PHOTO COURTESY OF BOATUS
BoatUS is advising boaters who own vessels that have a U.S. Coast Guard Certificate of Documentation to be wary of letters arriving by U.S. mail offering renewal. Third parties are sending out letters that look official, with a name and return address that looks similar to that of the official U.S. Coast Guard National Vessel Documentation Center. Often, the website these letters direct recipients to looks similar to the official Coast Guard NVDC, but show significant increases in renewal fees.
While the Coast Guard does sent official annual notices by mail, boaters are advised to be wary and confirm the notice is in fact an official letter from the actual Coast Guard.
“The NVDC is aware that there are commercial entities that offer to manage the certification/renewal process on behalf of vessel owners for a fee,” says a 2017 Coast Guard bulletin. “The Coast Guard does not endorse any of these companies, and the companies do not operate on behalf of the Coast Guard in any way. Any fees charged or agreements offered by such companies are in no way associated with the NVDC certification process. In addition, these companies are not authorized to issue any form of documentation, including travel letters and/or permits that authorize operation of ANY vessel. Customer complaints can be made through the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) website at https://www.ftc.gov/.”
The Coast Guard’s renewal process is simple and costs only $26 annually. To renew, go to the U.S. Coast Guard National Documentation Center website and click on “instructions and forms,” then “Certificate of Documentation Application for Renewal.”
