Coast Guard boardings and the Vessel Safety Check

Operating the boat & enforcement · Power & sail

Coast Guard officers may board any vessel subject to U.S. law at any time, without suspecting a violation, to ask questions, check documents and inspect the boat (14 U.S.C. 522). A Vessel Safety Check by the Coast Guard Auxiliary is different: voluntary, free, and not law enforcement.

The authority to board

• Coast Guard commissioned, warrant and petty officers may go aboard any vessel subject to U.S. jurisdiction at any time, question those aboard, examine the boat's documents and papers, and inspect and search it (14 U.S.C. 522(a)).
• They may use all necessary force to compel compliance, arrest people who break federal law, and seize a boat where the law allows (14 U.S.C. 522(a)).
• Coast Guard guidance says boardings are not necessarily based on suspicion; their purpose is to prevent, detect and stop violations of federal law.
• State and local marine officers also board recreational boats under state law. Maryland, for example, says a boat need not be underway and can be boarded at the dock.

What to expect

• If a Coast Guard vessel hails you while underway, stop and lay to, or maneuver as directed so the boarding team can come aboard (Coast Guard guidance).
• The team identifies itself, wears a uniform or gear with Coast Guard insignia, arrives in a marked Coast Guard or Navy vessel flying the Coast Guard ensign, and is armed. Boardings can happen at night (Coast Guard guidance).
• The exam is usually limited to the boat's status and compliance with federal law, but can widen if reasonable suspicion of criminal activity develops (Coast Guard guidance).
• Have registration or documentation papers at hand. Civil penalties can follow for numbering or equipment violations, failing to report an accident, or other federal violations (Coast Guard guidance).
• If the officer finds an especially hazardous condition, the trip can be ended on the spot; see Termination of use (33 CFR 177.05).

Vessel Safety Check: not a boarding

• A Vessel Safety Check (VSC) is a free, voluntary check of your boat by a Coast Guard Auxiliary volunteer, against federal and state requirements and recommended safety items.
• If the boat does not pass, no citation is issued and no report goes to law enforcement; the examiner explains what to fix.
• A boat that passes gets a decal showing it met the requirements at the time of the check.
• A boarding is law enforcement and can lead to penalties or termination of use; a VSC is education only. Request one through your local Auxiliary flotilla (cgaux.org).

The rules: 14 U.S.C. 522 · 33 CFR 177.05

A plain-language summary of federal rules for recreational boats, checked against the rules’ own text and a second source, and written in our own words. It isn’t legal advice. States add rules of their own, and rules change — the links above go to the current official text.