There are several reasons you want to inspect and conduct a boat title search. For any USCG documented boat, you can easily obtain an abstract of title to review the vessel’s title. You can get it from the National Vessel Documentation Center. It’s a different thing for state-titled boats. However, if you’re purchasing a boat, you have to do more than just reviewing the abstract of title of the boat. You must ensure and verify the vessel’s ownership and history. Most importantly, you must make sure that it doesn’t have any undisclosed liens.
What document to obtain when checking a boat title?
To examine the boat title to know and verify ownership, you must request an abstract of title. You can request it at https://uscgdocumentation.us/. Your task in reviewing the boat will be a lot easier if the boat is a USCG documented one. All boats with five net tons or more must obtain a certificate of documentation if they’re used in coastwise trade and fishing. But don’t just look into the certificate of documentation. The reason for this is that some US states require a vessel to be registered and titled by the state. Some states regulate boats that are documented and undocumented.
How to check the title of a documented boat?
If you need to verify the title of a documented vessel, you must review the abstract of boat title. It’s a part of the US Coast Guard documentation. Before you can request an abstract of title on the boat, make sure that you have the boat’s name and the official number of the documented boat. It’s also useful if you know its hailing port. If you have issues with the details associated with the boat, you should contact the National Vessel Documentation or request an abstract of title for the vessel. Now, if the boat is undocumented, you can still check its title with the state department. It’s a part of the government that registers motor vehicles.
Liens and more
As mentioned earlier, it’s not enough to get hold of the abstract of title for the boat. It’s especially true if you’re buying a boat. Besides the abstract of title, you must also confirm that the vessel you’re planning to purchase is free of liens. Then, make sure to conduct more research about its history. You should consider a boat documentation professional to help you pull together all documents associated with the vessel in question to help you review the vessel’s history.
