HYANNIS – The U.S. Coast Guard has issued a final rule extending recreational vessel Certificate of Documentation from one to five years.
The change is part of cost-saving efforts by the Coast Guard introduced in the Frank LoBiondo Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2018.
“By updating the Code of Federal Regulations to reflect this change, the Coast Guard anticipates this final rule to harmonize with the requirements of the 2018 Act that decreased the burden on recreational vessel owners by requiring COD renewals every 5 years rather than annually,” said Coast Guard officials in a statement.
The new cost for documentation as part of the rule is $130, up from $26 per year.
The documentation establishes the owner of the vessel as well as its country of origin at the federal level.
Vessels of five net tons or more—measured in the vessel’s volume—used in fishing activities or for trade must be documented.