46 U.S.C. § 12503: Information available to the system

identifies the vessel; the owner’s social security number or, if that number is not available, other means of identification acceptable to the Secretary; or the owner’s taxpayer identification number; or if the owner does not have a taxpayer identification number, the social security number of an individual who is a corporate officer, general partner, or individual trustee of the owner and who signed the application for documentation or numbering for the vessel; identifies the State in which it is titled or numbered; indicates whether the vessel is numbered or titled, or both; if titled in a State, indicates where evidence of a lien or other security interest may be found against the vessel in that State; includes information to assist law enforcement; and includes other information agreed to by the Secretary and the State. Except as provided in subsection (c) of this section, the Secretary also may accept information under conditions and in a manner and form prescribed by the Secretary. retain information on a vessel with a preferred mortgage under section 31322(d) of this title that is no longer titled in a State making information available to the Secretary under this chapter until the mortgage is discharged or the vessel is sold; and accept information under section 31321(h) of this title only if that information cannot be provided to a State.