Buying a yacht in Italy. Italian or British Flag

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Tamer11

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I want to buy a boat in Sardinia. I have ICC sail less than 24m issued in Dublin. I am a British national.

Could anyone let me know what licencing issues I would run up against to operate an Italian flagged boat?

If I managed to find a British flagged vessel (or took one down there) to keep in Italy, how long could I keep it there and again any operating issues with the ICC licence?

Any tax issues ?It will be a used boat, possibly ex charter.

Thanks in advance
 
There are several past threads on buying in Italy. Worth doing a search. 'Roberto' is the sage on the subject, but I think he's ocean-hopping at present. If I remember correctly you'd need to change flag unless you become Italian resident, which is a bit of a rigmarole, but I may be wrong on this. Mind you, getting off the Italian registry is fairly bureaucratic, too.

Qualifications: if Italian-flagged and above a certain size, they'd be needed. You need specialist training to drive a boat as badly as many Italians. If British-flagged...well, I've never been asked.
Tax issues: assuming it's pukka for VAT: none. EU, innit?
You can, I think, keep an EU-flagged vessel there indefinitely, but...the 'b' word.
That said, if bought in (non-UK) EU, it will probably remain VAT-paid in the (non-UK) EU, providing not exported from EU. 'Exported', in this sense, means for an extended period (3 years, in UK VAT notices), not a hop across to the Scillies.

Uncertain times, uncertain answers.
 
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No restrictions on keeping a British flagged vessel in Italy, nor using it - at the moment. Even if things change after we leave the EU your boat is unlikely to be affected as it is not the flag that matters, but where VAT is paid. You will have documentation to show that there is no VAT outstanding in Italy, but there may be restrictions on you, but that is all guesswork at the moment.

As soon as you get title to the boat put it on the SSR (assuming you are eligible) and insure it with a UK insurer.
 
I am a British national with an Italian flagged boat but a British ICC. I have queried this aspect with the Italian authorities (Capitaneria) and they tell me (and I also have a copy of the relevant law, in Italian!!) that your licence is valid with regard to your nationality (i.e. your passport) and not to the flag of the boat. I particualrly asked this as I was unclear on my personal position. For a change the Italian law is quite clear on this point.

Alan.
 
....thank's for all your replies. Yes I will do a search. Alot to mull over.

I liked this bit.

"if Italian-flagged and above a certain size, they'd be needed. You need specialist training to drive a boat as badly as many Italians."


I wonder if the companies sell second hand yachts could tell you what the situation is,or will they just tell you what you want to hear?
 
Just to clarify you need to be a UK resident (not citizen) to use the SSR. However a non resident UK citizen can register the boat on Part 1, but this is a bit more complication and requires a tonnage survey. again there are currently no restrictions on use within the EU. However if you are resident in Italy it may be easier to keep the Italian registration.
 
I will be UK resident. I want to leave the boat down there and take the train/ferry (anyone have any experience of this?) from UK to Sardinia 3-4 times a year.
 
That strongly suggests registering on the SSR and insuring in UK. Plenty of people do exactly what you plan, although probably flying out more than train/ferry - if only for the time saving, never mind the cost!
 
I would suggest keeping the British flag (SSR registered); if you have an Italian flag and the boat is over 10m in length then you need to have a survey (RINA) done after the boat is 8 years old, and subsequently every five years. Also you need to have the relevant safety equipment depending how far off-shore you intend to go: liferaft, flares, medical box etc; the liferaft has to be serviced every two years which costs around 600 - 700 euros each time depending on size. [This is a simplification of the Italian regulations!!!] Also, the Italian coastguard or financial police are much less likely to stop you if you have a foreign (e.g. UK) flag.
So, if you are UK resident it is easier and cheaper to have the boat UK flagged - even if it means de-registering an Italian boat and re-registering on the SSR; it does not cost much to de-register in Italy (IIRC 200 or 300 euros); and as I said previously your British ICC is good because you are British national, regardless of the boat's flag.

Alan
Nettuno, Italy.
 
Tamer11 said:
I want to buy a boat in Sardinia. I have ICC sail less than 24m issued in Dublin. I am a British national.

Could anyone let me know what licencing issues I would run up against to operate an Italian flagged boat?

If I managed to find a British flagged vessel (or took one down there) to keep in Italy, how long could I keep it there and again any operating issues with the ICC licence?

Any tax issues ?It will be a used boat, possibly ex charter.

Thanks in advance
Click to expand...

You need to be an Italian citizen to keep the flag
I,ve bought an IT boat and went through the process -here's a link ,it's pretty straight fwd
http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?427520-Buying-a-boat-in-Italy&
 
If the boat in question is under 10 metres in length, there is no registration and I imagine you could fly whatever flag you like (which is to say that if you are British, the authorities are not going to be phased by seeing a red duster). Equally, you could, I imagine keep the Italian flag (certainly it's not true that you need to be Italian to have an Italian flag, but probably you need to be resident). If over 10 metres, then's it's registered and it's all more (but not very) complicated, as stated above.
 
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