Mortgage registration
Mortgage registration across every register we track for yachts.
What is meant by mortgage registration?
How a lender's security over the vessel is recorded on the register, and what priority that recording gives it against other claims.
Why does mortgage registration matter when choosing a register?
Finance rarely completes unless the lender is satisfied with how a register records and ranks its mortgage, so the register's mortgage treatment is often a condition set by the lender.
Every register for yachts, side by side
Where a register has not published an answer, none is shown, and where the only figure available is an estimate, it is labeled as one.
| Register | Answer |
|---|---|
| British Virgin IslandsVirgin Islands Shipping Registry | Mortgages register in production order, and that order alone fixes priority; barred later mortgages are void.Merchant Shipping Act, 2001 (No. 13 of 2001) - Virgin Islands, published by the Virgin Islands Shipping and Maritime Authority on bvimaritime.vgbvimaritime.vg · s. 80(1)Retrieved 2026-08-27Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| Cayman IslandsCayman Islands Shipping Registry | Mortgages register on submission, rank in the order produced, cost US$1,100, and attract no duty on value.Maritime Authority of the Cayman Islands, Registration of a Mortgage or Priority Noticewww.cishipping.comRetrieved 2026-08-11Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| GibraltarGibraltar Yacht Registry | Mortgages rank by the date and time of recording; fees run £87 to £225.Gibraltar Merchant Shipping (Pleasure Yachts) Regulations, 1997 (LN. 1997/153), consolidated text at the current version 18/04/2024, gibraltarlaws.gov.gi (Government of Gibraltar)www.gibraltarlaws.gov.gi · reg. 53Retrieved 2026-08-27Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| Isle of ManIsle of Man Ship Registry | 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. |
| JerseyJersey Ship Registry | 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. |
| MadeiraMadeira International Shipping Register (MAR) | Mortgages take written authenticated form, and the parties may choose and register the governing law.Decree-Law nr. 96/89, of 28 March, consolidated English text as amended through Decree-Law no. 17/2022, published by SDM - Sociedade de Desenvolvimento da Madeira (concessionaire of the Madeira International Business Centre)www.ibc-madeira.com · art. 14(4)Retrieved 2026-08-12Corroborating source, not the register's own publicationOpen sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| MaltaMalta Ship Register | Mortgages are recorded in the register and rank by the date and hour of recording.Merchant Shipping Act (Cap. 234, Laws of Malta), consolidated text at point in time 04/04/2025, legislation.mt (Office of the State Advocate)legislation.mt · art. 38(1)Retrieved 2026-08-29Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| Marshall IslandsMarshall Islands Maritime Registry | Preferred ship mortgages recorded through any Regional Office rank ahead of all claims except tort, crew wages, general average, salvage and court costs.MI-100, Vessel Registration and Instrument Recording, May/2024, Republic of the Marshall Islands Maritime Administratorwww.register-iri.com · §18.0Retrieved 2026-08-29Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| PanamaPanama Ship Registry | Mortgages are recorded in the Registro Público, not the flag register; deregistration needs the mortgagee's consent.Ley 57 de 6 de agosto de 2008, General de Marina Mercante (Gaceta Oficial No. 26100 de 7 de agosto de 2008), official bilingual Spanish/English edition published by the Autoridad Marítima de Panamáwww.amp.gob.pa · Art. 27(1)Retrieved 2026-08-27Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| St Vincent and the GrenadinesSt Vincent and the Grenadines Maritime Administration | Mortgages rank strictly by order of registration; a registered ban on further mortgages makes any breach null and void.Shipping Act 2004 (No. 11 of 2004), Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, as published by the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Maritime Administration (archived copy)www.svg-marad.com (web.archive.org) · s. 68(1)Retrieved 2026-09-01Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
| United KingdomUK Ship Register | Mortgages rank by registration order on Part 1, from £101; Part 3 supports none.Merchant Shipping Act 1995 (c. 21) - legislation.gov.uk (The National Archives)www.legislation.gov.uk · Schedule 1, paras 7(1) and 8(1)Retrieved 2026-08-29Open sourceInformational only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a qualified professional for current information. |
Where to go next
This item is one of many that bear on the choice. Set it beside the rest before you choose a register, and tell us if a register you need is not covered yet.