Federal Registration Required ?

[heraulc2]

Hello,

We are currently in the Bahamas and our boat is state registered. We will soon be heading towards
1) Turks and Caicos,
2) Dominican Republic,
3) Puerto Rico,
4) Virgin Islands,
5) Sint Maarten and
6) further down south.
For each of these destinations, can anybody tell me if Federal registration (coast guard) is required or if our state registration will be enough?

Thank you very much and merry Christmas!
Celine

[Ike]

Well I don't know about the others but Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands are part of the USA so you should have no problem there.

[daddle]

No country requires USCG documentation of a pleasure vessel. Your state registration will be fine. Some officials may look at it funny as they are not as used to seeing state registrations as they are USCG certificates.

[David M]

Federal documentation makes it a US Flag vessel with all the accompanying protections which includes the aid from a US consulate.

Federal documentation also provides a clear record of ownership and title history through the USCG's records which assures that if you buy the boat, you own it.

[heraulc2]

Thank you for your replies. They were very helpful.
Celine

[Bill_E]

If it were me, I'd document. If you are in the Bahamas I think you can find a company in the US who will do all of the paperwork for you. When we bought our boat in Florida we had such a company do all of the titling and transfer the documentation. I think we paid about $400 for everything. If you have never been documented I don't know how hard it is but the CG website is pretty good and if you have to call the folks in West Virginia, I found them very polite and helpful!

But, you are likely to run into some officials who will be much more comfortable with USCG registration. The Turks and Caicos are fairly strict about importing and exporting but I found the officials in Provo very nice, if difficult to get ahold of. The DR will want to see a lot of papers when you enter and then will track your trip with despachos at every port. It is also useful to get a Customs decal for US ports. You can get it for $10 online. It makes it a bit easier if you sail from place to place in PR and the USVI.

There's my two cents.
Bill

[speciald@ocens.]

I think the customs decal is more like $24. Remember that is your boat is documented it still must be state registered. I use Delaware as they are inexpensive.

[George]

You do not want to check into a French Isle without documentation. Guadeloupe and Martineque are states of France. You will not be pleased. Document for sure!

[Fortytwo]

The requirement for documented vessels to be registered with the state is state dependent. Check with the motor vehicle department in your state. California Department of Motor Vehicles does not require state registration of USCG Documented vessels. USCG Documentation are done via mail.

USCG National Vessel Documentation Center

Application For Initial Issue (CG-1258), download it from here and instructions are included in the form

USCG National Vessel Documentation Center, Forms Page

Fee Schedule, Initial Certificate of Documentation $133.00

USCG National Vessel Documentation Center, Fee Page

You can see the current USCG processing dates here

USCG National Vessel Documentation Center, Processing Dates Page

Annual renewal of USCG Documentation is form (CG-1280), no fee.

[DotDun]

I would USCG document then there will be no question about another country accepting your paperwork. If you are out of the US, no need to register in any state which means no state fees. USCG doc is free after the initial doc fee.

[heraulc2]

We are state registered and since USCG is not required, we will keep it as is for the time being, with the possibility of changing this in the coming months. Thanks again

[markpierce]

It is now taking the documentation center about three months to process an application for a recreational vessel. Leastwise, that's how long it took my application. Received the certificate earlier this month.

[Fortytwo]

USCG is not required for the US. I love to try to travel internationally with my driver's license. Good rigging or sails or a boat isn't required either. We would love any feedback for how that works out for you. if you can... Good luck!

P.S. We're all out of bail money.

[daddle]

Originally Posted by Fortytwo

USCG is not required for the US. I love to try to travel internationally with my driver's license. Good rigging or sails or a boat isn't required either. We would love any feedback for how that works out for you. if you can... Good luck!

P.S. We're all out of bail money.

You have some references to back this up? As a datapoint, because boats less than 5 net tons cannot be documented, yet many such boats have been sailed around the world, are we to presume all the skippers have suffered in foreign jails?

[Fortytwo]

Are you asking for "references" that USCG documentation is not required?

USCG National Vessel Documentation Center, FAQ Page