Are you wondering exactly how to renew your vessel documentation? Does it feel as if your vessel’s documentation should be renewed soon, but you aren’t sure? Vessel documentation is valid for one year. That said, it can be all too easy to lose track of exactly when your vessel was documented. As such, having your vessel documentation expire can be easier than you might imagine. Documented vessel renewal shouldn’t be a challenge or a chore. Here at the National Documentation Portal, we can help you to get your vessel in compliance in multiple ways.
If Your Vessel Documentation Hasn’t Expired
If your vessel documentation has yet to expire but you want to renew it, you can do so easily through our site. Just click on “Renewal” on the top left of the page and fill out the form. Now, you can do this at any time, but we don’t recommend doing it until your vessel documentation has almost expired. Why? Because the date you renew will set a new date for expiration. So, if your vessel documentation is set to expire in November and you renew it in August, then next year, it’ll expire in August. That’s both a way to lose money as well as to forget and not realize your vessel documentation expires earlier in the next calendar year.
If Your Vessel Documentation Has Expired
In the event that your vessel documentation has expired, that the renewal date was 30 or more days ago, then you cannot renew your vessel documentation. However, (and this is crucial) that does not mean that you are precluded from documenting your vessel. You can do so. It’s just that you have to go the route of “Reinstatement.” You can find the form for this on our site. Remember: you can’t “renew” 30 days or more after the renewal date, but you can “reinstate.”
If You Want Your Vessel Documentation to Be Valid for Years
Yes, remembering to renew your vessel documentation year after year can be a bit of a chore, especially if you plan on having your vessel documented for a long time to come. However, we can help here, too. All you have to do is, when you fill out the form to renew your vessel documentation, choose to renew it for two, three, four, and even up to five years. With just a few presses of a button, you can renew for the next half-decade without any concerns of expiration whatsoever.
Beyond Documented Vessel Renewal
As stated, renewal is most likely the most common use of our site. However, it’s far from the only form of vessel documentation that we assist with. Indeed, you can find just about everything else that you may potentially need here for the course of vessel ownership. Beyond initial documentation, renewal, obtaining a Certified Copy, and more, you can even find the forms that you would use to research a potential vessel purchase. To see all of the forms and how they can help your vessel as well as your situation, click here.