Yacht Registration under the BVI Flag

The BVI Shipping Registry is part of the Red Ensign Group, which guarantees that vessels flying the BVI flag are entitled to assistance from British diplomats/consuls as well as the protection of the Royal Navy.

Recently, this jurisdiction has become the most popular among owners of yachts and boats. This is because, by registering your vessel in the British Virgin Islands, you get:

A low cost of initial registration and low annual maintenance fees.
Simple registration requirements.
A simple procedure for change of ownership.
The right to sail under the British Red Ensign
Sailing under the protection of Her Majesty's Navy.
An unlimited registration period (may be reduced to 10 years on transfer from Part 2 of the register to Part 1).

Registration of private yachts and boats in the British Virgin Islands
Yacht registration procedure:

The yacht is surveyed by one of the recognised societies:
Lloyds Register
American Bureau of Shipping
Bureau of Veritas
Det Norske Veritas
Germanisher Lloyd
Registro Italiano Naval
Royal Yachting Association (UK) (vessels up to 45 feet/13.7 metres long)
Yacht Brokers, Designers and Surveyors (UK) (vessels up to 45 feet/13.7 metres long)
or by surveyors recommended (authorised) by these societies. In that case, however, additional documents on the surveyor must be provided.

2. A special application form for registering the yacht in the BVI registry is completed (provided by our company's specialists). The application states 2 options for the yacht's name in the BVI registry and some other details.

3. In addition to the application form, the following documents must be provided to the authorised registered agent:

Appointment of Authorized Officer;
Document confirming ownership (Bill of Sale)
Builder’s Certificate;
Deletion certificate from Foreign Registry (if the vessel was previously registered in another registry);
Original Tonnage Certificate;
Original certificate of incorporation of the owning company (Certificate of incorporation);
Certificate of good standing, if the company has existed for more than a year.

Documents must be submitted in English. If any of the documents were issued outside the United Kingdom, they must be certified with an apostille.
4.         Obtaining the Carving and Marking Note
Once all documents have been submitted to the registration authority, the first stage of registration follows: obtaining the Carving and Marking Note. The standard time to obtain this document is no more than two weeks. This document is required to confirm that the vessel's name and particulars have been marked correctly in accordance with the Merchant Shipping Act. After the vessel's name and particulars have been marked according to the instructions set out in the Carving and Marking Note, this instruction is endorsed
by a British consul or a surveyor certifying that the marking has been done in accordance with the document. However, if the vessel is shorter than 13.7 m, the owner may certify the Carving and Marking Note himself. Once endorsed, the document is returned to the registration authority together with photographs of the vessel.
Our company's specialists can help with certifying the Carving and Marking Note for vessels longer than 13.7 m.
5.         Obtaining the Blue Book, or Certificate of Registry of the vessel.
After the Carving and Marking Note has been returned to the registration authority, the vessel's certificate of registry is usually issued within 3-4 days. The certificate is issued without an expiry date.
6.         Submitting documents for a radio licence.
A radio licence can only be obtained once the vessel's registration has been completed.
To obtain a radio licence, special forms are completed depending on the type of equipment installed on board the vessel. Bear in mind that if the vessel carries out commercial transport in certain areas of the globe, it must be fitted with radio equipment in accordance with international conventions.
The following documents must be submitted to the licensing authority in the BVI:

2 colour photographs 3*4 (taken within the last 6 months);
a notarised copy of the skipper's passport;
an emergency contact form.

Together with the licence to use the installed telecommunications equipment, you receive a Call Sign and an MMSI.

**Registration cost 3200 USD
**