American Samoa Boat Registration Summary
American Samoa boat registration summary is a free resource designed to inform the boating public about registration requirements, recording methods, and title search guidelines for the United States Territory of American Samoa. The data is maintained as an open wiki forum where readers are encouraged to participate by sharing knowledge and experiences with this particular state. Simply click on the "Wiki-Share" link to contribute further details or suggest a revision.
This information is subject to change and should be confirmed with the respective agency.
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American Samoa Government
Department of Port Administration
Port Administration Website
Registration Overview
American Samoa is an unincorporated territory of the United States located in the South Pacific. As such, its boat registration practices coincide with those of a typical state. American Samoa issues boat registrations but not titles. These are administered by the Department of Port Administration in Pago Pago. There are approximately 108 boats registered in American Samoa. This accounts for 0.0009% of all nationwide registrations.Registration Requirements
All vessels must be registered except: (1) a vessel which has a valid marine document issued by the Bureau of Customs of the United States Government or any federal agency successor thereto; (2) already covered by a number in full force and effect which has been awarded to it pursuant to federal law or a federally approved numbering system of another state; provided, that such vessel shall not have been within this Territory for a period in excess of 90 consecutive days; (3) a vessel from a country other than the United States temporarily using the waters of this Territory; (4) a vessel owned by the United States, the Government of American Samoa, a state or a subdivision thereof; (5) a ship’s lifeboat:(6) a vessel belonging to a class of vessels exempted from numbering by the department of port administration after said department has found that the numbering of vessels of such class will not materially aid in their identification; and, if an agency of the Federal Government has a numbering system applicable to the class of vessels to which the vessel in question belongs, after the Department of Port Administration has further found that the vessel would also be exempt from numbering if it were subject to the federal law. A visitation period of 90 consecutive days is allowed for boats that are registered in another state, Coast Guard documented, or registered in a foreign country. A certificate of number is invalid 60 days after the day on which the vessel is no longer principally used in the territorial waters of American Samoa where the certificate was issued.Marking Requirements
The boat registration number prefix for American Samoa is "AS". These must be displayed on all non-documented boats along with registration sticker tabs.Ownership and Liens
American Samoa is a registration only jurisdiction and does not issue boat titles. Secured transactions in American Samoa are governed by common law principles except where those principles have been modified by statute or are otherwise inappropriate to local conditions. Personal property liens including those for non-documented boats are filed with the Office of the Territorial Registrar of American Samoa. Ownership, mortgage, and lien search recordings for USCG documented vessels can be obtained by ordering an abstract of title and a copy of the certificate of documentation from the National Vessel Documentation Center. However, these are encoded and can be difficult to interpret, especially on older vessels with numerous recordings. It may be worthwhile to contact a professional vessel documentation company for assistance in this regard.Boat Title Searches
Boat registration records in American Samoa are administered by the Department of Port Administration. This agency does not facilitate online searches for the general public. However, registration information is available upon request from their system records. When the department is satisfied that the request is reasonable and related to a boating safety purpose, the information will be furnished upon payment of the cost of retrieval. Ownership, mortgage, and lien search recordings for USCG documented vessels can be obtained by ordering an abstract of title and a copy of the certificate of documentation from the National Vessel Documentation Center. However, these are encoded and can be difficult to interpret, especially on older vessels with numerous recordings. It may be worthwhile to contact a professional vessel documentation company for assistance in this regard. On-recorded maritime liens may also be a factor when conducting boat title research in American Samoa. These include liabilities for items such as services, equipment, fuel, storage, parts, supplies, and damages which can become attached to the boat itself regardless of ownership. One of the most useful tools for doing this kind of research is our premier boat history search database. It is a gathering of eight nationwide databases into a single interface which can be searched by numerous criteria. These include records for stolen boats, marine lien claims, boating accidents, pollution incidents, auctioned boats, factory recalls, and boat manufacturers. Yacht brokers, documentation companies, and attorneys do not warrant or guarantee titles. It is therefore incumbent on the owner to stand behind any such representations. Of course it will be of no consolation if a guarantor is insolvent, non-cooperative, or can not be located. This calls for a thorough background check to ensure the owner's wherewithal for making good on any hidden liens or title deficiencies.Advertisement
