Documentation charge

[Steve S]

So if I was to purchase a documented boat, what would the fees be for a broker to change it / register it to me? I was told it would be $895. Seems excessive to me.

 

[Little Ducky]

I've seen "documented boat" a few times on here. What does that mean?

Something different than having the title transferred during the sale?

 

[Larry Sturm]

Yacht Closer charged me $450 to document my boat when I purchased it.

 

[fwebster]

The USCG website says the documentation fee is $133. This has long been a service offered by dealers and brokers thru 3rd party companies/services. The 3rd party charges the broker/dealer about $400 then they mark up the cost and charge you about 2X their what they pay the service.

Having been thru t his a time or 2, I can tell you that the USCG application form is loaded with terms that require a "Dictionary of Coast Guard Terms" to deal with. You can find the forms on the USCG website....look for form CG-1258. Perhaps hiring a service isn't such a bad idea, but I'd try to avoid getting gouged by a broker/dealer who is subbing out the service.

Too bad there isn't a form CG-1258 cheat sheet or perhaps "Documentation for Dummies" at Amazon.com.

 

[JVM225]

I did mine myself a few months ago. Looks more,complicated than it really is, and the USCG phone number on the documentation website or forms is answered by a real human who is pretty helpful if you have any questions.
I think it cost me under a hundred bucks and about 15 minutes to fill out the paperwork.
USCG takes about 3 months to get it processed.

 

[bahamabreisus]

If buying from a broker, request abstract of title, which will let you know if any liens exist against the boat you are buying. If clear CG-1258 and CG-1340 are the all you need, send to Coast Guard in Falling Waters WV with appropriate fees.

 

[NorCal Boater]

I've seen "documented boat" a few times on here. What does that mean?

Something different than having the title transferred during the sale?

A vessel that is "Documented" by the Coast Guard means it is registered by the Coast Guard rather than state registration. You are issued a number but It is usually affixed to a permanent location out of sight such as the bilge. On the outside of your boat you only display the boat's name and hailing port. The letters are required to be of a specific size and style. I believe the name must be 6" and the hailing port 4". Annual renewal is like $80 I think.

Shawn

 

[JVM225]

Some states, including the "People's Republic of New York", require owners of documented vessels to register them with the DMV too. Not sure about the rules in other states but here in NY they issue a registration number and sticker. You don't display the state registration number, but you must display the sticker. That's how they know you paid the NYS sales tax.

 

[suss1173]

I purchased a boat last summer that was documented and I looked into having a title issued b/c I thought the document process was going to be a major PITA. However after some research, it was much easier to have the document re-issued in my name and less expensive too. Iirc, it was about $80 to have the document re-issued to my name, and an additional $50 to have the name of the vessel changed.

The USCG's web sight is difficult to navigate (excuse the pun) and iirc another sight that looked like it was affiliated with the USCG came up via a google search, but it was actually a processing company asking for $400 to handle the transaction for me (which I didn't go for). USCG has a ".mil" address.

I would not walk away from a boat b/c it's documented and I also wouldn't pay a service to haldel the document process either b/c once you have the forms it's not that time consuming. I'd suggest calling the USCG and ask them where to obtain the forms. I think this is contact info-
U.S. COAST GUARD HEADQUARTERS
2703 MARTIN LUTHER KING JR AVE SE STOP 7318
WASHINGTON DC 20593-7318
202-372-2000

 

[Escape22]

WI requires a documented boat to have the 2 state registration stickers on the transom, one on each side of the name/ hailing port.

No numbers needed if documented.

 

[fwebster]

A vessel that is "Documented" by the Coast Guard means it is registered by the Coast Guard rather than state registration. You are issued a number but It is usually affixed to a permanent location out of sight such as the bilge. On the outside of your boat you only display the boat's name and hailing port. The letters are required to be of a specific size and style. I believe the name must be 6" and the hailing port 4". Annual renewal is like $80 I think.

Shawn

A little clarification:

USCG takes the place of the state title, not state registration. Documentation requires a titel search to prove ownership and is a federal title on the boat for as long as you keep it documented. Some states still do not have titles for boats, so this is a gold standard for boat titles. Annual renewals are now $26.

USCG Documentation does not replace state registration. Most states still require state registration and do not require the state registration to be displayed on the vessel, but every state is different. My boat is in Florida and is documented because we do leave US waters occasionally. I still pay about $135/year for the FL registration, the boat does have FL #'s assigned to it, but they are not displayed on the boat. The registration sticker is placed on the forward most windshield panel on the port side of the boat. And, the documentation # is affixed to a pernanent or structural member of the vessel.....mine is on the port main stringer in the bilge.

 

[NorCal Boater]

A little clarification:

USCG takes the place of the state title, not state registration. Documentation requires a titel search to prove ownership and is a federal title on the boat for as long as you keep it documented. Some states still do not have titles for boats, so this is a gold standard for boat titles. Annual renewals are now $26.

USCG Documentation does not replace state registration. Most states still require state registration and do not require the state registration to be displayed on the vessel, but every state is different. My boat is in Florida and is documented because we do leave US waters occasionally. I still pay about $135/year for the FL registration, the boat does have FL #'s assigned to it, but they are not displayed on the boat. The registration sticker is placed on the forward most windshield panel on the port side of the boat. And, the documentation # is affixed to a pernanent or structural member of the vessel.....mine is on the port main stringer in the bilge.

Thanks Frank....I stand corrected.

 

[JVM225]

A little clarification:

USCG takes the place of the state title, not state registration. Documentation requires a titel search to prove ownership and is a federal title on the boat for as long as you keep it documented. Some states still do not have titles for boats, so this is a gold standard for boat titles. Annual renewals are now $26.

USCG Documentation does not replace state registration. Most states still require state registration and do not require the state registration to be displayed on the vessel, but every state is different. My boat is in Florida and is documented because we do leave US waters occasionally. I still pay about $135/year for the FL registration, the boat does have FL #'s assigned to it, but they are not displayed on the boat. The registration sticker is placed on the forward most windshield panel on the port side of the boat. And, the documentation # is affixed to a pernanent or structural member of the vessel.....mine is on the port main stringer in the bilge.

Sounds like you have the same basic rules as we have here in NY.

 

[JVM225]

I purchased a boat last summer that was documented and I looked into having a title issued b/c I thought the document process was going to be a major PITA. However after some research, it was much easier to have the document re-issued in my name and less expensive too. Iirc, it was about $80 to have the document re-issued to my name, and an additional $50 to have the name of the vessel changed.

The USCG's web sight is difficult to navigate (excuse the pun) and iirc another sight that looked like it was affiliated with the USCG came up via a google search, but it was actually a processing company asking for $400 to handle the transaction for me (which I didn't go for). USCG has a ".mil" address.

I would not walk away from a boat b/c it's documented and I also wouldn't pay a service to haldel the document process either b/c once you have the forms it's not that time consuming. I'd suggest calling the USCG and ask them where to obtain the forms. I think this is contact info-
U.S. COAST GUARD HEADQUARTERS
2703 MARTIN LUTHER KING JR AVE SE STOP 7318
WASHINGTON DC 20593-7318
202-372-2000

Make sure you register it with the NYS DMV and display the registration stickers. The stickers show that you paid the sales tax.
Some people on my canal with documented boats got nailed a few years ago for not paying the NYS sales tax on their boats. Heard there were some hefty fines for it.