EPIRB Registration Requirements, Renewal, and Penalties

Every 406 MHz Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) used in U.S. waters must be registered with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration before it is installed on a vessel. Registration is free, takes about ten minutes online at the U.S. Beacon Registration Database, and must be renewed every two years. The EPIRB registration requirements exist so that when your beacon’s unique 15-digit signal reaches a satellite, search and rescue coordinators can immediately match it to your vessel, your emergency contacts, and your last known plans.¹

Who Must Register

Registration is required for every 406 MHz EPIRB, regardless of whether the vessel it sits on is legally required to carry one. The Federal Communications Commission’s rule at 47 CFR § 80.1061 makes registration with NOAA a precondition to installation, and it applies to the beacon itself, not the boat category.²

Federal law does not require purely recreational vessels to carry an EPIRB, no matter their size or how far offshore they travel. If you choose to carry one anyway, you are still bound by the same registration, renewal, and disposal rules as a commercial operator.

Carriage requirements apply to specific commercial categories. Commercial fishing, fish processing, and fish tender vessels 11 meters (36 feet) or longer must carry a float-free, automatically activated Category 1 EPIRB when operating on the high seas or beyond three miles from the Great Lakes coastline. Smaller vessels in those industries may use a Category 1 or manually activated Category 2 model installed near the principal steering station. Uninspected passenger vessels of 100 gross tons or more must carry a Category 1 EPIRB beyond three miles from shore; those under 100 gross tons are not required to carry one.³ Small passenger vessels carrying more than 150 passengers or offering overnight accommodations for more than 49 passengers face a parallel requirement on the high seas or beyond three miles from the Great Lakes coastline.⁴

What Information You Need Before You Start

Have three sets of information in front of you before opening the registration form. Incomplete submissions get delayed, and mistyped identifiers make your beacon unmatchable.

The Beacon Itself

Every EPIRB carries a unique 15-digit hexadecimal code, sometimes labeled “UIN” or “Hex ID,” printed on a durable label on the side of the unit or under the battery cover. You will also need the manufacturer name and model number. Enter the hex code exactly as printed. A single wrong digit means the satellite system cannot connect the alert to your vessel profile.⁵

Vessel Details

The form asks for the vessel name, hull color, length, crew and passenger capacity, number of lifeboats or life rafts, and home port including marina name, city, and state. You can also add radio identifiers such as your Maritime Mobile Service Identity (MMSI) number, radio call sign, and satellite phone numbers. These details help rescuers identify your boat visually and reach you through alternate channels.⁵

Emergency Contacts

At least one primary 24-hour emergency contact is required, with a name, phone number, and phone type. A second contact is strongly recommended. These should be people who know your travel plans and are not aboard the vessel. When a beacon activates, search and rescue coordinators may call these numbers first to verify the emergency before launching assets, so choose someone who answers their phone and knows where you go.⁵

How to Register with NOAA

The U.S. Beacon Registration Database is operated online by NOAA. Create an account, enter the beacon, vessel, and contact information, and you will receive a digital confirmation right away. There is no fee. NOAA’s registration page states this plainly and warns that any third party asking for payment is not legitimate.¹

Without internet access, you can print the paper form from the NOAA website or pick one up at a marine supply store and mail or fax it in. Paper takes longer because it must be entered manually, so your beacon will not appear in the active database immediately.⁶

After you register, NOAA mails you a hardcopy of the registration and a beacon decal showing your expiration date.⁵ If it is lost or damaged, you can request a replacement by calling or emailing NOAA’s registration office.⁷

Placing the Decal and Keeping Proof Aboard

Federal regulations require every 406 MHz EPIRB to be registered before installation and require the owner to keep proof of registration. Under 47 CFR § 80.1061, each beacon must also carry a permanent exterior label identifying the NOAA registration code and the address for the registration database.²

Apply the NOAA-issued decal according to the instructions that come with it. During Coast Guard boardings or safety inspections, officers look for a current decal as quick evidence that the beacon is properly cataloged. A missing or expired decal invites closer scrutiny and possible enforcement.⁷

Renewing Every Two Years

Your registration expires two years after the date you registered or last renewed. NOAA will try to reach you as the expiration date approaches so you can confirm or update your information.⁶

Renewal means logging back into the database and verifying that vessel details, emergency contacts, and phone numbers are still current. Even if nothing has changed, you have to complete the renewal to keep the beacon active in the system. Each renewal generates a new decal with an updated expiration date.⁷

Outdated contact information is one of the most common problems rescue coordinators run into. If an emergency contact changed phone numbers two years ago and you never updated the registration, a real distress alert can sit unverified while crews try to reach a dead number.

When You Sell the Boat, Buy Abroad, or Retire the Beacon

When a vessel changes hands, the beacon registration has to be updated. The original owner should log in and change the beacon’s status to “Sold/Transferred,” or contact NOAA for help doing so.⁷ Releasing the hex code from your account allows the new owner to register the beacon under their own name and contacts. If the vessel also has an MMSI number, it is intended to follow the vessel rather than the previous owner, so the seller and buyer should coordinate the MMSI transfer through the appropriate service agent or the FCC.⁸

Every EPIRB is coded with a country identifier embedded in its hex ID. Beacons must be registered in the country for which they are coded. NOAA cannot register a beacon carrying a foreign country code; it has to be registered with that country’s national authority, or reprogrammed with a U.S. country code before you register it here.⁷

When a beacon reaches the end of its service life, log in and mark it decommissioned, then remove the battery before disposal. A beacon that activates in a landfill triggers a real satellite alert and pulls search and rescue resources away from actual emergencies.

Penalties for Non-Registration and False Alerts

The FCC’s rule at 47 CFR § 80.1061 warns that failure to register a 406 MHz EPIRB before installation can result in a monetary forfeiture.² For most EPIRB owners, who are not broadcast licensees or common carriers, the FCC’s inflation-adjusted maximum forfeiture is $25,132 per violation, with continuing violations capped at $188,491 for any single act or failure to act.⁹

False distress alerts carry heavier consequences. Intentionally transmitting a false distress signal can result in up to six years in prison, a $250,000 criminal fine, a separate $5,000 civil fine, and an obligation to reimburse the Coast Guard for the full cost of the search.¹⁰ Even an unintentional false alert from a poorly maintained or improperly stored beacon can trigger FCC enforcement.¹¹

Registering, renewing on time, and keeping your contacts current are what let a satellite alert become a rescue instead of an unanswered ping.

1
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. US Beacon Registration
2
eCFR. 47 CFR 80.1061 – Special Requirements for 406.0-406.1 MHz EPIRB Stations
3
eCFR. 46 CFR Part 25 Subpart 25.26 – Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRB)
4
eCFR. 46 CFR 117.64 – Emergency Position Indicating Radiobeacons (EPIRB)
5
NOAA Beacon Registration. Beacon Registration Requirements
6
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Register your Beacon
7
NOAA Beacon Registration. Frequently Asked Questions
8
Navigation Center. MMSI Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
9
Federal Register. Annual Adjustment of Civil Monetary Penalties To Reflect Inflation
10
United States Coast Guard. Search and Rescue is NO JOKE
11
Federal Communications Commission. Enforcement Advisory No. 2013-03 – Emergency Beacons