VIRT Updates
The Vessel Identification, Registration & Titling (VIRT) Committee would like to officially welcome new members: Maria Perez-Allen, Interim BLA, Division of Boating & Waterways, California Dept. of Parks; Harmony Sibley, Boating Program Manager, Nevada Department of Wildlife; Daniel Brown, Supervisor License & Boat Registration Unit, Georgia DNR Law Enforcement Division; Cindy Bellar, BLA, Ohio Parks & Watercraft; Mariah Kanode, Program Administrator, Ohio Parks & Watercraft; Denise Burroughs, Chief Registration Policy Branch, California Dept. of Motor Vehicles; and Tim Rafter, RBS Specialist, U.S. Coast Guard.
During our in person meeting in March 2023, 13 VIRT members met in-person with an additional six joining us virtually to make the largest attended VIRT meeting in recent memory. Significant work was done on the USCG’s Hull Identification Number (HIN) Policy and PowerPoint, which we hope to be able to share soon. Additionally, the NASBLA VIRT website had its final updates to make it more user friendly. You can check it out here: https://www.nasbla.org/advocacy/vessel-id-registration.
UCOTVA:
The Uniform Certificate of Title for Vessels Act (UCOTVA) goes into effect this July in Florida, followed by a titling and UCOTVA rollout in Alabama in January 2024.
Standardized MSO:
The VIRT Committee has worked with the American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC) to develop a standardized sample manufacturer’s statement of origin (MSO), with a focus on the content required from a state numbering and titling program point of view.
MSO content tends to vary widely depending on the individual manufacturer, and it is for this reason VIRT recommended the creation of a sample MSO that would:
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Aid the states in collecting complete and accurate information, as required under CFR, Parts §173 and §174, for their Certificate of Number (CON) programs, accident reporting, stolen vessel, and other investigative measures.
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Aid end consumers by ensuring accurate information is provided to them at the time of purchase, and, in the event they are required to apply directly with a state for a CON (or for a lien, or insurance, etc.), that the information they provide is accurate.
- Aid manufacturers, providing a clear and consistent example of the information that should be provided on a certificate of origin, rather than piecemeal guidance depending on a particular state’s guidelines (or lack, thereof).
ABYC published technical report T-33, Manufacturer’s Statement of Origin, in July of last year. This report is available to current and prospective manufacturer’s, and other members of the general public, for a fee on the ABYC website: https://abycinc.org/store/viewproduct.aspx?id=20585574.
A link to this website has also been provided on the VIRT Committee webpage: https://www.nasbla.org/advocacy/vessel-id-registration.