Northern Mariana Islands Boat Registration Summary
Northern Mariana Islands boat registration summary is a free resource designed to inform the boating public about registration requirements, recording methods, and title search guidelines for the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands. The data is maintained as an open wiki forum where readers are encouraged to participate by sharing knowledge and experiences with this U.S. Territory. 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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Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands
Department of
Public Safety
Bureau of Motor Vehicles
Boat Registration Website
Boat Registration Overview
Northern Mariana Islands registers all non-exempt boats operating within their jurisdiction. These are administered by the Bureau of Motor Vehicles in Saipan. There are approximately 307 boats registered in the Northern Mariana Islands. This accounts for 0.003% of all nationwide registrations.Registration Requirements
The Bureau of Motor vehicles issues registrations on all non-exempt boats and jet skis equipped with propulsion machinery of any type. Coast Guard documented boats are not subject to registration. A complete list of requirements and exemptions may be found by visiting the BMV website and by following the boating registration law link shown below. The owner of any boat subject to registration shall report within 15 days of any change in information, theft, destruction.Marking Requirements
Boat registration numbers in the Northern Mariana Islands begin with a "CM" designation which is followed by four numbers and then two letters. These must be displayed on all non-documented boats along with registration sticker tabs. Coast Guard documented vessels may not display the state registration numbers. However they must display an owner designated vessel name and a hailing port. An official documentation number must also be affixed to a visible interior location in the hull itself or an integral part of the hull. All vessels manufactured after 1972 are required to have a 12 digit hull identification number affixed to the vessel by the manufacturer. Owners with older boats may apply with the Marine Police Division for a hull number assignment. State assigned hull numbers prefixed with the letters "CMZ" are available for home made boats and those without factory designations.Ownership and Liens
Northern Mariana Islands issues certificates of registration on all non-exempt boats. Financers may also be listed on the registration records. Security interests in boats that are not Coast Guard documented may also be recorded through Uniform Commercial Code filings. Tax liens are sometimes flagged in the state's registration database, recorded as UCC filings, shown on state revenue records, or filed with a court clerk's office. If the vessel is USCG documented, a security interest is perfected by filing a preferred vessel mortgage. These are recorded with the National Vessel Documentation Center with the earliest submissions taking priority. Other lien claims can be filed in the same manner although these function as notifications only. All such filings are indexed on the vessel's underlying abstract of title.Boat Title Searches
Boat registration records in the Northern Mariana Islands are maintained by the Bureau of Motor Vehicles. This agency does not facilitate online searches for the general public but registration information may be obtained by submitting a boat record request form. It is also reported that the registration office will confirm hull identification numbers and provide telephone verifications on registration certificates in hand. Security interests in non-documented boats may be shown on the registration records or filed with the Superior Court as Uniform Commercial Code recordings. UCC search information may be obtained by contacting the Superior Court or by using a public record vendor. State and Federal tax liens on boats are not always recorded in a consistent manner and are therefore difficult to identify. They may show up as a red flag on state registration records, as UCC filings, in department of revenue records, in court records, or on a vessel's abstract of title for documented boats. Given these disparities, it may be worth obtaining the services of a public record vendor that has access to a broad range of personal property lien recordings. Ownership, mortgage, and lien search recordings for Coast Guard 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. Non-recorded maritime liens may also be a factor when conducting boat title research in the Northern Mariana Islands. 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 documented vessels. Yacht brokers, documentation companies, and attorneys do not warrant or guarantee titles. There is furthermore, no such thing as boat title insurance. 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
