Just as is the case whenever you are making any large purchase like buying a car or a home, when you buy a boat you know there is going to be paperwork you need to fill out. Not only will there be legal paperwork involved regarding the purchase and the financing you may seek to help pay for the purchase, but there will also be paperwork you need to do with the Coast Guard as well if you want a Certificate of Documentation (COD). It is a good idea for you to know when to use form CG 1258 for your vessel so you can be sure you fill out the correct forms for filing.
The Form for Initial Documentation
If you are filing for a COD for the first time for your vessel, such as if you purchase a brand-new vessel, this is the form from the Coast Guard that you will need to fill out first. The form will ask you for specific information about you so you can verify you are a United States citizen (a condition of receiving documentation for your boat), and it will also ask you for information regarding your vessel and its use.
The Form for Replacement Documentation
You will also need to use form CG 1258 if you ever need to apply for a replacement COD. There may be occasions where you lose your certificate, or the certificate becomes damaged because of an incident that occurs on your vessel. In cases such as this, you need to get a replacement as soon as possible since it is required that you have a valid COD on your boat. This form is the one you will fill out and file with the Coast Guard to get your replacement.
Use Form CG 1258
If you need a form to use CG1258 for initial or replacement documentation, at Vessel Documentation Online we give you easy access to the form, so you do not have to hunt it down and download it. All Coast Guard documentation forms can be found easily here on our site, and you can fill them out online and send them to us so we can check them for accuracy and present them to the Coast Guard for you for approval. Make filing forms for your vessel less hectic for you and eliminate paperwork by working with us in the process.