Other federal and state notices
USCG Small Passenger Vessel Notice of Violation Response
The situation
A small fishing-charter captain gets boarded during a routine Coast Guard patrol and receives a Notice of Violation because their Certificate of Inspection lapsed during a busy season, or because they can't immediately produce documentation of their drug-testing program. They're now facing a civil penalty case that could run into the tens of thousands of dollars, an "expedited settlement" offer they don't understand, and the Coast Guard's own dense official case-guide PDF as their only source of guidance on how the penalty gets calculated or what to do next.
Who receives this
Small charter boat, fishing-charter, and small passenger vessel operators (typically single-vessel or small-fleet operations) who receive a USCG Notice of Violation or civil penalty case.
Why the agency will not advise you
The Coast Guard issuing the Notice of Violation cannot advise the operator on how to respond to its own enforcement action; existing resources are official government process documentation, not response-building help, and maritime attorneys are priced for larger commercial fleet operators, not a single-boat captain.
Key facts, with sources
- Coast Guard law enforcement teams are conducting active, ongoing enforcement operations against illegal charter boats on coastal and inland waters, described by trade publication WorkBoat as 'in full swing.' In a documented recent case near Destin, Florida, a Coast Guard crew found a 42-foot pleasure craft operating as an illegal commercial passenger party-boat charter, citing multiple violations: no valid Certificate of Inspection, no credentialed mariner in control while operating a small passenger vessel, and failure to maintain a required drug and alcohol monitoring program. Federal law allows civil penalties of more than $50,000 for owners and operators of illegal charter vessels, and failure to comply with passenger vessel requirements can reach $42,750 per operation per day. Source: Coast Guard illegal charter enforcement in full swing — WorkBoat · Coast Guard assesses civil penalty to illegal charter operator near Destin, Florida — U.S. Coast Guard News
- The Coast Guard's Notice of Violation program offers an expedited settlement option intended to promote efficient resolution while achieving compliance, governed by the agency's own Civil Penalty Case Guide, which sets out penalty adjustment tables and the factors (evidence, aggravating and mitigating circumstances, ability to pay) that determine the assessed amount. Adjusted civil penalty amounts apply to assessments issued after December 29, 2025. No self-serve tool for building an NOV response or settlement decision was found in two dedicated searches, the only available resources are the Coast Guard's own official process documentation (the Civil Penalty Case Guide PDF, the Notice of Violation User's Guide, CGHO's civil penalty option pages). Source: United States Coast Guard Civil Penalty Case Guide — USCG · CGHO - Your Civil Penalty Options — USCG
When to bring in a professional
Self-serve responses fit routine cases: clear facts, amounts a business can absorb, and a deadline still ahead of you. Bring in a licensed professional when the amount at stake is large relative to their fee, the facts are genuinely disputed, criminal exposure is possible, or the deadline has already passed. A short paid consultation to sanity-check your plan is often worth it even when you handle the filing yourself.
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All sources for this guide
This guide is general information compiled from the cited public sources, last verified on the date above. It is not legal advice, and rules change; confirm anything you rely on against the linked source or with a licensed professional in your state.