USCG Certificates of Documentation can now be renewed for up to five years at a time.
This is great news for vessels that go overseas, on extended voyages, or for folks who just prefer to spend their time doing things other than paperwork.
Just fill out the CG-1280 Renewal of Certificate of Documentation as usual, write a check for the proper amount ($26 per year, up to $130 for five years), and write the vessel number and number of years paid in the memo.
Submit the CG-1280 no more than 60 days prior to your documentation’s expiration in order to retain the existing renewal cycle. Submitting sooner will result in the expiration month moving up, which is a waste of money.
After January 1, 2022 all Certificates of Documentation for recreational vessels will be for a five year duration.
For more info, see the instructions and this USCG announcement.
Update: For a complete how-to guide, see How To Multi-Year Renew USCG Vessel Documentation.