is there a site where I can plug in the MMSI number that displays on my radio and confirm that it is registered to the right boat?

I tried finding an MMSI lookup site, but I only seem to find that type of information for ships and trans-oceanic vessels.

Grec said:

I bought a new radio. The radio that was in the boat when I bought it has an MMSI number, but I'd like to confirm that is it actually registered to my boat before plugging the number into the new radio. I'm concerned because at some point in the past, the previous owner had transferred some electronics from another boat into this one. I have no way of knowing whether he updated the MMSI number when he did that.

Is there a site where I can plug in the MMSI number that displays on my radio and confirm that it is registered to the right boat?

I tried finding an MMSI lookup site, but I only seem to find that type of information for ships and trans-oceanic vessels.

Click to expand...

You need to go to BoatUS' MMSI registration site: https://www.boatus.com/MMSI/MMSI/MMSINumberTransfer
and request a registration transfer. I haven't ever done it but it looks like you enter the MMSI and the PO info, then I assume it will come back with an error if the number doesn't match. From there, you would formalize the transfer to your name, which you should do in any event.

The MMSI registration is to provide data to the US Coast Guard in the event that you have to send a distress signal out. If you never transfer the MMSI info out from the previous owner then they will be looking for them lost at sea and know nothing about you. You should of transferred the MMSI to your info the moment you bought the boat. If you can’t get access to the MMSI and since you are replacing the radio you could always make a new registration and program it with that.

As Hoplite808 stated. Best case is get your own new MMSI number and program the new MMSI in the new radio.

Now it will be all your info, your radio and your boat, not some mix. Make search
and rescue more precise.

MMSI registrations and numbers are at no cost and only take 5 minutes on the website, so why not.

I went through BoatUS and transferred the number. Nothing to it, easy peasy.

The MMSI is registered to a Boat not to the person doing the registration.
However, it is the registering person's responsibility to make any changes to the registration such as -

Changing the boat - Changing the vessel the MMSI is registered to and the MMSI is on a different vessel but same registrant; or, selling the boat and the MMSI registration goes with the boat. It is always the current registrant's responsibility to make the changes. If the MMSI is being transferred to a new owner, DHS will send a notification to the new owner that the registration needs to be updated.

Selling registered equipment - It would get a bit challenging if you sold the electronic equipment with the MMSI going with the equipment. I would assume the selling person is the MMSI registrant so the registrant would have to log into the MMSI account and handle it like selling a vessel. Then when the seller buys new equipment and wants to load an MMSI number they would have to probably log in and initiate a new vessel to obtain a new MMSI.

Purchasing registered equipment from the registering person - If you purchased equipment with the MMSI already active it is the seller's responsibility to transfer the number to whomever purchased. Then the DHS will send a notification to the new owner to create an account and re-register the number to the vessel. The buyer would not want the seller to terminate the MMSI for that piece of equipment as then the equipment would need to be sent back to the manuf. to get the existing MMSI removed and the unit reset.

Purchasing equipment and registering person is unknown - Then, there are those electronic devices bought, like at, a swap meet of EBAY or FB Marketplace that have an active MMSI and the buyer can't change (without sending the electronics back to the manuf.) or can't log into or know where registered. I understand there is a process and it takes quite a bit of time as they send multiple notifications to the registering person before they will allow the buyer to create an account and re-register the number.

There is no way to split up equipment with the same MMSI to be used in more than one vessel - obviously.



Here is some more information -
https://support.cobra.com/support/s...,instructions on how to claim the MMSI number.

You can change the MMSI on a Standard Horizon radio. Well, I can on mine, anyway.

The number that is in your radio cannot be changed but their is a process to transfer the ownership of that number to you. You will have to contact Boat US or US Power Squadron to transfer the number the original owner will have to sign a paper allowing the transfer.

I've done this. The original owner put his boat for sale. He had no idea who might buy his boat, he 'canceled' his MMSI registration at that time. Later I purchased the boat through brokerage. After I took possession I contacted BoatUS, gave them the MMSI number. They told me it was available, I filled out their application form with my information.

Scroll to the bottom of this page to find a printable form, you'll see the type of info they ask for that makes the number 'yours'. https://www.boatus.com/products-and-services/membership/mmsi