Site Features

Directory

Contact Us

About Us

Services

K.Y.C.

Insights

Events

Press Room

Search

Affiliates

Gray & Co.

Yacht Registration in the British Virgin Islands (Red Ensign Flag)

[benefits] [requirements] [registration process] [fees] [preliminary registration]

Benefits:

The advantages of the British Virgin Islands (BVI) Ship Registry include the following: 

1. The BVI Registry is a member of the Red Ensign Group, which means that ships flying the BVI flag are entitled to British Diplomatic and Consular support, in addition to the protection of the British Royal Navy.  The BVI has access to the technical expertise of the British Maritime and Coast Guard Agency. 
2. There are low initial registration and annual maintenance costs.
3. The requirements are simple, yet they provide secure registration of yachts, mortgages and discharge of mortgages.  The change or transfer of ownership or title to the vessel is easily verified with the Registry.  the BVI Ship Registry has a fully computerised Fleet Management System and Database. 
4. Full corporate, legal and courier services are readily available in the British Virgin Islands, through our offices as we work directly with the BVI Ship Registry.  We pride ourselves in providing a prompt, courteous and efficient service. 
5. The BVI has the British Judicial System, with political and social stability.
6. The British Virgin Islands is recognised worldwide as a reputable offshore financial centre, leading the world in company formation and related corporate services. 

Requirements:

In order to register a yacht in the British Virgin Islands, it is necessary to provide the BVI Registrar of Shipping with the following documents and information: 

1. Name of Ship
2. Name and details of the owner, who must either be a British Citizen, BVI citizen or a British Virgin Islands Business Company
3. Address of the owner
4. Marine Survey of the vessel by a qualified marine surveyor. 
5. Builder's Certificate or Foreign Bill of Sale
6. In the case of a new vessel: name and address of the builder, yard number allocated to the vessel
7. In the case of a previously owned or registered vessel, deletion certificate from the previous registry
8. Declaration of ownership
9. If the vessel is owned by a British Virgin Islands Business Company, certified copies of the Certificate of Incorporation and M&AA, and original Certificate of Good Standing by the BVI companies registry.
10. Appointment of an authorised officer.

Registration Process:

Completing the forms: 

There are about 8 forms which need to be completed in order to start registration of your vessel.  In order to assist you, we will send a single form, in Word format, for you to complete.  You need to completely every section of this form, so that we do not waste your time coming back to ask you more questions.

Once we have this completed form from you, we will complete all required documentation requested by the BVI Registrar of Shipping.  If you are providing the authorised officer, then we will email you all the forms in PDF format, for you to sign and Apostille. 

You are responsible for obtaining the following Apostilled documents: 

New Yacht: 

1. Builder's Certificate
2. Survey of the yacht by a qualified marine surveyor. 

Purchased Yacht: 

1. Bill of Sale
2. Deletion Certificate from Existing Registry
3. Survey of the yacht by a qualified marine surveyor. 

Qualified Marine Surveyor - Classification Societies: 

The approved Classification Societies, for the purposes of the Survey and Inspection or Certification for registration, tonnage and requirements of SOLAS, MARPOL and Codes of Practice are:  

1. LR - Lloyds Register of Shipping
2. BV - Bureau Veritas
3. DNV - Det Norske Veritas
4. GL - http://www.gl-group.com
5. ABS - American Bureau of Shipping
6. RINA - http://www.rina.org/eng/shipping_classifcation/shipping_classification_certification.asp

Carving and Marking: 

After the British Virgin Islands Registrar of Shipping has approved your registration, they will issue a form with the registration number and details which are to be carved onto the yacht.  This form is issued with precise instructions of where and how to do the carving.  It is essential to follow these instructions carefully. After you have finished the carving, you must return the signed form, certified by the qualified marine surveyor, together with a photo of the carving, as proof that the yacht has been properly marked. 

Preliminary Registration:

It is not possible to obtain preliminary registration to sail your vessel, unless you meet very specific criteria.  This certification will only be issued if you need to sail the vessel from port A to port B, which will be indicated clearly in the certificate.  This will not allow you to sail the vessel anywhere else. 

Payments for yacht registration in the British Virgin Islands can be made via Visa or Mastercard.  Please see our Credit Card Authorisation Form.

[ About Koru ] [ Services ] [ Offshore News ] [ Know Your Client ] [ Corporation Definitions ] [ Anguilla IBC ] [ Belize IBC ] [ BVI Business Companies ] [ Hong Kong Company ] [ Nevis Companies ] [ Panama Corporations ] [ About Trusts ] [ US Corporations ] [ Yacht Registration Services ] [ Fee Schedules ]

Last modified 04-Jun-2008 11:23 -0400

[ About Koru ] [ Services ] [ Offshore News ] [ Know Your Client ] [ Corporation Definitions ] [ Anguilla IBC ] [ Belize IBC ] [ BVI Business Companies ] [ Hong Kong Company ] [ Nevis Companies ] [ Panama Corporations ] [ About Trusts ] [ US Corporations ] [ Yacht Registration Services ] [ Fee Schedules ]

Last edited: 27-Oct-2009

© Koru Corporate Services, Inc. 2006 - 2007