After spending a great deal of time and money to get your boat, you want to make sure you do all you can to keep it in the best shape possible so you can always take it out when you want to. Beyond maintaining the boat itself, you also need to make sure you keep up with your registration of the boat, particularly if you have gone through the documentation process so you could get a Certificate of Documentation (COD) from the Coast Guard. One thing to remember is that it is important for you to continue to renew Coast Guard documentation so that you keep your boat registered and legally on the water.
The Rules and Looking to Renew
When you get a COD for your vessel, remember the COD does expire and will need to be renewed each year. Failure to renew your documentation will allow it to lapse and unless you then opt to register your vessel with your home state, you will not have a valid registration for your boat. This means you run the risk of getting fined or even having your boat impounded for operating without valid registration. Taking the time to go through the renewal process can save you money and headaches.
How to Renew Documentation
To renew Coast Guard documentation, you will need to fill out a renewal form from the Documentation Center and submit it to them, along with your payment for registration. The center does provide you with a window of thirty days after the expiration date to file, but if you go beyond thirty days, you will need to fill out an application for reinstatement of your documentation and pay the associated fees for that.
We Can Renew for You
If you are looking for an easy way to renew Coast Guard documentation, you can work with us here at Vessel Documentation Online. We offer the renewal forms you need here on our website so you can fill out everything electronically and send them to us. We also give you the option of paying your renewal fees ahead of time so that you can get up to five years of automatic renewal on your behalf, saving you the trouble of having to remember to file. Make your life easier and work with us today so that your registration is always renewed accurately and on-time when you call us at (800)419-9569.