USCG Documentation Turnaround - 9 Days Total

[unbusted67]

I just got my MM credential back in about 10 days.

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by SF Bay Dude

Process is pretty simple for out of country sale. Just have a lawyer or notary from the country where the sale is happening notarize the bill of sale and the documentation release. That's it.

Nope, read the document the CG provides. They want a US Notary. Just went thru this. To use another countries Notary, you have to request special consideration (at an extra cost) and they are vague about what you need to prove they are legitimate.

As with others, they charged the credit card within 2 days but 2months later, they report it will be another month an a half before they look at the paperwork.

[Unwritten]

Wish I would have gotten the people you were working with at the USCG. 9 days would have been fantastic. I received mine is a short 8 months for a recreational initial application. Apparently I pissed someone off with my font selection or something.

[oblivionboyj]

9 days is amazing!
I did an exchange of owner on a recreational that took 4 months at the end of 2014.
I never received any kind of temporary at all.
I just assumed that was normal.
Seems that there is a lot of variation of times for return.

8 months would have left me pulling out my hair. LOL

[SF Bay Dude]

Originally Posted by valhalla360

Nope, read the document the CG provides. They want a US Notary. Just went thru this. To use another countries Notary, you have to request special consideration (at an extra cost) and they are vague about what you need to prove they are legitimate.

As with others, they charged the credit card within 2 days but 2months later, they report it will be another month an a half before they look at the paperwork.

Funny, because on the back of every documentation title states "…to be completed by notary public or other official authorized by a law or a state or the United States to take oaths."

Doesn't say a state in the US. A state is Mexico, Costa Rica, etc, as well. At least that's how I read it. One little word changes everything. Or! Oye! Can't imagine having people fly back to get a notary in the US. So you pay some extra coin for "processing". Better than a flight home, no?

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by SF Bay Dude

Funny, because on the back of every documentation title states "…to be completed by notary public or other official authorized by a law of a state or the United States to take oaths."

Doesn't say a state in the US. A state is Mexico, Costa Rica, etc, as well. At least that's how I read it. One little word changes everything. Or! Oye! Can't imagine having people fly back to get a notary in the US. So you pay some extra coin for "processing". Better than a flight home, no?

One minor correction above.

If you read the instructions page on the web it says "notary public". Also I called and they will accept another countries version if you get it re-notarized at the local consulate. Having the seller drive 2hrs then sit at the local consulate to get it signed isn't much better.

Given they just sent back a request to resubmit on other items on a technicality, you have at it arguing what a "state" is with them.

FYI - You can electronically notarize from a company out of south Carolina now. It's too expensive but if the option is to fly the seller to the states it sure is a lot cheaper.

[SF Bay Dude]

Crazy to think it's not easier. There's plenty of people buying and selling US Doc boats in other countries. I'm glad my seller decided to come up to the border and have everything notarized stateside. Much easier. Thought it would be "easy".

[valhalla360]

Just a follow up on the Notary issue.


Just talked to the Coast Guard this morning. She double checked that it was notarized by a USA Notary. The helpful lady was excited when I told her we got it notarized by a US Notary online. She said it was a common problem as they will accept foreign notaries but only after they are confirmed at the consulate, so now she has a better option to offer people (even though it's a lot more than most notaries charge).

[neptunesjester]

Filed for an exchange of documentation in Dec. I followed up at the end of Feb after checking the case processing dates and though maybe the page was not being updated. Nope it is correct.

I'm currently without documentation. I asked the NVDC what I should show the local Coasties and Marine Patrol if stopped. They said everyone knows about their backlog and to show them the forms I submitted.

They said they may issue temporary certificates in the Spring, but the decision was not yet made. They estimated it would be May or June before my paperwork was processed.


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[robgrant1]

We used a service, New England Marine Documentation, and the paperwork was submitted on November 18th. We just received the finalized documentation; so about 4 months.

[Unwritten]

Gotta love government efficiency.

[robgrant1]

Originally Posted by Unwritten

Gotta love government efficiency.

Well, not wholly inefficient; the check to the CG cleared on December 2nd.

[neptunesjester]

I received my updated documentation two days ago. So they seem to have cleared some of the backlog.


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[sailorboy1]

I got my renewal back within 2 weeks of when I put it in the mail.

[valhalla360]

Latest twist...Notarized bill of sale (Virginia Electronic Notary) submitted. They are questioning the digital signature on it from the previous owner. They want an actual signature or... get this...an electronic signature (!!!!?????!!!!).


IT'S A NOTARIZED BILL OF SALE!!!!


You notarize something to provide independent 3rd party evidence that the contract was agreed to. It's an order of magnitude more iron clad than a signature. The electronic notary video records the process, so you can play a tape of the person agreeing if it comes down to a court case.


Luckily we had already requested a waiver from the notary requirement and it sounds like they will be applying it but it wasn't until I called and asked for an explanation that they changed their mind and agreed that the waiver might work. They seemed relieved to have this option because I don't think they have a good answer otherwise.


They did admit that they really don't have electronic paperwork figured out.