---
kind: "section"
citation: "46 C.F.R. § 67.117"
title: "46"
number: "67.117"
heading: "Vessel name designation."
url: "https://uscodex.org/cfr/46/67.117"
---

# §67.117. Vessel name designation.

- (a) The owner of a vessel must designate a name for the vessel on the Application for Initial Issue, Exchange, or Replacement of Certificate of Documentation; or Redocumentation (form CG-1258) submitted to the Director, National Vessel Documentation Center:
  - (1) Upon application for initial documentation of the vessel; or
  - (2) **When the owner elects to change the name of the vessel.**
- (b) **The name designated—**
  - (1) Must be composed of letters of the Latin alphabet or Arabic or Roman numerals;
  - (2) May not be identical, actually or phonetically, to any word or words used to solicit assistance at sea; and
  - (3) May not contain nor be phonetically identical to obscene, indecent, or profane language, or to racial or ethnic epithets.
- (c) The name of a documented vessel may not be changed without the prior approval of the Director, National Vessel Documentation Center.
- (d) Until such time as the owner of a vessel elects to change the name of a vessel, the provisions of [paragraph (b)](#b) of this section do not apply to vessels validly documented before January 1, 1994.

## Notes

### Amendments

[CGD 89-007, CGD 89-007a, 58 FR 60266, Nov. 15, 1993; 58 FR 65131, Dec. 13, 1993, as amended by CGD 95-014, 60 FR 31604, June 15, 1995; USCG-1998-4442, 63 FR 52191, Sept. 30, 1998]

### Authority

Authority: 14 U.S.C. 664; 31 U.S.C. 9701; 42 U.S.C. 9118; 46 U.S.C. 2103, 2104, 2107, 12102, 12103, 12104, 12105, 12106, 12113, 12133, 12139; DHS Delegation 00170.1, Revision No. 01.4.

### Source

Source: CGD 89-007, CGD 89-007a, 58 FR 60266, Nov. 15, 1993, unless otherwise noted.

### Amendments

[CGD 89-007, CGD 89-007a, 58 FR 60266, Nov. 15, 1993; 58 FR 65131, Dec. 13, 1993, as amended by CGD 95-014, 60 FR 31604, June 15, 1995; USCG-1998-4442, 63 FR 52191, Sept. 30, 1998]