HOW TO REGISTER A YACHT
HOW TO REGISTER A YACHT
Registering a yacht in Gibraltar involves the following activities:
Prior to accepting yachts onto its register, an assessment to ensure vessels proposed for registration meet the Administration’s required standards of quality and suitability. The assessment will provide an indication whether a vessel is eligible for registration and if any pre-registration conditions may be required. The assessment will be undertaken by the GMA’s survey division.
As part of the process, owners will be required to complete GMA Form 18083F giving general details of the vessel, Classification Society and ISM managers (as applicable).
Owner require to check whether a vessel’s proposed name is available. This can be done using our online Vessel Name Search.
A name is reserved period for a period of 12 months and may be renewed.
Upon checking availability of such name, this may be requested or reserved by an Owner, Representative Person or Registered Agent, by completing and submitting the GMA Name Reservation Form GYR-A1.
Qualification of Ownership Structure and Proof of Legal Title
The GMA will need to establish whether the owner qualifies to own a Gibraltar registered vessel (see ownership structures).
The process will also involve determining whether an owner has legal title to the vessel and that there are no pre-existing conditions prohibiting the vessel from being registered with Gibraltar. In addition, qualified persons whether individuals, bodies corporate or legal entities, resident, incorporated, established or registered outside Gibraltar will require the appointment of a Gibraltar Representative Person (Gibraltar Merchant Shipping (Pleasure Yacht) Regulations 1997, Regulation 4 (3)).
Owner(s) resident or with a principal place of business in Gibraltar may act on their own behalf or appoint a representative person if they so wish to although not required. Owner(s) resident, incorporated, established or registered outside Gibraltar will require representation through their appointed Representative Person/Registered Agent. Contact a service provider. (Gibraltar Merchant Shipping (Pleasure Yacht) Regulations 1997, Regulation 4).
The appointed Representative Person/Registered Agent shall be the legal representative of the owner(s) on all matters concerning the registration of the owner(s) yacht. It is their responsibility to submit the relevant application documents in accordance with Gibraltar Law. This appointment does not affect or impede the owner(s) from addressing any general query or deal directly with the Registry in the interim initial stages. Contact a service provider.
Required forms, supporting documentation and fees for the various types of applications and other services are outlined in the Gibraltar Vessel Registration requirements.
The forms required for yacht registration can be accessed from our website.
A Carving and Marking (C&M) Note which specifies how the yacht is to be marked will be issued. Once a yacht is properly marked, it is to be certified by an authorised person/surveyor who will verify this by signing and returning the C&M Note to the Registrar prior to registration. The completed C&M Note may be submitted electronically but the original should be returned to the GMA thereafter.
The relevant Certificate of British Registry will be issued once all documentation and fees have been received.