NMMA Certification
What Certification Covers
NMMA Boat & Yacht Certification helps manufacturers ensure their boats are built to the applicable standards set by the American Boat & Yacht Council, and to demonstrate that compliance to the public.
The Certification Standard
Every boat sold in the United States must meet basic U.S. Coast Guard regulation. NMMA Certification goes past that floor: it requires the boat to meet the comprehensive standards set by the American Boat & Yacht Council, covering far more components and systems than federal rules address.
It is also voluntary. A builder chooses to be certified, and chooses to exceed the minimum legal requirement — which is the whole reason it is worth asking about.
Participating manufacturers submit applications for all models, and each model is inspected every year by an independent, third-party inspector — hands-on, not on paper. To achieve certification, a manufacturer must demonstrate that all variances found during the inspection have been corrected.
The manufacturer is then responsible for ensuring that every production unit is built in compliance with the certified design — certification covers the boats that leave the floor, not only the one that was inspected.
nmma.org/certification carries the full programme requirements.
Questions Owners Ask
01 What does it mean for a boat to be NMMA certified? +−
A certified boat follows the strict guidelines the NMMA sets for certification. NMMA certified boats are seven times less likely to be recalled by the U.S. Coast Guard than uncertified boats. Phenom follows every manufacturing guideline and is committed to using only certified parts and components across the range.
02 What are the benefits of buying an NMMA certified boat? +−
It assures you the boat meets or exceeds the industry-standard ABYC Standards, and that the model is tested and inspected every year so new or updated standards are applied as they change. Some insurance companies offer discounts on NMMA certified boats.
03 Which Phenom models are NMMA Certified? +−
All of them. Every model in the range is certified, and each is re-inspected annually rather than certified once at launch.
04 What are the steps for a boat to become certified? +−
It starts with a yearly Boat Certification Application, completed per model. Vital information about each model is detailed in the forms, covering every major safety area. Meeting the qualification means the component in use is an accepted NMMA compliant part that has been tested to a successful compliance status.
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Areas Inspected, Model by Model
It starts with a yearly Boat Certification Application, completed per model, detailing every major safety area of the boat. These are the areas the application covers.
- Bilge Pump(s)
- Fuel Hoses
- Fuel Tanks
- Horn
- Navigation Lights
- Steering Helms
- Steering Wheels
- Fuel System
- Maximum Weight Capacity
- Maximum Horsepower Capacity
Beyond the Inspection
The heart of certification
Annual Inspection
ABYC updates its standards every year, and every model must be recertified against them. If a correction is needed, Phenom has thirty days to submit the steps taken to resolve it; the boat receives its official certification once that documentation is accepted.
Managed by AVALA
CSI Program
Certification requires a Customer Satisfaction Index programme. Every Phenom owner receives surveys covering each step of the buying process, pre-sale through post-sale, and the feedback is an integral part of staying certified.
Required participation
NICB Reporting
Phenom reports every boat manufactured for sale to the National Insurance Crime Bureau — the vessel database used by law enforcement, insurers and the Coast Guard. Participation is required, and it is what keeps that database accurate.
Certification renewed annually · ABYC standards year 2026 · Programme details and recall figure: Discover Boating