46 CFR § 67.117 - Vessel name designation.

---
identifier: "/us/cfr/t46/s67.117"
source: "ecfr"
legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"
title: "46 CFR § 67.117 - Vessel name designation."
title_number: 46
title_name: "Shipping"
section_number: "67.117"
section_name: "Vessel name designation."
chapter_name: "COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY"
subchapter_number: "G"
subchapter_name: "DOCUMENTATION AND MEASUREMENT OF VESSELS"
part_number: "67"
part_name: "DOCUMENTATION OF VESSELS"
positive_law: false
currency: "2026-03-24"
last_updated: "2026-03-24"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
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."
regulatory_source: "CGD 89-007, CGD 89-007a, 58 FR 60266, Nov. 15, 1993, unless otherwise noted."
cfr_part: "67"
---


# 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) of this section do not apply to vessels validly documented before January 1, 1994.

[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]