Getting to Know Us

No. We’re a private documentation service. We prepare and file your paperwork with the U.S. Coast Guard and the Missouri Department of Revenue for you. 

Yes, you can always file directly with the U.S. Coast Guard. Many boat owners choose us because the forms can be confusing, and a missing signature or document can cause delays. We review your paperwork before it’s filed, handle the follow-up, and keep you updated along the way. You’ll also work with a real person you can call. 

Yes! Coast Guard documentation is a federal process, so we can help boat owners anywhere in the country. Our Missouri titling and registration services are for boats kept in Missouri. 

•  A signed bill of sale
• The current Coast Guard Certificate of Documentation (or Coast Guard Bill of Sale, Form CG-1340) or state title
• The buyer’s name, address, and contact information
• A Satisfaction of Mortgage from the lender, if there was a loan on the boat
• Missouri Certificate of Registration (if registered in Missouri)

Give us a call, or send us a message and upload your documents through our Contact page. We’ll tell you exactly what your situation needs. 

For a state-titled boat, the lienholder information will appear on the title. If the loan has been paid off, the seller should have a lien release. For a Coast Guard documented boat, the certificate will not show a lienholder. You’ll need an Abstract of Title, which lists recorded mortgages and liens. We can order one for you before you buy. 

• It makes it easier to prove ownership and U.S. nationality in international waters.
• Your boat doesn’t display state registration numbers on the hull.
• Many lenders require it when financing a boat, so they can record a preferred ship mortgage. We can prepare and record the preferred ship mortgage for you and your lender.

                                 See our Buying a Used Boat page

In most states, yes, registration is required, however, check with your local licensing office to confirm.  In Missouri: residents must register a documented boat with the state within 30 days of purchasing it. Nonresidents who keep their documented boat in Missouri for more than 60 consecutive days must register it within 60 days. Late penalties apply after that, and we’re happy to take care of the registration for you. 

Coast Guard Certificate of Documentation can be renewed annually or up to five years for recreational boats.

Every documented boat is assigned an Official Number. It must be permanently marked on a clearly visible part of the boat’s inside hull structure, in numbers at least 3 inches high, preceded by “NO.” Recreational boats must also display the boat name and hailing port (city and state) together on the outside of the hull, in letters at least 4 inches high. Need an Official Number Plaque? Learn more 

Yes, however, the vessel must be deleted from coast guard documentation before applying for a state title. 

STILL HAVE QUESTIONS? Call us at 573-317-7947, or send us a message through our Contact page. We’re happy to help.