Isle of Man vs Jersey for yachts
Everything we track for both registers, side by side. Rows neither register has published show a gap rather than an estimate.
Is the Isle of Man or Jersey cheaper for yacht registration?Link to this section
The registration fee is the first-certificate charge the Isle of Man Ship Registry sets in its Merchant Shipping (Fees) Order and the Jersey Ship Registry sets in the Registrar of British Ships fee table; the Isle of Man adds an annual fee, Jersey only a renewal. WhichFlagToFly dates every line in the Isle of Man and Jersey fee rows.
| Register | Initial registration fee | Annual fee |
|---|---|---|
| Isle of Man | A pleasure yacht pays £209 for its first certificate of registry; the register publishes no first-registry fee at all for a commercial yacht.Merchant Shipping (Fees) Order 2026, Statutory Document No. 2026/0043, made 13 February 2026 by the Department for Enterprise with the consent of the Treasury under s. 17(1) of the Merchant Shipping (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1996, laid before Tynwald 17 March 2026, as published by the Isle of Man Ship Registrywww.iomshipregistry.com · art. 29, Table 13Retrieved 2026-08-29Effective 2026-04-01Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | Annual fees run £312 to £1,260 for pleasure yachts and £1,290 or £2,570 for commercial ones.Merchant Shipping (Fees) Order 2026, Statutory Document No. 2026/0043, made 13 February 2026 by the Department for Enterprise with the consent of the Treasury under s. 17(1) of the Merchant Shipping (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1996, laid before Tynwald 17 March 2026, as published by the Isle of Man Ship Registrywww.iomshipregistry.com · art. 23, Table 9Retrieved 2026-09-01Effective 2026-04-01Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| Jersey | Initial registration costs £420 for a Jersey-owned pleasure vessel under 150 GRT and £540 otherwise.JR25, Ships Registry Fees (Shipping (Registration) (Jersey) Regulations 2004), Registrar of British Ships, Ports of Jerseycdn.ports.je · JR25 fee tableRetrieved 2026-08-12Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | No annual registration fee; the only recurring charge is a £125 renewal every ten years.JR30, The Benefits of Jersey as the Port of British Registry, January 2021, Registrar of British Ships, Ports of Jerseycdn.ports.je · point 7Retrieved 2026-08-12Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
Which flag is better for EU chartering, the Isle of Man or Jersey?Link to this section
Charter permission is a flag's position on hire for reward. The Isle of Man Ship Registry runs Yacht Engaged in Trade under its Manx Shipping Notice, capped in charter days and departure waters. Jersey is not an EU register, so the EU maritime cabotage Regulation's freedom is closed, charter rights resting with coastal states. See the charter rows.
| Register | Charter permissions | Private and commercial regimes |
|---|---|---|
| Isle of Man | Yacht Engaged in Trade allows 84 charter days a year; non-VAT-paid departures are limited to Monaco, France and Greece.Manx Shipping Notice MSN 075 (Rev. 2), Yacht Survey Regimes, issued 14 October 2025, Isle of Man Ship Registrywww.iomshipregistry.com · Section 3, §5Retrieved 2026-08-12Effective 2025-10-14Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | Four regimes exist: commercial, pleasure yacht charter ready, yacht engaged in trade, and pleasure yacht.Manx Shipping Notice MSN 075 (Rev. 2), Yacht Survey Regimes, issued 14 October 2025, Isle of Man Ship Registrywww.iomshipregistry.com · p. 1Retrieved 2026-08-12Effective 2025-10-14Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| Jersey | Charter rights are set by each coastal state, not by the flag: EU cabotage is closed to non-EU registers, and US coastwise carriage needs US ownership.Communication from the Commission on the interpretation of Council Regulation (EEC) No 3577/92 (maritime cabotage), COM(2014) 232 final, European Commission, via EUR-Lexeur-lex.europa.eu · §2.2.2Retrieved 2026-08-18Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | Vessels are classed by use and size: pleasure, large pleasure, large yacht, passenger yacht or small commercial ship.Shipping (Safety Code - Yachts and Small Ships) (Jersey) Regulations 2013, official consolidated version, point in time 27 Jun 2025 to Current, jerseylaw.je (Jersey Legal Information Board)www.jerseylaw.je · reg. 1(1)Retrieved 2026-08-12Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
How does VAT differ between the Isle of Man and Jersey?Link to this section
Import VAT is the tax on a yacht entering a VAT territory. The Isle of Man and the United Kingdom are one VAT and customs territory, so its Customs and Excise applies the UK rate and import basis. Jersey levies no VAT; Revenue Jersey charges Goods and Services Tax on imports as a customs charge. See the VAT rows.
| Register | VAT rate | Basis for VAT on import |
|---|---|---|
| Isle of Man | The standard VAT rate is 20 percent, with a few Isle of Man rates differing from the UK.VAT, Isle of Man Government, Customs and Excisewww.gov.imRetrieved 2026-08-12Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | Import VAT is charged under UK rules because the Isle of Man and the UK are one territory for VAT, customs and most excise duties.Final Expenditure Revenue Sharing Arrangements (FERSA), Isle of Man Government, The Treasurywww.gov.imRetrieved 2026-09-01Effective 2025-04-01Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| Jersey | No VAT applies; Goods and Services Tax is charged at 5 percent, including on imports.GST quick guide, Revenue Jersey (Government of Jersey)www.gov.jeRetrieved 2026-08-12Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | Import GST is collected as a customs duty and due within 3 days of arrival.GST Direction 2026/03: Relief from GST for imported goods, effective 11 May 2026, Comptroller of Revenue, Revenue Jersey (Government of Jersey)www.gov.je · GST Direction 2026/03, quoting art. 67(2) GST (Jersey) Law 2007Retrieved 2026-08-12Effective 2026-05-11Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
Which register is faster, the Isle of Man or Jersey?Link to this section
Provisional registration is short-term entry before full registration. The Isle of Man Ship Registry publishes none, its Registration Act only an enabling power, and its FAQs call registration immediate once surveyed and documented. The Jersey Ship Registry grants it to a ship outside Jersey under the Jersey Shipping (Registration) Regulations and states a full-registration window. Compare the timeline rows.
| Register | Provisional registration | Time to full registration |
|---|---|---|
| Isle of Man | No provisional registration is published: the 1991 Act allows regulations to create one, but no Manx regulations do, and no period or fee is set.Merchant Shipping Registration Act 1991 (AT 15 of 1991), Isle of Man, as published by the Isle of Man Ship Registrywww.iomshipregistry.com · s. 24Retrieved 2026-08-29Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | Registration is immediate once the vessel has been surveyed and all documentation has been received.Isle of Man Ship Registration FAQs, Isle of Man Ship Registrywww.iomshipregistry.comRetrieved 2026-08-27Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| Jersey | Provisional registration lasts up to 3 months for a ship outside Jersey, costs £155 and gives full rights of passage.Shipping (Registration) (Jersey) Regulations 2004, official consolidated version, point in time 10 Jun 2025 to Current, jerseylaw.je (Jersey Legal Information Board)www.jerseylaw.je · reg. 8(4)Retrieved 2026-08-12Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | Full registration can complete within two weeks where the paperwork and tonnage survey are in order; provisional registration is the faster route where they are not.Full registration with the Ships' Registry, Ports of Jersey (Registrar of British Ships)www.ports.jeRetrieved 2026-08-29Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
How should an owner choose between the Isle of Man and Jersey?Link to this section
Isle of Man or Jersey is settled by the owner's circumstances rather than by either registry. The cruising area for the season, any plan to charter, and the ownership and finance behind the yacht are the three questions to answer before reading the Isle of Man and Jersey positions above, and a specialist can weigh the result.
At a glance
The dimensions owners decide on, taken from the rows below. Follow a label to the row it came from and its source.
| Dimension | Isle of Man | Jersey |
|---|---|---|
| Red Ensign Group | Yes | Yes |
| Initial registration fee | £47 to £940 | £60 to £540 |
Cost and timing, compared
Bars drawn from the published rows on this page. Figures are never converted between currencies and never estimated. Where one register publishes nothing comparable, there is no chart.
Initial registration fee, compared
Every flat charge each register publishes here, in GBP, cheapest first. Charges quoted per ton or as a percentage are left out, because they depend on the vessel.
| Register | Figure | What it covers | Item |
|---|---|---|---|
| Isle of Man | £47 to £940 | small ship → cargo ship, commercial yacht or passenger ship | Initial registration fee |
| Jersey | £60 to £540 | change of vessel name → any other vessel (pleasure or commercial) | Initial registration fee |
Where a register publishes a schedule rather than a single price, its bar spans the published charges. What each end covers is below, and every line of both schedules is in the table on this page.
Line by line
| Item | IMIsle of ManIsle of Man Ship Registry | JEJerseyJersey Ship Registry |
|---|---|---|
| Registration | ||
| Who may own a registered vessel | Owners may come from any of 121 listed countries, including every EU and EEA state; a yacht 24 m or over with non-resident owners needs a representative person.Registry Advice Note 02 (Ref. 02-16), Persons Qualified to Own a Manx Ship, issued 20 February 2025, Isle of Man Ship Registrywww.iomshipregistry.com · p. 1 and Schedule 1Retrieved 2026-08-29Effective 2025-03-01Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | Ownership is open to Jersey-resident, British, EEA and Commonwealth persons and companies; others need a qualifying majority interest.Shipping (Registration) (Jersey) Regulations 2004, official consolidated version, point in time 10 Jun 2025 to Current, jerseylaw.je (Jersey Legal Information Board)www.jerseylaw.je · reg. 4(2)Retrieved 2026-08-12Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| Which vessels qualify | Commercial, charter-ready and trade regimes require 24 m and Yacht Code build; pleasure yachts have no size limit.Manx Shipping Notice MSN 075 (Rev. 2), Yacht Survey Regimes, issued 14 October 2025, Isle of Man Ship Registrywww.iomshipregistry.com · p. 1 (Commercial Yacht)Retrieved 2026-08-12Effective 2025-10-14Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | Registration is capped at vessels under 400 gross tons, pleasure or commercial, and requires tonnage measurement.Shipping (Registration) (Jersey) Regulations 2004, official consolidated version, point in time 10 Jun 2025 to Current, jerseylaw.je (Jersey Legal Information Board)www.jerseylaw.je · reg. 1(1)Retrieved 2026-08-12Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| Private and commercial regimes | Four regimes exist: commercial, pleasure yacht charter ready, yacht engaged in trade, and pleasure yacht.Manx Shipping Notice MSN 075 (Rev. 2), Yacht Survey Regimes, issued 14 October 2025, Isle of Man Ship Registrywww.iomshipregistry.com · p. 1Retrieved 2026-08-12Effective 2025-10-14Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | Vessels are classed by use and size: pleasure, large pleasure, large yacht, passenger yacht or small commercial ship.Shipping (Safety Code - Yachts and Small Ships) (Jersey) Regulations 2013, official consolidated version, point in time 27 Jun 2025 to Current, jerseylaw.je (Jersey Legal Information Board)www.jerseylaw.je · reg. 1(1)Retrieved 2026-08-12Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| Initial registration fee | A pleasure yacht pays £209 for its first certificate of registry; the register publishes no first-registry fee at all for a commercial yacht.Merchant Shipping (Fees) Order 2026, Statutory Document No. 2026/0043, made 13 February 2026 by the Department for Enterprise with the consent of the Treasury under s. 17(1) of the Merchant Shipping (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1996, laid before Tynwald 17 March 2026, as published by the Isle of Man Ship Registrywww.iomshipregistry.com · art. 29, Table 13Retrieved 2026-08-29Effective 2026-04-01Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | Initial registration costs £420 for a Jersey-owned pleasure vessel under 150 GRT and £540 otherwise.JR25, Ships Registry Fees (Shipping (Registration) (Jersey) Regulations 2004), Registrar of British Ships, Ports of Jerseycdn.ports.je · JR25 fee tableRetrieved 2026-08-12Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| Annual fee | Annual fees run £312 to £1,260 for pleasure yachts and £1,290 or £2,570 for commercial ones.Merchant Shipping (Fees) Order 2026, Statutory Document No. 2026/0043, made 13 February 2026 by the Department for Enterprise with the consent of the Treasury under s. 17(1) of the Merchant Shipping (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1996, laid before Tynwald 17 March 2026, as published by the Isle of Man Ship Registrywww.iomshipregistry.com · art. 23, Table 9Retrieved 2026-09-01Effective 2026-04-01Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | No annual registration fee; the only recurring charge is a £125 renewal every ten years.JR30, The Benefits of Jersey as the Port of British Registry, January 2021, Registrar of British Ships, Ports of Jerseycdn.ports.je · point 7Retrieved 2026-08-12Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| Tonnage dues | No tonnage dues and no tonnage tax apply; yachts pay a flat annual registration fee instead.Merchant Shipping (Fees) Order 2026, Statutory Document No. 2026/0043, made 13 February 2026 by the Department for Enterprise with the consent of the Treasury under s. 17(1) of the Merchant Shipping (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1996, laid before Tynwald 17 March 2026, as published by the Isle of Man Ship Registrywww.iomshipregistry.com · art. 3Retrieved 2026-08-18Effective 2026-04-01Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | No tonnage tax applies, and registry fees do not scale with tonnage.JR30, The Benefits of Jersey as the Port of British Registry, January 2021, Registrar of British Ships, Ports of Jerseycdn.ports.je · point 6(d)Retrieved 2026-08-12Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| Provisional registration | No provisional registration is published: the 1991 Act allows regulations to create one, but no Manx regulations do, and no period or fee is set.Merchant Shipping Registration Act 1991 (AT 15 of 1991), Isle of Man, as published by the Isle of Man Ship Registrywww.iomshipregistry.com · s. 24Retrieved 2026-08-29Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | Provisional registration lasts up to 3 months for a ship outside Jersey, costs £155 and gives full rights of passage.Shipping (Registration) (Jersey) Regulations 2004, official consolidated version, point in time 10 Jun 2025 to Current, jerseylaw.je (Jersey Legal Information Board)www.jerseylaw.je · reg. 8(4)Retrieved 2026-08-12Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| Time to full registration | Registration is immediate once the vessel has been surveyed and all documentation has been received.Isle of Man Ship Registration FAQs, Isle of Man Ship Registrywww.iomshipregistry.comRetrieved 2026-08-27Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | Full registration can complete within two weeks where the paperwork and tonnage survey are in order; provisional registration is the faster route where they are not.Full registration with the Ships' Registry, Ports of Jersey (Registrar of British Ships)www.ports.jeRetrieved 2026-08-29Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| Mortgage registration | Mortgages rank by order of registration, and an intending mortgagee can back-date priority with a 30-day notice.Merchant Shipping Registration Act 1991 (AT 15 of 1991), Isle of Man, as published by the Isle of Man Ship Registrywww.iomshipregistry.com · Schedule 1, para. 3Retrieved 2026-08-12Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | Mortgage priority follows the order of registration alone, with priority notices available for intending lenders.Shipping (Jersey) Law 2002, official consolidated version, point in time 27 Jun 2025 to Current, jerseylaw.je (Jersey Legal Information Board)www.jerseylaw.je · Schedule 1, para. 9(1)Retrieved 2026-08-12Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| Survey requirements | Commercial yachts need a pre-registration survey and two surveyor visits every five years; pleasure yachts need none.Survey, Commercial Yachts, PYCR & YET, Isle of Man Ship Registrywww.iomshipregistry.comRetrieved 2026-08-12Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | A tonnage survey is mandatory; commercial vessels also need a coding certificate, and large and passenger yachts must be classed.Shipping (Registration) (Jersey) Regulations 2004, official consolidated version, point in time 10 Jun 2025 to Current, jerseylaw.je (Jersey Legal Information Board)www.jerseylaw.je · reg. 12Retrieved 2026-08-12Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| MCA code equivalents | The Red Ensign Group Yacht Code applies directly, with LY3 accepted for pleasure yachts over 24 m.Manx Shipping Notice MSN 075 (Rev. 2), Yacht Survey Regimes, issued 14 October 2025, Isle of Man Ship Registrywww.iomshipregistry.com · Section 1, §1Retrieved 2026-08-12Effective 2025-10-14Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | The Red Ensign Group Yacht Code and UK codes apply directly, with certification capped at 399 GT.Code of Safety Practice made under Article 3(1) of the Shipping (Safety Code - Yachts and Small Ships) (Jersey) Regulations 2013, Version August 2026, Jersey Maritime Administration / Ports of Jerseycdn.ports.je · §2.3.1.1Retrieved 2026-08-12Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| Charter permissions | Yacht Engaged in Trade allows 84 charter days a year; non-VAT-paid departures are limited to Monaco, France and Greece.Manx Shipping Notice MSN 075 (Rev. 2), Yacht Survey Regimes, issued 14 October 2025, Isle of Man Ship Registrywww.iomshipregistry.com · Section 3, §5Retrieved 2026-08-12Effective 2025-10-14Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | Charter rights are set by each coastal state, not by the flag: EU cabotage is closed to non-EU registers, and US coastwise carriage needs US ownership.Communication from the Commission on the interpretation of Council Regulation (EEC) No 3577/92 (maritime cabotage), COM(2014) 232 final, European Commission, via EUR-Lexeur-lex.europa.eu · §2.2.2Retrieved 2026-08-18Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| Crew certification requirements | Pleasure vessels of 24 m and over must meet minimum manning levels, with officers certified under STCW.Manx Shipping Notice MSN 033, Pleasure vessel manning, issued 14 October 2025, Isle of Man Ship Registrywww.iomshipregistry.com · §1Retrieved 2026-08-12Effective 2025-10-14Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | Seafarers on a Jersey ship need STCW certificates, except on pleasure vessels, small commercial ships and fishing vessels, which are outside the rule.Shipping (Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping) (Jersey) Order 2021, official consolidated version, point in time 27 Jun 2025 to Current, jerseylaw.je (Jersey Legal Information Board)www.jerseylaw.je · art. 2Retrieved 2026-08-12Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| Maritime Labour Convention applicability | Commercial yachts comply with the Maritime Labour Convention throughout, though the 2013 Regulations do not apply on a pleasure certificate.Manx Shipping Notice MSN 075 (Rev. 2), Yacht Survey Regimes, issued 14 October 2025, Isle of Man Ship Registrywww.iomshipregistry.com · Section 1, §3Retrieved 2026-08-12Effective 2025-10-14Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | The MLC has not been extended to Jersey, but Jersey's own Code makes commercial ships comply with it and carry an MLC inspection report, which is not a Maritime Labour Certificate.Code of Safety Practice made under Article 3(1) of the Shipping (Safety Code - Yachts and Small Ships) (Jersey) Regulations 2013, Version August 2026, Jersey Maritime Administration / Ports of Jerseycdn.ports.je · §2.1.1Retrieved 2026-09-01Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| Paris MoU standing | The Isle of Man flag is on the Paris MoU White List, ranked 17 of 69, with 362 inspections and 6 detentions.Performance Lists, Paris MoU Annual Report 2025 (published 1 July 2026), Paris Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Controlparismou.org · Flag Performance – White ListRetrieved 2026-08-18Effective 2026-07-01Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | Jersey is on the Paris MoU White List in its own right, ranked 34 of 40, on 54 inspections and 0 detentions across 2023 to 2025.Performance Lists, Paris MoU 2025 Annual Report (published 1 July 2026), Paris Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Controlparismou.org · Flag Performance – White ListRetrieved 2026-08-18Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| Documents required | Corporate owners file an application, ownership declaration, title document, survey, tonnage and deletion certificates.Pleasure Yacht Registration, Isle of Man Ship Registrywww.iomshipregistry.comRetrieved 2026-08-12Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | Registration needs the application forms, original title documents, a declaration of eligibility, an original tonnage survey and the JR25 fee.JR20, Notes on the Registration of Ships under the Shipping (Jersey) Law 2002, Registrar of British Ships, Ports of Jerseycdn.ports.je · List of forms required for Initial RegistryRetrieved 2026-08-12Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| Renewal cycle | There is no periodic renewal; the annual registration fee falls due on 1 April each year.Pleasure Yacht Fees, Isle of Man Ship Registrywww.iomshipregistry.comRetrieved 2026-08-12Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | Registration lasts ten years, renewable in the final two years for £125, with a three-month grace period.Shipping (Registration) (Jersey) Regulations 2004, official consolidated version, point in time 10 Jun 2025 to Current, jerseylaw.je (Jersey Legal Information Board)www.jerseylaw.je · reg. 16(9)Retrieved 2026-08-12Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| Deregistration process | The owner gives notice to close the registry; leaving costs £80 for a pleasure yacht and £650 for a commercial one.Merchant Shipping Registration Act 1991 (AT 15 of 1991), Isle of Man, as published by the Isle of Man Ship Registrywww.iomshipregistry.com · s. 23(4)Retrieved 2026-08-12Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | Owners close registration on form JR14 for £60, returning the certificate; the Registrar may also cancel.Shipping (Registration) (Jersey) Regulations 2004, official consolidated version, point in time 10 Jun 2025 to Current, jerseylaw.je (Jersey Legal Information Board)www.jerseylaw.je · reg. 23(1)Retrieved 2026-08-12Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| Register size | 800 vessels and 11.94 million gross tons, the world's 20th largest flag by tonnage, of which 318 are pleasure yachts and 30 commercial yachts.Isle of Man Ship Registry Annual Report 2025, '2025 In Numbers', Isle of Man Ship Registry (Department for Enterprise)www.iomshipregistry.com · p. 8, “2025 In Numbers”Retrieved 2026-08-29Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | Over 2,000 ships are on the Jersey register, the largest in the Red Ensign Group's Category 2; an official review of the register counted 2,097.Jersey, Category 2 member registers, Red Ensign Group (the collective body of the United Kingdom, Crown Dependency and Overseas Territory maritime administrations)www.redensigngroup.orgRetrieved 2026-09-01Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| Red Ensign Group membership | Member of the Red Ensign Group, on its Category 1 list, which takes ships of unlimited tonnage and type.Red Ensign Group, 'Who we are' (About the Red Ensign Group), redensigngroup.orgwww.redensigngroup.org · Who we are, Category 1Retrieved 2026-09-09Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | Member of the Red Ensign Group, on its Category 2 list, which takes commercial ships and pleasure vessels of up to 150 gross tons, a limit the Group says can be extended to 400 gross tons with an agreement in place with the UK.Red Ensign Group, 'Who we are' (About the Red Ensign Group), redensigngroup.orgwww.redensigngroup.org · Who we are, Category 2Retrieved 2026-09-09Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| VAT & importation | ||
| VAT rate | The standard VAT rate is 20 percent, with a few Isle of Man rates differing from the UK.VAT, Isle of Man Government, Customs and Excisewww.gov.imRetrieved 2026-08-12Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | No VAT applies; Goods and Services Tax is charged at 5 percent, including on imports.GST quick guide, Revenue Jersey (Government of Jersey)www.gov.jeRetrieved 2026-08-12Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| Basis for VAT on import | Import VAT is charged under UK rules because the Isle of Man and the UK are one territory for VAT, customs and most excise duties.Final Expenditure Revenue Sharing Arrangements (FERSA), Isle of Man Government, The Treasurywww.gov.imRetrieved 2026-09-01Effective 2025-04-01Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | Import GST is collected as a customs duty and due within 3 days of arrival.GST Direction 2026/03: Relief from GST for imported goods, effective 11 May 2026, Comptroller of Revenue, Revenue Jersey (Government of Jersey)www.gov.je · GST Direction 2026/03, quoting art. 67(2) GST (Jersey) Law 2007Retrieved 2026-08-12Effective 2026-05-11Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| Temporary admission rules | EU Temporary Admission is the alternative to VAT-paid status, restricting charters to non-EU resident charterers.Manx Shipping Notice MSN 075 (Rev. 2), Yacht Survey Regimes, issued 14 October 2025, Isle of Man Ship Registrywww.iomshipregistry.com · Section 3Retrieved 2026-08-12Effective 2025-10-14Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | A yacht owned outside Jersey can be brought in with full GST relief for up to 18 months, provided it is not sold, lent or hired while it is there.GST Direction 2026/03: Relief from GST for imported goods, effective 11 May 2026, Comptroller of Revenue, Revenue Jersey (Government of Jersey)www.gov.je · GST Direction 2026/03, Temporary importation of a means of transport, para. 7Retrieved 2026-08-12Effective 2026-05-11Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| Leasing scheme status | The Isle of Man has no yacht-leasing scheme; chartering must be a genuine economic activity under UK input-tax rules.VBNB46000, Specific issues: letting on hire of boats and aircraft, VAT Business/Non-Business Manual, HM Revenue & Customs, GOV.UKwww.gov.uk · VBNB46000Retrieved 2026-08-18Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | No yacht leasing scheme exists, and none of the 61 GST directions concerns vessels or hire.List of current and expired GST directions, Government of Jersey (Revenue Jersey)www.gov.je · GST directions table, issues 2008/01 to 2026/03Retrieved 2026-08-27Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| Commercial exemption paths | Yachts rarely qualify for the zero rate; importers usually pay import VAT and recover it as input tax.HM Treasury, 'Annex A: HM Treasury's review of the Isle of Man Customs and Excise administration of VAT in relation to aircraft and yachts', 16 October 2019, gov.ukassets.publishing.service.gov.uk · paras 5.5–5.6Retrieved 2026-08-12Effective 2019-10-16Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | Ship supplies are zero-rated, but vessels designed for recreation or pleasure are excluded from that definition.Goods and Services Tax (Jersey) Law 2007, official consolidated version, point in time 6 April 2026 to Current, jerseylaw.je (Jersey Legal Information Board)www.jerseylaw.je · Schedule 6, para. 5(1)–(2)(l)Retrieved 2026-08-18Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| Evidence of VAT-paid status | HMRC accepts an invoice or import VAT evidence as proof; a registration document alone does not prove UK VAT status.Sailing a pleasure craft within UK waters, HM Revenue & Customs, GOV.UKwww.gov.ukRetrieved 2026-08-18Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | No dedicated certificate exists; VAT-paid status tracks customs status of Union goods, proved by T2L and invoices.Guidance Note for Pleasure Craft, TAXUD.A.1.003/EC, Brussels, 30 April 2026, European Commission, Directorate-General Taxation and Customs Union (Customs policy)taxation-customs.ec.europa.eu · Q1 and Q6Retrieved 2026-08-18Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| Returned goods relief after Brexit | Returned Goods Relief needs re-import within three years, unaltered, by the same person who exported it.Pay less import duty and VAT when re-importing goods to the UK, HM Revenue & Customs, GOV.UK (published 3 September 2020, last updated 26 November 2024)www.gov.ukRetrieved 2026-08-18Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | Goods of Jersey origin returning within 3 years in the same state qualify for relief.GST Direction 2026/03: Relief from GST for imported goods, effective 11 May 2026, Comptroller of Revenue, Revenue Jersey (Government of Jersey)www.gov.je · GST Direction 2026/03, Returned goodsRetrieved 2026-08-12Effective 2026-05-11Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| Yacht management | ||
| Fee model | Management houses typically charge a fixed monthly retainer scaled to the yacht's size (market guidance puts it at roughly €1,500 to 15,000 or more a month by size) or a share of the operating budget, with charter management charged separately at typically 15 to 20 percent of charter revenue.breezeYachting.swiss - Professional Yacht Management Companies and Their Feeswww.breezeyachting.swissRetrieved 2026-09-01Effective 2025-10-25Corroborating source, not the register's own publicationOpen sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | Management houses typically charge a fixed monthly retainer scaled to the yacht's size (market guidance puts it at roughly €1,500 to 15,000 or more a month by size) or a share of the operating budget, with charter management charged separately at typically 15 to 20 percent of charter revenue.breezeYachting.swiss - Professional Yacht Management Companies and Their Feeswww.breezeyachting.swissRetrieved 2026-09-01Effective 2025-10-25Corroborating source, not the register's own publicationOpen sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| Fleet size under management | Established management houses typically run fleets of roughly a dozen to 80 yachts, with an industry average of about 24 under management.SuperyachtNews / The Superyacht Group - The Superyacht Management Reportwww.superyachtnews.comRetrieved 2026-09-01Effective 2017-06-12Corroborating source, not the register's own publicationOpen sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | Established management houses typically run fleets of roughly a dozen to 80 yachts, with an industry average of about 24 under management.SuperyachtNews / The Superyacht Group - The Superyacht Management Reportwww.superyachtnews.comRetrieved 2026-09-01Effective 2017-06-12Corroborating source, not the register's own publicationOpen sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| ISM document of compliance holder | The registry itself runs commercial yacht DOC audits, all renewals plus one annual in five years, at £905 to £3,580 an audit.General Charges, Fees, Isle of Man Ship Registry (Department for Enterprise, Isle of Man Government)www.iomshipregistry.com · ISM Company DOC AuditsRetrieved 2026-09-06Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | No ISM Document of Compliance applies: Jersey caps yachts at 399 GT, and below 500 GT the Red Ensign Code puts a scaled safety system on the owner.Code of Safety Practice, issued under Article 3(1) of the Shipping (Safety Code - Yachts and Small Ships) (Jersey) Regulations 2013, Version August 2026, Ports of Jerseycdn.ports.je · §2.3.1.1 and §2.7.2Retrieved 2026-08-29Effective 2024-07-01Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| Crew payroll services | Crew payroll administration is a standard part of a full management mandate, normally run through a dedicated MLC-compliant crew employment company rather than the owning entity.Fraser - Yacht Management Serviceswww.fraseryachts.comRetrieved 2026-09-01Corroborating source, not the register's own publicationOpen sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | Crew payroll administration is a standard part of a full management mandate, normally run through a dedicated MLC-compliant crew employment company rather than the owning entity.Fraser - Yacht Management Serviceswww.fraseryachts.comRetrieved 2026-09-01Corroborating source, not the register's own publicationOpen sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| Jurisdictions served | Management houses routinely operate across multiple flag states, holding Documents of Compliance from several administrations rather than tying owners to one register.Fraser - Yacht Management Serviceswww.fraseryachts.comRetrieved 2026-09-01Corroborating source, not the register's own publicationOpen sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | Management houses routinely operate across multiple flag states, holding Documents of Compliance from several administrations rather than tying owners to one register.Fraser - Yacht Management Serviceswww.fraseryachts.comRetrieved 2026-09-01Corroborating source, not the register's own publicationOpen sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| Marine insurance | ||
| Wreck removal insurance | Manx yachts of 300 GT and over must hold wreck removal cover; the certificate runs up to 12 months and costs £155, or £312 for a ship flagged elsewhere.Registry Advice Notice 014, Liability Conventions: Nairobi Convention, CLC and Bunker Convention, issued 14 July 2022, Isle of Man Ship Registrywww.iomshipregistry.com · §2.3Retrieved 2026-08-29Effective 2026-04-01Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | The Nairobi wreck removal convention has not been extended to Jersey and Jersey's shipping law requires no wreck removal insurance; a harbor authority may raise, remove or sell a wreck and take its costs from the proceeds.Shipping (Jersey) Law 2002, official consolidated version, point in time 27 Jun 2025 to Current, jerseylaw.je (Jersey Legal Information Board)www.jerseylaw.je · NAIROBI WRC 2007, section II (Contracting States), footnote 2 to the United Kingdom entry, p. 571Retrieved 2026-09-01Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| Passenger liability regime | The 1974 Athens Convention still applies because the 2002 Protocol was extended only to Gibraltar and the Falkland Islands, and a carrier based in the Isle of Man is liable up to 300,000 units of account per passenger.Carriage of Passengers and their Luggage by Sea (Manx Carriers) Order 1999 (Statutory Document No. 372/99), made 3 June 1999 and approved by Tynwald 13 July 1999, as published by the Isle of Man Ship Registrywww.iomshipregistry.com · art. 2Retrieved 2026-09-01Effective 1999-08-01Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | The 2002 Athens Convention binds Jersey ships: liability is capped at 400,000 units of account per passenger, and cover is compulsory above 12 passengers.Shipping (Jersey) Law 2002, official consolidated version, point in time 27 Jun 2025 to Current, jerseylaw.je (Jersey Legal Information Board)www.jerseylaw.je · art. 118(2) and Schedule 5, art. 7(1)Retrieved 2026-08-29Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| Crew placement | ||
| Placement fee model | Crew agencies charge the yacht, not the crew member: typically about one month's gross salary for a permanent placement and 20 percent of earnings for temporary work.Northrop and Johnson Crew Services - Terms and Conditions (2023)cdn.northropandjohnson.com · FeesRetrieved 2026-09-01Corroborating source, not the register's own publicationOpen sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | Crew agencies charge the yacht, not the crew member: typically about one month's gross salary for a permanent placement and 20 percent of earnings for temporary work.Northrop and Johnson Crew Services - Terms and Conditions (2023)cdn.northropandjohnson.com · FeesRetrieved 2026-09-01Corroborating source, not the register's own publicationOpen sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| Crew pool coverage | On published figures, the main crew agencies each hold databases of roughly 40,000 to 50,000 registered candidates, so coverage is effectively global and differentiation is about screening, not database size.The Crew Network (Fraser) - Looking for Crewwww.crewnetwork.comRetrieved 2026-09-01Corroborating source, not the register's own publicationOpen sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | On published figures, the main crew agencies each hold databases of roughly 40,000 to 50,000 registered candidates, so coverage is effectively global and differentiation is about screening, not database size.The Crew Network (Fraser) - Looking for Crewwww.crewnetwork.comRetrieved 2026-09-01Corroborating source, not the register's own publicationOpen sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| MLC compliance support | The Isle of Man inspects every commercial yacht for MLC itself and issues both DMLC parts, with a full certificate at 500 GT and over and a letter below it.Maritime Labour Notice MLN 5.1.3 / 5.1.4 (Rev 3), Inspection, Certification & Definitions, issued 29 May 2020, Isle of Man Ship Registrywww.iomshipregistry.com · §3.3Retrieved 2026-08-27Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | The MLC reaches Jersey yachts through Jersey's own Code rather than by treaty: they must meet it for their size, type and age and carry an MLC inspection report from a Recognised Organisation or the JMA.Code of Safety Practice, issued under Article 3(1) of the Shipping (Safety Code - Yachts and Small Ships) (Jersey) Regulations 2013, Version August 2026, Ports of Jerseycdn.ports.je · §2.1.2Retrieved 2026-09-01Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| Payroll administration offered | Crew agencies commonly offer payroll administration as an add-on to placement, usually bundled with MLC-compliant employment contracts, tax withholding and visas.Fraser - Yacht Crew Recruitment (The Crew Network)www.fraseryachts.comRetrieved 2026-09-01Corroborating source, not the register's own publicationOpen sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | Crew agencies commonly offer payroll administration as an add-on to placement, usually bundled with MLC-compliant employment contracts, tax withholding and visas.Fraser - Yacht Crew Recruitment (The Crew Network)www.fraseryachts.comRetrieved 2026-09-01Corroborating source, not the register's own publicationOpen sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| Notice and replacement terms | Agencies typically guarantee a free replacement if a permanent crew member leaves within 60 to 90 days, with the leading houses extending that to 180 days.Northrop and Johnson Crew Services - Terms and Conditions (2023)cdn.northropandjohnson.com · Replacement guaranteeRetrieved 2026-09-01Corroborating source, not the register's own publicationOpen sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | Agencies typically guarantee a free replacement if a permanent crew member leaves within 60 to 90 days, with the leading houses extending that to 180 days.Northrop and Johnson Crew Services - Terms and Conditions (2023)cdn.northropandjohnson.com · Replacement guaranteeRetrieved 2026-09-01Corroborating source, not the register's own publicationOpen sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| Refit & yard works | ||
| Yard network coverage | Refits are routed to a handful of established yard clusters in the Mediterranean, northern Europe, Turkey and the US, with the owner's team tendering the specification across several yards.Hill Robinson - Why Palma is still a leading hub for superyacht refit and maintenancehillrobinson.comRetrieved 2026-09-01Effective 2026-02-25Corroborating source, not the register's own publicationOpen sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | Refits are routed to a handful of established yard clusters in the Mediterranean, northern Europe, Turkey and the US, with the owner's team tendering the specification across several yards.Hill Robinson - Why Palma is still a leading hub for superyacht refit and maintenancehillrobinson.comRetrieved 2026-09-01Effective 2026-02-25Corroborating source, not the register's own publicationOpen sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| Project management model | The market standard is a dedicated owner's representative or project manager, independent of the yard, running the refit from specification through tender and on-site supervision to redelivery.Superyacht Partners - Yacht Refit Management Serviceswww.superyachtpartners.comRetrieved 2026-09-01Corroborating source, not the register's own publicationOpen sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | The market standard is a dedicated owner's representative or project manager, independent of the yard, running the refit from specification through tender and on-site supervision to redelivery.Superyacht Partners - Yacht Refit Management Serviceswww.superyachtpartners.comRetrieved 2026-09-01Corroborating source, not the register's own publicationOpen sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| Refit fee structure | As a market estimate, refit project management is charged as a percentage of contract value, about 4 to 8 percent on the one published example (€200,000 to 400,000 on a €5 million refit), or on a day rate for shorter jobs.The First Owner's Reference - Superyacht refit cost: when to refit, when to sellfirstownersreference.com · 06 RefitRetrieved 2026-09-01Effective 2026-05-01Corroborating source, not the register's own publicationOpen sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | As a market estimate, refit project management is charged as a percentage of contract value, about 4 to 8 percent on the one published example (€200,000 to 400,000 on a €5 million refit), or on a day rate for shorter jobs.The First Owner's Reference - Superyacht refit cost: when to refit, when to sellfirstownersreference.com · 06 RefitRetrieved 2026-09-01Effective 2026-05-01Corroborating source, not the register's own publicationOpen sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| Survey oversight offered | Independent survey oversight during a refit is a standard offering, with milestone inspections tied to payment stages and a handover inspection at redelivery.Yacht Designers and Surveyors Association (YDSA) - Types of Surveywww.ydsa.co.uk · Supervision of Construction or RepairsRetrieved 2026-09-01Corroborating source, not the register's own publicationOpen sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | Independent survey oversight during a refit is a standard offering, with milestone inspections tied to payment stages and a handover inspection at redelivery.Yacht Designers and Surveyors Association (YDSA) - Types of Surveywww.ydsa.co.uk · Supervision of Construction or RepairsRetrieved 2026-09-01Corroborating source, not the register's own publicationOpen sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| Warranty handling | Refit yards typically warrant materials and workmanship for twelve months from redelivery, with outstanding items tracked on a snag list and a retention held until they are closed.Gard (P&I club) - Warranty claims in shipbuilding contractsgard.no · Recommendations and checklistsRetrieved 2026-09-01Effective 2015-03-25Corroborating source, not the register's own publicationOpen sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | Refit yards typically warrant materials and workmanship for twelve months from redelivery, with outstanding items tracked on a snag list and a retention held until they are closed.Gard (P&I club) - Warranty claims in shipbuilding contractsgard.no · Recommendations and checklistsRetrieved 2026-09-01Effective 2015-03-25Corroborating source, not the register's own publicationOpen sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| Pre-buy survey | ||
| Survey scope options | A pre-purchase survey is normally a full condition survey of hull, machinery and systems, with sea trial, haul-out, engine survey, rig, oil analysis and ultrasonic gauging as separately priced extras.Yacht Designers and Surveyors Association (YDSA) - Types of Surveywww.ydsa.co.ukRetrieved 2026-09-01Corroborating source, not the register's own publicationOpen sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | A pre-purchase survey is normally a full condition survey of hull, machinery and systems, with sea trial, haul-out, engine survey, rig, oil analysis and ultrasonic gauging as separately priced extras.Yacht Designers and Surveyors Association (YDSA) - Types of Surveywww.ydsa.co.ukRetrieved 2026-09-01Corroborating source, not the register's own publicationOpen sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| Survey fee structure | Surveyors typically charge per foot on smaller yachts (one published US rate card is US$28 to 30 per foot), moving to day rates or a fixed fee on superyachts, with haul-out, travel and lab testing billed separately.Boston Marine Surveyors - published rate cardbostonmarinesurveyors.com · RatesRetrieved 2026-09-01Corroborating source, not the register's own publicationOpen sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | Surveyors typically charge per foot on smaller yachts (one published US rate card is US$28 to 30 per foot), moving to day rates or a fixed fee on superyachts, with haul-out, travel and lab testing billed separately.Boston Marine Surveyors - published rate cardbostonmarinesurveyors.com · RatesRetrieved 2026-09-01Corroborating source, not the register's own publicationOpen sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| Time to survey report | Surveyors typically deliver the written report within three to five business days of the inspection, after a verbal debrief on the day.Capt. F.K. Lanier and Associates - Marine Survey FAQcaptfklanier.com · FAQ-7Retrieved 2026-09-01Corroborating source, not the register's own publicationOpen sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | Surveyors typically deliver the written report within three to five business days of the inspection, after a verbal debrief on the day.Capt. F.K. Lanier and Associates - Marine Survey FAQcaptfklanier.com · FAQ-7Retrieved 2026-09-01Corroborating source, not the register's own publicationOpen sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| Class records review | On large yachts a review of class records, survey status and flag certificates is standard scope alongside the physical survey.JMS Yachting - Superyacht Pre-Purchase Surveywww.jmsyachting.com · Onboard documentation auditRetrieved 2026-09-01Effective 2025-09-03Corroborating source, not the register's own publicationOpen sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | On large yachts a review of class records, survey status and flag certificates is standard scope alongside the physical survey.JMS Yachting - Superyacht Pre-Purchase Surveywww.jmsyachting.com · Onboard documentation auditRetrieved 2026-09-01Effective 2025-09-03Corroborating source, not the register's own publicationOpen sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| Sea trial attendance | Sea trial attendance is standard on a pre-purchase survey, though whether it is inside the quoted fee or billed separately varies by surveyor.Boston Marine Surveyors - published rate cardbostonmarinesurveyors.com · RatesRetrieved 2026-09-01Corroborating source, not the register's own publicationOpen sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | Sea trial attendance is standard on a pre-purchase survey, though whether it is inside the quoted fee or billed separately varies by surveyor.Boston Marine Surveyors - published rate cardbostonmarinesurveyors.com · RatesRetrieved 2026-09-01Corroborating source, not the register's own publicationOpen sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| Ownership structuring | ||
| Owning company minimum capital | No capital figure is required: the registrar's memorandum checklist sets no amount, and one subscriber taking one share is enough.Practice Note NMVPN2, Companies Act 2006, Incorporating a Company, January 2026, issued by the Department for Enterprise as Registrar of Companies, Isle of Man Governmentwww.gov.im · §3.2.1Retrieved 2026-08-29Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | No minimum share capital applies to a Jersey company; the only floor is that each subscriber must take at least one share, in any currency.Companies (Jersey) Law 1991, official consolidated version, point in time 24 June 2026 to Current, jerseylaw.je (Jersey Legal Information Board)www.jerseylaw.je · art. 4A(1)(a)Retrieved 2026-08-29Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| Beneficial ownership disclosure | Anyone holding 25 percent or more is filed to a database that is not public; only authorities and firms regulated for anti-money laundering (AML) can search it.Beneficial Ownership, Companies Registry, Isle of Man Governmentwww.gov.imRetrieved 2026-08-29Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | Beneficial owners are filed with the Jersey regulator and kept off the public register; Jersey law sets no percentage test, using a risk-based judgment.Financial Services (Disclosure and Provision of Information) (Jersey) Law 2020, official consolidated version, point in time 1 June 2026 to Current, jerseylaw.je (Jersey Legal Information Board)www.jerseylaw.je · art. 4(1)Retrieved 2026-08-29Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| Crew employment & payroll | ||
| Seafarer employment agreements | Every seafarer on a commercial yacht needs a signed written agreement, and the registry must approve the form before it is used on a Manx ship; pleasure vessels are outside the 2013 Regulations.Merchant Shipping (Maritime Labour Convention) Regulations 2013 (SD 0234/13), Isle of Man, as published by the Isle of Man Ship Registrywww.iomshipregistry.com · reg. 19(1)Retrieved 2026-08-29Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | Jersey ships must meet the MLC under Jersey's own Code rather than by treaty, and Jersey's employment-agency rules list the particulars a seafarer's employment agreement must at least cover: wages, leave, notice and repatriation.Employment Agencies (Registration) (Code of Conduct) (Jersey) Order 1970, official consolidated version, point in time 1 January 2019 to Current, jerseylaw.je (Jersey Legal Information Board)www.jerseylaw.je · art. 4A(6)Retrieved 2026-09-01Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| Crew social security | Manx National Insurance follows residence and the employer's place of business, not the flag: Class 1 is 11 percent employee and 12.8 percent employer above £176 a week, with an estimated 12.3 percent employer rate for foreign-going mariners. Separately, the shipowner must fund medical care and wages for at least 16 weeks and burial costs.National Insurance Contributions - Rates and Thresholds, Income Tax Division, Isle of Man Treasurywww.gov.im · Rates and Thresholds table (26/27 column)Retrieved 2026-09-01Effective 2026-04-06Corroborating source, not the register's own publicationOpen sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | Crew on a Jersey-registered ship whose owner or manager is based in Jersey are insured under Jersey social security, unless they live outside Jersey, the UK, Guernsey and the Isle of Man; no MLC declaration covers Jersey crew.Social Security (Mariners) (Jersey) Order 1974, official consolidated version, point in time 1 January 2019 to Current, jerseylaw.je (Jersey Legal Information Board)www.jerseylaw.je · art. 2(2)Retrieved 2026-09-01Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| Compliance (ISM/ISPS/MLC) | ||
| Commercial yacht code applied | Commercial yachts of 24 m load line length and over, up to 12 passengers, follow the Red Ensign Group Yacht Code Part A.The Red Ensign Group Yacht Code, Part A: Large Yachts, July 2024 Edition, Red Ensign Groupwww.redensigngroup.org · §1.2(1)Retrieved 2026-09-12Effective 2024-07-01Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | Jersey certificates large yachts against the Red Ensign Group Yacht Code Part A and will not certificate any yacht above 399 GT.Code of Safety Practice, issued under Article 3(1) of the Shipping (Safety Code - Yachts and Small Ships) (Jersey) Regulations 2013, Version August 2026, Ports of Jerseycdn.ports.je · §2.3.1.1 and §2.7.2Retrieved 2026-08-28Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| ISM Code applicability | The full ISM Code applies at 500 GT and over; under 500 GT a scaled safety management system is still mandatory.The Red Ensign Group Yacht Code, Part A: Large Yachts, July 2024 Edition, Red Ensign Groupwww.redensigngroup.org · §23A.1(1) and §23B.1(1)Retrieved 2026-09-12Effective 2024-07-01Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | Jersey yachts run the Red Ensign Code's scaled safety management system; the register stops at 399 GT, so full ISM never applies.Code of Safety Practice, issued under Article 3(1) of the Shipping (Safety Code - Yachts and Small Ships) (Jersey) Regulations 2013, Version August 2026, Ports of Jerseycdn.ports.je · §2.3.1.1Retrieved 2026-08-28Effective 2024-07-01Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| ISPS Code applicability | Yachts of 500 GT and over must comply with the ISPS Code; Part A of the Code states no requirement below that, which is the Code's silence and not a finding that none applies.The Red Ensign Group Yacht Code, Part A: Large Yachts, July 2024 Edition, Red Ensign Groupwww.redensigngroup.org · §31.1(1)Retrieved 2026-09-12Effective 2024-07-01Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. | Jersey's own code has no security provision; the Yacht Code it applies requires ISPS compliance at 500 GT and over, and Jersey certificates no yacht above 399 GT.Code of Safety Practice, issued under Article 3(1) of the Shipping (Safety Code - Yachts and Small Ships) (Jersey) Regulations 2013, Version August 2026, Ports of Jerseycdn.ports.je · §2.3.1.1Retrieved 2026-08-28Effective 2024-07-01Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
Guides for this comparison
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- Yacht survey and code compliance costs
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- Choosing a yacht flag for cruising and charter
- EU flag or non-EU flag for a yacht
- The total cost of a yacht flag: a normalized lifecycle framework
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- What a yacht register charges
- Commercial yacht VAT exemptions
- Yacht VAT-paid status and evidence
- Yacht import VAT and place of supply
- Yacht mortgage registration costs
- EU yacht VAT explained
- How to choose a yacht flag
- Malta vs Isle of Man: comparing the two yacht flags
- Jersey yacht registration process step-by-step
- Isle of Man yacht registration process step-by-step
- Jersey yacht registration costs explained
- Isle of Man yacht registration costs explained
Services for these registers
Our pages on the services an owner arranges alongside registration.
- VAT and importation for yachts and private aircraft
- Yacht management companies: what they do, what they cost, how to choose
- Yacht insurance by flag: what is compulsory and what the market requires
- Finding yacht crew: how agencies work and what owners pay
- Who owns a yacht or a private aircraft? Companies, trusts and the register
- Employing yacht crew: contracts, payroll and social security
- ISM, ISPS and MLC for yachts: what your flag requires
- Chartering your yacht commercially: licenses, flags and coastal rules
- Central agents: how yachts are marketed for charter
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