Yes, You Can – If Your Vessel Has a Recreational Endorsement
If your vessel is endorsed for “Recreational” use, you may renew its documentation for up to five years in advance through our site. As long as your vessel is strictly used for recreational purposes, this option is available.
For commercial vessels or those with endorsements other than “Recreational,” documentation must be renewed every year.
Click here for USCG COD renewal.
Click here to apply for vessel documentation online.
More Than USCG COD Renewal with the National Documentation Portal
At the National Documentation Portal, you can renew documentation, secure initial COD, replace lost documents, request an Abstract of Title, or conduct a documentation search. Managing your vessel documentation has never been easier.
Review applicable laws below to better understand vessel registration:
- 67.317 Requirement to renew endorsements on the Certificate of Documentation.
(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section and except for recreational endorsements, which can be renewed for a period of 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 years, the owner of a documented vessel must annually renew each endorsement upon the current Certificate of Documentation for that vessel in accordance with § 67.163.
(b) The requirement of paragraph (a) of this section does not apply to Certificates of Documentation placed on deposit in accordance with § 67.165.
[CGD 89-007, CGD 89-007a, 58 FR 60266, Nov. 15, 1993, as amended by USCG-2020-0215, 86 FR 5031, Jan. 19, 2021; USCG-2023-0305, 88 FR 77902, Nov. 14, 2023]
- 67.319 Requirement to report change in vessel status and surrender Certificate of Documentation.
(a) The owner of a vessel must notify the Coast Guard of each change in the information on which the issuance of the Certificate of Documentation for the vessel is based that occurs before the expiration of the certificate under this subsection, by no later than 30 days after such change.
(b) The Certificate of Documentation for a vessel is terminated upon the expiration of the 30-day period if the owner has not notified the Coast Guard of such change before the end of the period.
[USCG-2020-0215, 86 FR 5031, Jan. 19, 2021]
- 67.321 Requirement to report change of address of managing owner.
Upon the change of address of the managing owner of a documented vessel, the managing owner shall report the change of address to the National Vessel Documentation Center within 10 days of its occurrence.
[CGD 94-008, 59 FR 49847, Sept. 30, 1994, as amended by CGD 95-014, 60 FR 31605, June 15, 1995]
- 67.323 Operation without documentation.
No vessel which is required by § 67.7 to be documented may engage in unlimited coastwise trade or the fisheries without being documented in accordance with the requirements of this part.
[CGD 89-007, CGD 89-007a, 58 FR 60266, Nov. 15, 1993, as amended by USCG-2009-0702, 74 FR 49230, Sept. 25, 2009]
- 67.325 Violation of endorsement.
A vessel may not be employed in any trade other than a trade endorsed upon the Certificate of Documentation issued for that vessel. A vessel documented exclusively for recreation may not be used for purposes other than pleasure.
- 67.327 Operation under Certificate of Documentation with invalid endorsement.
Except for vessels identified in § 67.9, no vessel may be operated under a Certificate of Documentation with endorsements which have become invalid under subpart L of this part.
- 67.329 Unauthorized name change.
The owner of a documented vessel may not change or allow the change of the name of that vessel without exchanging the vessel’s Certificate of Documentation in accordance with subpart K of this part. The new name of the vessel must be marked on the vessel upon receipt of the new Certificate of Documentation.
- 67.331 Improper markings.
The owner of a documented vessel shall not permit the operation of that vessel unless it is marked in accordance with subpart I of this part.
Subpart V—Exception From Fishery Endorsement Requirements Due to Conflict With International Agreements
Source:USCG-1999-6095, 65 FR 76576, Dec. 7, 2000, unless otherwise noted.
- 67.350 Conflicts with international agreements.
(a) If you are an owner or mortgagee of a fishing vessel less than 100 feet in length and believe that there is a conflict between 46 CFR part 67 and any international treaty or agreement to which the United States is a party on October 1, 2001, and to which the United States is currently a party, you may petition the National Vessel Documentation Center (NVDC) for a ruling that all or sections of part 67 do not apply to you with respect to a particular vessel, provided that you had an ownership interest in the vessel or a mortgage on the vessel on October 1, 2001. You may file your petition with the NVDC before October 1, 2001, with respect to international treaties or agreements in effect at the time of your petition which are not scheduled to expire before October 1, 2001.
(b) If you are filing a petition for exemption with the NVDC for reasons stated in paragraph (a) of this section, your petition must include:
(1) Evidence of the ownership structure of the vessel petitioning for an exemption as of October 1, 2001, and any subsequent changes to the ownership structure of the vessel;
(i) If you are filing your petition before October 1, 2001, you may substitute evidence of the ownership structure as it exists on the date you file your petition;
(2) A copy of the provisions of the international agreement or treaty that you believe is in conflict with this part;
(3) A detailed description of how the provisions of the international agreement or treaty conflict with this part;
(4) For all petitions filed before October 1, 2001, a certification that the owner intends to transfer no ownership interest in the vessel to a non-U.S. citizen for the following year.
(5) For all petitions filed after October 1, 2001, a certification that no ownership interest was transferred to a non-U.S. citizen after September 30, 2001.
(c) You must file a separate petition for each vessel requiring an exemption unless the NVDC authorizes consolidated filing. Petitions should include two copies of all required materials and should be sent to the following address: National Vessel Documentation Center, 792 TJ Jackson Drive, Falling Water, West Virginia, 25419.
(d) Upon receipt of a complete petition, the NVDC will review the petition to determine whether the effective international treaty or agreement and the requirements of this part are in conflict. If the NVDC determines that this part conflicts with the effective international treaty or agreement, then the NVDC will inform you of the guidelines and requirements you must meet and maintain to qualify for a fisheries endorsement.
(e) If the vessel is determined through the petition process to be exempt from all or sections of the requirements of this part, then you must annually, from the date of exemption, submit the following evidence of its ownership structure to the NVDC:
(1) The vessel’s current ownership structure;
(2) The identity of all non-citizen owners and the percentages of their ownership interest in the vessel;
(3) Any changes in the ownership structure that have occurred since you last submitted evidence of the vessel’s ownership structure to the NVDC; and
(4) A statement ensuring that no interest in the vessel was transferred to a non-citizen during the previous year.
- 67.352 Applicability.
The exemption in this subpart shall not be available to:
(a) Owners and mortgagees of a fishing vessel less than 100 feet in length who acquired an interest in the vessel after October 1, 2001; or
(b) Owners of a fishing vessel less than 100 feet in length, if any ownership interest in that vessel is transferred to or otherwise acquired by a non-U.S. citizen after October 1, 2001.
Subparts W-X [Reserved]
Subpart Y—Fees
- 67.500 Applicability.
(a) This subpart specifies documentation services provided for vessels for which fees are applicable. No documentation service for which a fee is applicable will be performed until the appropriate fee has been paid. Fees are contained in Table 67.550.
(b) There is no fee for replacement of a Certificate of Documentation due to a wrongful withholding.
(c) The Director, National Vessel Documentation Center may waive collection of fees applicable under this subpart for a service provided to a Federal agency when the fee would be directly paid with federally-appropriated funds by a Federal agency acting in its own behalf.
(d) Application fees under this subpart are not refundable.
[CGD 89-007, CGD 89-007a, 58 FR 60266, Nov. 15, 1993; 58 FR 65131, Dec. 13, 1993, as amended by CGD 95-014, 60 FR 31605, June 15, 1995; CGD 95-070, 60 FR 40241, Aug. 7, 1995; USCG-1998-4442, 63 FR 52191, Sept. 30, 1998; USCG-2010-0990, 79 FR 47023, Aug. 12, 2014]
- 67.501 Application for Certificate of Documentation.
An application fee is charged for an initial Certificate of Documentation in accordance with subpart K of this part. If application is made for any trade endorsement, the applicable fee under § 67.511 will be charged in addition to the application fee for the Certificate. The application fee does not include the fee under § 67.527 for filing and recording any required bills of sale or instruments in the nature of a bill of sale, or the application fee under § 67.519 for waivers in accordance with §§ 67.89 or 67.101.
- 67.503 Application for exchange or replacement of a Certificate of Documentation.
(a) An application fee is charged for exchange or the simultaneous exchange and replacement of a Certificate of Documentation in accordance with subpart K of this part. Only a single application fee will be assessed when two or more reasons for exchange occur simultaneously. If application is made for any trade endorsement, the applicable fee under § 67.511 will be charged in addition to the application fee for the exchange or replacement.
(b) The application fee for exchange or replacement does not apply to:
(1) Endorsement of a change in the owner’s address;
(2) Exchange or replacement solely by reason of clerical error on the part of a documentation officer; or
(3) Deletion of a vessel from documentation.
- 67.505 Application for return of vessel to documentation.
An application fee is charged for a return of a vessel to documentation after deletion in accordance with subpart K of this part. If application is made for any trade endorsement, the applicable fee under § 67.511 will be charged in addition to the application fee for return to documentation.
- 67.507 Application for replacement of lost or mutilated Certificate of Documentation.
An application fee is charged for replacement of a lost or mutilated Certificate of Documentation in accordance with subpart K of this part.
- 67.509 Application for approval of exchange of Certificate of Documentation requiring mortgagee consent.
An application fee is charged for approval of exchange of a Certificate of Documentation requiring mortgagee consent in accordance with subpart K of this part.
- 67.511 Application for trade endorsement(s).
(a) Coastwise endorsement. An application fee is charged for a coastwise endorsement, in accordance with subpart B of this part.
(b) Coastwise Bowaters endorsement. An application fee is charged for a coastwise Bowaters endorsement in accordance with 46 CFR part 68.
(c) Fishery endorsement. An application fee is charged for a fishery endorsement in accordance with subpart B of this part.
(d) Registry or recreational endorsement. There is no application fee for a registry or recreational endorsement, or both.
(e) When multiple trade endorsements are requested on the same application, only the single highest applicable endorsement fee will be charged.
[CGD 89-007, CGD 89-007a, 58 FR 60266, Nov. 15, 1993, as amended by USCG-2009-0702, 74 FR 49230, Sept. 25, 2009]
- 67.513 Application for evidence of deletion from documentation.
An application fee is charged for evidence of deletion from documentation in accordance with subpart L of this part.
- 67.515 Application for renewal of endorsements.
An application fee is charged for renewal of endorsements on Certificates of Documentation in accordance with subpart L of this part.
[USCG-2010-0990, 79 FR 47023, Aug. 12, 2014, as amended by USCG-2020-0215, 86 FR 5031, Jan. 19, 2021]
- 67.517 Application for late renewal.
In addition to any other fees required by this subpart, including a renewal fee, a fee is charged for a late renewal in accordance with subpart L of this part.
[USCG-2010-0990, 79 FR 47023, Aug. 12, 2014]