Shout out to the new USCG eStorefront!

[boomerang]

I knew our USCG vessel documentation was coming up for renewal but I never really gave it to much thought because the renewal notice never came in the mail. Last week, I checked the date and saw it was due to expire this month. I told my wife, Liz, since she's better at handling the paperwork side of things and has way more patience with that kind of stuff than I have. She got on the NVDC website and tried to renew it online. She couldn't find our boat in the database and gave the center a call. Liz said the lady at the center was very helpful and the the search had to be exactly as it was filled out on the document. Turns out she wan't putting my middle initial in the search since I'm listed as the managing owner. As soon as she did that, she was able to fill out the renewal using the online storefront.
Other than it being easier that the traditional renewal by mail, I received the new document in 4 days!
I highly recommend using this method. Finally, a government agency has simplified something! Miracles do exist.
Here's the link for anyone who has a renewal coming up.

Welcome | Login.gov

Login.gov

secure.login.gov

 

[Comodave]

Yes, it is easy and quick.

 

[muthrtuckr]

I'm glad it worked so well for you. They found my boat...no problem. Filled in all the necessary/required information. Can't get it to to go anywhere. At the bottom of the page the only clickable link is EXIT. Guess I''ll have to contact them tomorrow. And just for giggles...does everyone remember the fake solicitation mail for documentation. I got one a couple of months ago. Wrote return to sender...they can pay for the privilege. Yesterday I got another one, along with the 'real' one for the government in my mailbox. I'm sending that one back to them also. Maybe I should just write 'dead' on the envelope and they'd take me off their mailing list

 

[Trighom]

I had a great experience with the new USCG eStorefront too. Our boat’s documentation was up for renewal, and instead of dealing with mail, I tried the online system. At first, the site couldn’t find our boat because I didn’t include my middle initial. A quick call to the help center fixed that, and the lady was really helpful. Got the new document in just 4 days! It’s so much easier than the old mail-in method. Highly recommend!

 

[Marco Flamingo]

This thread reminded me that I hadn't checked my documentation for awhile and hadn't gotten notice. Turns out the documentation had a recent past address and, apparently, the notice hadn't been forwarded. So my documentation has expired and I am unable to use the new site. I'm now going through the process of trying to renew. This is fair warning to anybody who has moved recently. So far, I've found the re-instatement fee is $84.

 

[Marco Flamingo]

This thread reminded me that I hadn't checked my documentation for awhile and hadn't gotten notice. Turns out the documentation had a recent past address and, apparently, the notice hadn't been forwarded. So my documentation has expired and I am unable to use the new site. I'm now going through the process of trying to renew. This is fair warning to anybody who has moved recently. So far, I've found the re-instatement fee is $84.

Might be wrong. I filled out a credit card authorization form (CG-7042) which had a $5 fee for a late documentation renewal. I guess I'll find out.

 

[Marco Flamingo]

There was a problem with my documentation. In the renewal, my wife filled out the form and listed herself as a co-owner. Turns out that she wasn't on the original. After making an inquiry about the amount of delay, I received a notice that the new documentation was denied unless I provided info that she is my wife, not a new owner or partial owner, etc. Sent that information along with the requested $1 correction fee (yes, $1). Actually, the correction fee was through my credit card so I had to authorize another credit card transaction for the $1 fee. I show the fee having gone through, but I haven't heard anything back yet despite making an inquiry. Time for another inquiry.

So, sometimes easy and quick. Other times, nope. Instead of a 4 day renewal, mine's going on more than 4 months.

 

[Comodave]

Well you can’t really fault the CG if you fill out the renewal wrong.

 

[psneeld]

For as many people who try to defraud the government, even the simplest mistakes has become a quagmire of procedural steps to avoid mistakes on their part.

Even as a sr officer in the USCG active duty, I hit snags with personal vessels and I was no better off than a common criminal trying to resolve them.

Many branches of government are like that and really about the same as big business these days.... trying to resolve problems with so many customer service centers is frustrating.

 

[kthoennes]

Just did my renewal -- for the first time this year (for me anyway), the NVDC "storefront" really is quick and easy on multi-year renewals for recreational vessels. I did have a similar snag like some of the previous posts. The system kept telling me the managing owner information didn't match the official number so I couldn't proceed, so I had to call the 800 number. Got right through, rep was fast and efficient and found the snag. I'm the third (same name as dad and grandad). The doc renewal notice did not include the suffix but my managing owner data in the system did, so we had to fix that. So yeah, the system is VERY precise on matching data but they resolved it very quickly and easily with me on the phone, actually talking to a human.

(Still renewed for just one year though because there's no price break anyway, and renewing every March is always a happy signal to me that the boat gets launched in a couple months.)