Yacht Registration under the Seychelles Flag
The Seychelles offers an attractive offshore regime for the ownership and registration of yachts. To register a yacht under the Seychelles flag, its owner must be a citizen of the Seychelles or a company incorporated in the Seychelles.
The Seychelles is a member of the UN, the Commonwealth of Nations, the Non-Aligned Movement, the Indian Ocean Commission and the International Maritime Organization.
Ships and yachts may be registered in the Seychelles under the terms of The Merchant Shipping Act 1992.
The most efficient way to own a vessel registered in the Seychelles is through an offshore company. Such a company is exempt from tax on profits or dividends. The sale or transfer of ownership of a vessel registered under the Seychelles flag, or of the company that owns the vessel, is also exempt from taxation.
To be registered under the Seychelles flag, a vessel must be no more than 15 years old.
The certificate of registration is issued within 2-3 days of filing the documents and is valid for 5 years. The radio licence is issued for one year from the date of registration. An annual tonnage fee is paid every year, together with a fee for renewing the radio licence.
Registration of private yachts and boats under the flag of the Seychelles
Vessel registration procedure:
1. If the yacht is longer than 20 m, it 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. An application for registration of the vessel in the Seychelles is completed, providing full technical information on the vessel being registered.
3. In addition to the application form, the following documents must be provided to the authorised registered agent:
- the original Bill of Sale
- a copy of the Builder’s Certificate
- a colour photograph (an electronic copy is acceptable)
- a copy of the company's certificate of incorporation (Certificate of Registration)
- a certificate of good standing of the company (if the company has existed for more than a year)
- a Declaration of Ownership
- an application for a radio licence
4. Once all the required documents have been provided, the vessel's certificate of registration is issued within 3-4 days together with the radio licence. The certificate of registration is issued for 5 years.