What Kind of Proof of Vessel Ownership Do I Need If I'm Documenting Sea Time on a Boat That I Own?

The proof of vessel ownership you submit to the USCG must list your name as the owner, and must also match the vessel identification information you use on your CG-719S form. Acceptable proof of ownership may include, although is not limited to:

• Vessel documentation
• Title
• Proof of insurance
• Bill of sale
• State registration
  

If I own multiple boats do I need to provide Proof of Ownership for each boat to get my USCG license?

Yes, you will need to provide proof of ownership for every vessel you are submitting to the USCG if you own the boat.

The USCG will only accept sea time that is accompanied with proof of ownership. If you are attesting to your own sea time on your own boats, make sure to sign both parts of section III of the 719S form.

What's the best way to track down proof of ownership documentation for vessels that I sold years ago?

We recommend looking through any old documentation to find anything that has your name and a vessel ID on it before you create your sea service letters or CG-719S form, as these need to match. If you do not have any records of your ownership of the vessel you can contact your insurance agent, the state where it was registered, or anyone else you can think of that may have some type of documentation that has your name and the vessel ID number on it that indicates you are the owner of the boat, such as a marina where you kept the boat, or a boat storage facility where you kept it on the hard.

Will a picture of my boat work for proof of ownership?

No, Photos of vessels are not acceptable as proof of ownership. If you are not the owner of the vessel, someone with knowledge of your service must attest to its accuracy and validity in the proper location on the form by signing it and completing the associated required information.

We hope this made your life a little easier and if you have other questions the MM-SEAS team is always here to help!

MM-SEAS is free to use on your own and if you need some more personalized help you can upgrade to MM-SEAS Pro inside of the site.

No matter what, when you are ready to submit your application, you can choose to have the MM-SEAS staff create a perfect application, handle the USCG application fees and work with the USCG on your behalf to resolve any issues for a flat fee of $349 or you can choose to submit on your own.

Pro MM-SEAS members get access to unlimited live 1 on 1 calls with one of our USCG Licensing Specialists. We've found that answering questions live with screen sharing in a video call makes both of our lives easier. Pro MM-SEAS members can access these features inside of MM-SEAS under License Guidance.