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National Vessel Documentation Center
PDF and Fax Filing Information
Background
New rules effective 31 October 2007 eliminate the need to file original bills of sale
, mortgages, and related instruments with the U.S. Coast Guard National Vessel
Documentation Center (NVDC). To improve customer service and timeliness of filing,
most such instruments may be filed by facsimile without the need to follow up with
originals or in portable document format (.pdf) as attachments to e-mail. Only .pdf
documents will be accepted; documents submitted in another format will be rejected.
Regulation Information
The new rules were published in the Federal Register on 02 August 2007, (72 FR 42310) and are incorporated in 46 CFR 67.218 and 67.219.
Size Limitations
The maximum size of the attachment cannot exceed 15 MB.
Email Address
The e-mail address for filing .pdf instruments is NVDC.PDF.FILING@uscg.mil. The fax number for fax filing remains 304 271-2405. Please note the requirement for a cover page for a fax filing and information on the e-mail forwarding a .pdf file.
Email Requirements
All instruments filed by fax or as .pdf attachments must be 8 1/2” X 11” and no smaller than 10 point type. Application for filing fees remain $8 per page for bills of sale and instruments in the nature of a bill of sale; $4 per page for mortgages and related instruments; and, $8 per page for notices of claim of lien and related instruments. There is no charge for filing a release or satisfaction of a mortgage or notice of claim of lien. The surcharge of $2 for filing by fax has been eliminated.
Some considerations:
The e-mail address for filing is not a secure web site. We cannot guarantee security of personal data such as social security numbers or for financial data such as credit card numbers. However, fax filings go to a secure fax machine with limited access. Persons filing by e-mail attachment who wish to pay by credit card may wish to send the fees to the secure fax machine. In that case, please print out a copy of the e-mail and fax it along with the credit card authorization to 304 271-2415 to make it easier for the NVDC to match payment with the submission and avoid potential processing delays. A delay in submitting fees may cause a delay in processing your submissions.
Acknowledgement
The NVDC will not provide routine acknowledgments of filings made by fax or e-mail attachment. For fax submissions, the sender's terminal will provide confirmation of delivery and the number of pages transmitted. Senders of e-mail submissions may request "delivery" and "read" receipts which are automatically generated. If a more detailed request for an e-mail filing is desired, the e-mail must bear the legend "RECEIPT REQUESTED." When such a receipt is requested, NVDC will provide a response e-mail indicating the number of pages received. Please note that there is occasional repagination in .pdf files sent electronically.
Finally, please be advised that for security reasons, all e-mail (but not the attachments) is automatically converted to plain text before delivery to the NVDC.
Thank you for visiting the NVDC.