The team at BIW are available to help in all aspects of yacht registration in the Malta. Our long standing reputation and experience allows us to help guide you through the necessary requirements to make this possible.
Due to Malta’s strategic location, yacht registration has been on the increase these past few years. Whether private or commercial, Malta offers an internationally recognised and reputable jurisdiction for many yacht owners who have found yacht registration in Malta to be a simple and stress-free operation. Malta offers a well organised and fast registration system as well as attractive tax benefits. In 2010, Malta was known as the 2nd largest maritime flag in Europe and the third edition of the Commercial Yacht Code, introduced in 2015 provides improved, high quality standards for safety, pollution and crew welfare together with technical guidelines.
When registering your yacht in Malta, a brief summary of the steps are as follows:
If you are an EU citizen, registered company in Malta or it is also possible to register a yacht under your name and appoint a local resident agent to handle the process on your behalf.
The Shipping Directorate of Transport Malta considers a private registered yacht to be any pleasure yacht of 6 metres in length or more, which does not carry passengers for profit and is not engaged in trade. The vessel must be used for the sole purpose of the owner.
Yacht Registration under the Maltese Flag
This is done in the following two stages:
During the six-month provisional registration period the yacht may roam freely with a provisional certificate of registration. This gives you sufficient time to cancel any previous registration and to prepare the necessary documentation for registration in Malta.
Upon receipt of all the necessary documents needed, including a bill of sale to the holding company a permanent registration certificate is issued.
At no stage in the operation do transfer taxes apply.
Please note that if registration of the vessel takes place prior to delivery, registration may be declared null and void. In such situations and where mortgages are involved, bankers may request re-registration, incurring the resubmission of registration fees.
BIW are established to act as a local agent in Malta offering a bespoke service to owners wishing to register their vessel under the Maltese flag. We may set up a Maltese company to act as owner of the yacht and liaise with certified surveyors as well as the Shipping Directorate of Transport Malta in order to complete the provisional registration and permanent registration on your behalf. If you require any additional information, please feel free to get in touch.