How to Properly Search a Vessel by Name Using NVDC Database

How to Properly Search a Vessel by Name Using NVDC Database

It wasn’t just the name of that boat that caught your eye as you went past the marina the other day. You also noticed that the boat was for sale, and at first glance, it looked beautiful. You have always wanted to own a recreational ship like this, and the opportunity to get one that is already close to you and seems to fit just what you want may not come along again for a long time. You quickly copy down the name of the boat and the for sale information, vowing to work on it when you get home, but you may not be sure what steps you should take before contacting the seller. One thing you can do is perform a Vessel Documentation Center search by name so you can gather information on a vessel you’re interested in before registering it.

 

How to Properly Search a Vessel by Name Using NVDC Database

What is the Vessel Documentation Center?

The National Vessel Documentation Center (NVDC) is a division of the Coast Guard. Specifically, it’s the branch of the military responsible for the registration of vessels in the United States. The NVDC, based in West Virginia, handles all the paperwork regarding documentation and registration of commercial and recreational ships in the United States. While recreational boats are not required to seek out documentation, many of these ships are registered either because the owner wishes to do so or the financial institution responsible for the lending has made it mandatory as a condition of a loan. The NVDC updates information quarterly to keep records in the database as accurate as possible.

Searching Using a Vessel Name

You can access the NVDC database at any website that offers a search function of the database. You can do a Vessel Documentation Center search by vessel name using the name you acquired while looking at the boat you are interested in. Type the name into the appropriate search box, select search, and that is all you need to do. Keep in mind that vessels can have the same or similar name to others, so you may receive multiple results for your search that you need to look at before you find the specific entry related to the vessel you like.

Registering Your New Vessel

If you have done a Vessel Documentation Center search by vessel name and decided that the ship is the one you want and have completed a transaction, congratulations on your purchase! Now that the ship is yours, you should come to us at Vessel Documentation Online so that you can make sure that all of your vessel documentation is current with the Coast Guard. Their website features a fast, secure, and easy method to submit applications to the Coast Guard. Everything is done electronically for your convenience, and the NVDC has a staff of experts that will examine your documents before they send anything on to the Coast Guard for processing. Make use of all the site has to offer so you can get the registration you need for your boat.