I overpaid for USCG registration directly to USCG- any recommendations?

[Bryant]

Documentation

I have a documented vessel and I misunderstood the information that talked about being able to register for more than 1 year at a time. So, I sent in a check for a 5 year registration.

The registration came in the mail and it was for only 1 year.

I contacted the USCG and they said my boat was only eligible for 1 year and the other 4 years fee I sent in was not refundable per CFR.

I thought WTF? I made a mistake and instead of them sending the paperwork back they processed it and kept the difference?

I asked for a higher-up to comment and that person said the same thing but I could appeal to an even higher up, which I did and I am waiting for the answer.

So, the rules say I was not eligible for multi-year which I now understand, but the rules also say "the correct fee" must be paid in order to process (which it wasn't, I over paid, it was not the correct fee).

My view is they should have just sent it back to me and let me re-submit. What if I accidentally computer generated a check for $2600 instead of $26-- would they have kept the extra? I doubt it.

Anyone have any ideas? I am less bothered about the money than I am that my government keeps the money from innocent errors.

Thanks in advance for your insights. You all have been very helpful over the years.

Send a Registered letter to the Commandant of the Coast Guard with the details. Then send a copy of your letter and the USPS registration along with a letter of the details to your congressman. You'll get a response.

 

[Bryant]

OOOps. I just noticed something. Did you send your documentation fees to the ACTUAL Coast Guard or to one of the Scam outfits that look like the Coast Guard but aren't. They charge you $100 for a $27 dollar fee and keep the rest. Always make sure you are dealing with the Coast Guard. If you used one of these other outfits, then please disregard my previous advice. The Coast Guard isn't responsible for what these scammers are doing.

 

[RLKramer]

Update to "I overpaid the fees to USCG"

Update: I appealed up the chain and eventually got a well written/organized letter from a higher-upper saying that they would refund the overpayment. He never said he agreed with me or that they had reasons that they were right or wrong, just that a refund was coming.

A month went by and the check never came. I wrote to him and inquired thinking he had made a typo in my letter and I misunderstood the deal. He said the check would come from the US Treasury and often would take a month or more.

Well, we are are still waiting, but the "check is on the way". Just wanted you all to know.

 

[ProMaritime]

Something tells be that you may have not sent your renewal and paid you money to the National Vessel Documentation Center whose email address ends in uscg.mil.

You may have sent them to one of the scam artists who are always at the top of any Google search because they pay Google big bucks to be there to collect high fees from suckers and to and reroute your application and $27 to the real USCG agency and pocket the rest. These frauds' addresses and websites are so very official looking.

 

[RLKramer]

Thanks, I know that is a reasonable thought. The emails and letterhead all say US Gov. I'm suspicious, too, but this time I think it is the US GOV.

 

[ProMaritime]

Here are a couple of for-profit companies, not illegal but they will charge several times the $27 the the USCG National Vessel Documentation Center will charge and will take much longer to process than the USCG.

NVDC CG Form CG-1280 Online Webform

Vessel Documentation Renewal - Online Application
Ad·www.unitedstatesvessel.us/cg-1280/renewal
Annual renewal of Coast Guard Vessel Documentation. Form CG-1280. Online Application for National Vessel Documentation. Abstracts of Title. Replacement Certificates. Reinstatement. Highlights: Multiple Payment Options Available, Form Assistance Available.

Here is the real one:

National Vessel Documentation Center www.dco.uscg.mil ›

 

[Shrew]

I thought WTF? I made a mistake and instead of them sending the paperwork back they processed it and kept the difference?

I had this happen with a 'store' credit card. The store had changed lenders. I had both lenders listed in my online banking. I accidentally sent a payment to the old lender, not the active lender of the account. Later I get a late payment notice from the actual lender.

The old lender took the check and cashed it and said nothing. It didn't even go against my old account because it had been closed. It took a few days for them to track it down and issue a refund check. Had I not called they would have quietly kept the money.

 

[kthoennes]

This whole situation is a good example of why I'm still doing the one-year renewal that's completely automated and electronic, even though I could do five years now instead, but with that manual payment angle. One year still means no humans involved, no sending pieces of paper (checks) in the mail. Yes, it's an annual few minutes to renew every year but it's lightning fast and no humans.

(This reminds me of the time my wife picked up a Chinese dinner for us on the way home -- they forgot the decimal on the cash register and rang it for $3500 instead of 35.00. Took a week for the refund. That was an expensive egg roll and it wasn't fun living with my spouse that week.)