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Certificate of Inspection (COI)

A USCG certificate required for passenger vessels carrying seven or more paying passengers.

A Certificate of Inspection (COI) is a USCG-issued document declaring that a passenger vessel meets federal construction, stability, safety-equipment, manning, and operational standards. Any vessel carrying seven or more paying passengers in U.S. waters must hold a valid COI.

COIs specify the maximum number of passengers, authorized routes (for example, "lakes, bays, and sounds" vs. "oceans"), minimum crew, and life-saving equipment requirements. Inspections are conducted by USCG Marine Inspectors and must be renewed on a regular schedule — typically every 1-5 years depending on vessel class.

COI vessels cost materially more to operate than uninspected six-pack vessels. This is why most small charters deliberately stay under the six-passenger cap.

Examples

  • A 49-passenger Miami party yacht running COI-certified routes within Biscayne Bay.
  • An inspected sailing schooner running 30-passenger harbor tours.

On CharterXO

CharterXO supports COI listings for seven-plus passenger trips. The listing editor requires the COI document and its expiry date before the vessel can be published for large-group bookings.

Related Terms

Uninspected Passenger Vessel—A vessel that carries six or fewer paying passengers and is not required to hold a USCG Certificate of Inspection.COI vs. Uninspected—The regulatory distinction between inspected passenger vessels (7+ paying passengers) and uninspected vessels (up to 6).Masters License—A tiered USCG license authorizing a captain to operate an inspected passenger vessel, sized by vessel tonnage.Jones Act—U.S. federal law restricting domestic maritime transport of goods and passengers to U.S.-built, -owned, and -crewed vessels.

References

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