Boat owners are able to work directly with the Coast Guard's National Vessel Documentation Center to document their boat or renew their Certificate of Documentation. Their website has instructions, forms, pricing, FAQs and contact information to help boaters understand the documentation process.
For boats that have not been previously documented, owners will generally need to submit form CG-1258 (application for documentation), form CG-5397 (Application for Simplified Measurement) and proof of ownership (i.e. state title, state registration, form CG-1340 Bill of Sale, form CG-1261 Builders Certificate).
For boats that have been previously documented, owners will generally need to submit CG-1258 (application for documentation) and proof of ownership (i.e. state title, state registration, form CG-1340 Bill of Sale, form CG-1261 Builders Certificate).
Renewing a Certificate of Documentation can be done on the National Vessel Documentation Center's website.