When you’re out on the water, having the right documents onboard isn’t just a formality—it can save time, reduce stress, and keep you compliant with regulations. Here’s a complete list of the essential boat documents you should always have onboard:
Essential Boat Documents
- Boat Title and Registration
Every boat must have proof of ownership. For most states, this means your title or a current registration. If your boat is documented with the U.S. Coast Guard, carry your Certificate of Documentation (COD). Don’t forget about your dinghy—motorized ones often require registration, too! - Insurance Policy
Keep a copy of your boat insurance policy and contact details for your insurer onboard. These are often required by marinas, boatyards, or in the event of an accident. - Towing Service Membership
If you’re a member of a towing service like TowBoatUS or SeaTow, make sure your membership information is easily accessible. This can be a lifesaver if you need assistance on the water. - Licenses and Certifications
Depending on your boating location or activities, you may need:- A captain’s license (if carrying paying passengers).
- Boater safety cards or state boating licenses (required in some states and locations).
- Radio licenses for marine communication, if applicable.
- Hurricane Plan
If cruising in hurricane-prone areas, some marinas may require a hurricane plan as part of your dockage agreement. Even if not mandatory, having it onboard can be invaluable during storm preparations. - Inspection Papers
If your boat has passed a U.S. Coast Guard or Auxiliary inspection within the last year, keep the inspection report onboard. This can often prevent additional inspections and speed up any stops by law enforcement.
Boat Surveys
While not strictly required, most boaters like to keep surveys with the other documents. They’re helpful for insurance and when going to the boatyard.Â
How to Organize Your Boat Documents
Having all these documents onboard is essential, but knowing where they are at a moment’s notice is just as important. A sturdy organizer protects your paperwork as you take it to and from various offices and makes finding what you need quick and easy.Â
While a plain folder or binder can work, they often aren’t large enough to hold everything or secure enough to keep items from slipping out while you’re traveling by dinghy or walking to an office.
That’s why we created the Boat Documents Organizer (also available on Amazon). It’s designed specifically for the realities of boating:Â
- Holds over 400 pages to accommodate insurance policies, surveys, and hurricane plans.
- Features labeled compartments to make finding documents fast and easy.
- Keeps papers secure so they won’t slide out or get lost.
- Includes a checklist to ensure you don’t forget anything important.
It’s compact enough to fit in the nav station, but I recommend keeping it in your ditch bag. In the event of a major emergency, you’ll want these documents with you should you need to abandon ship.Â
Bonus Tip: Go Digital
It’s a good idea to keep digital backups of your documents. Scanning and saving them to a USB drive or cloud storage gives you peace of mind if your physical copies are lost or damaged, and it makes getting replacements easier.
Just remember: digital copies are not replacements. You still need to have the originals aboard.
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