Canaries, advice on lincese and registration please?

[RobWales]

Hi All,

Hoping to get some solid advice here on my planned move to live full time on Gran Canaria.

It's my intention to purchase a 12mtr motor cruiser to live aboard as my sole residence after selling up here in the UK, hoping to complete the move by the end of 2017.

54 years of age I've owned boats of all sizes up to 36ft all my adult life but have never done any qualifications hence doing an ICC 10mtr plus here in the UK prior to my move is an option.

First question...without a qualification could I live aboard in a Marina without one as long as boat is not moved? (until qualification achieved).

Second....I have my eye on a Spanish registered craft close to where I intend to base myself, an ideal purchase given the logistics and as I'm going to have to become a Spanish resident due to time spent in Country and no UK residence(unable to change reg to UK perhaps?) would I be forced to do the license exam in Spanish after the 180+period?

Head spinning after many days searching online but getting no definitive answers.

Many thanks, Rob.

 

[Wansworth]

l had a British reg boat that passed to Spanish reg as I lived and was married to aSpanishcitizen.Iwasrequiredto sit the Spanish exams.That was quite a while now and it maybe possible to swap your U.K. Qualifications to Spanish ones.I found the best place to get proper info is a legal group involved solely in yachts.

 

[RobWales]

Thanks Wansworth, I have read that the Spanish will no longer transfer UK qual's to Spanish since 2011.....much is the shame!

I'm heading down to Gran Canaria next week si I'll have the opportunity to do some on the ground digging, in the meantime if anyone else has any valuable insights it would be appreciated.

Cheer, Rob.

 

[Tranona]

Thanks Wansworth, I have read that the Spanish will no longer transfer UK qual's to Spanish since 2011.....much is the shame!

I'm heading down to Gran Canaria next week si I'll have the opportunity to do some on the ground digging, in the meantime if anyone else has any valuable insights it would be appreciated.

Cheer, Rob.

They never really did accept UK qualifications for a Spanish registered boat. Perhaps your best bet is to take the boat off the Spanish register and put it on Part 1. Bit expensive as you have to pay for the tonnage survey by a designated surveyor, but will save in the long run as you will avoid all the regular inspection stuff that comes with a Spanish registered boat plus you are then OK with the ICC - not that anybody will be really bothered. You can contain the cost of the survey by having a UK surveyor do your condition survey and tonnage survey at the same time. Worth the airfare.

 

[capnsensible]

I do have a contact in a Canarian Yacht Brokerage I can ask later this week. It's got my interest too.

We are now full time in the Canaries. Arrived with two yachts and have imported both paying two taxes, Import Duty and EHIC. Customs officers in Gran Canaria value the boat. There is no appeal, but we got very, very favourable valuation.

Applied straight away for Empadronamiento (spelling?) to be registered as living here. Within six months, sort out you residencia or you could possibly attract a fine of up to 600 euros.

We did all that through an agent. Didn't cost much, they do all the queueing and translating plus know the police and immigration people. Can save many hours of messing about.

Enjoy the Land Of Eternal Spring!

 

[Wansworth]

If I recall correctly we paid no taxes as the boat was imported as our personal possession .

 

[RobWales]

They never really did accept UK qualifications for a Spanish registered boat. Perhaps your best bet is to take the boat off the Spanish register and put it on Part 1. Bit expensive as you have to pay for the tonnage survey by a designated surveyor, but will save in the long run as you will avoid all the regular inspection stuff that comes with a Spanish registered boat plus you are then OK with the ICC - not that anybody will be really bothered. You can contain the cost of the survey by having a UK surveyor do your condition survey and tonnage survey at the same time. Worth the airfare.

Thanks, but can I register it as British when I have no British residence moving forward?........hmmmm??

 

[Yngmar]

For registration, there are options other than UK or Spain, namely flags of convenience for yachts. One such is Langkawi (Malaysia), see https://langkawi-gazette.com/marine-guide/my-boat-registration

Cost is about £200 one time plus £70 per year. No residency requirement, although you may want to use an agent to do the paperwork and deal with payments. Does not affect the EU tax paid status (if any) of the boat.

 

[capnsensible]

If I recall correctly we paid no taxes as the boat was imported as our personal possession .

The Canaries operate under their own rules. Different to the Peninsular.

 

[RobWales]

For registration, there are options other than UK or Spain, namely flags of convenience for yachts. One such is Langkawi (Malaysia), see https://langkawi-gazette.com/marine-guide/my-boat-registration

Cost is about £200 one time plus £70 per year. No residency requirement, although you may want to use an agent to do the paperwork and deal with payments. Does not affect the EU tax paid status (if any) of the boat.

Thanks....however I doubt the icc would work?

 

[Tranona]

Thanks, but can I register it as British when I have no British residence moving forward?........hmmmm??

Yes, you can. While eligibility for the SSR is residence based, Part 1 is citizen based so you qualify. You need to have a representative nominated in the UK but that can be an individual or an agent. The only real complication is that you need a good trail of title, which you should get with a Spanish registered boat, and the one off cost of the tonnage survey and fee to the registrar. Call the MCA registry in Cardiff, or look on their website.

 

[RobWales]

Yes, you can. While eligibility for the SSR is residence based, Part 1 is citizen based so you qualify. You need to have a representative nominated in the UK but that can be an individual or an agent. The only real complication is that you need a good trail of title, which you should get with a Spanish registered boat, and the one off cost of the tonnage survey and fee to the registrar. Call the MCA registry in Cardiff, or look on their website.

Thanks, appreciate the info...

 

[Mee]

is a Spanish residents allowed to have British flagged boat?

 

[Tranona]

is a Spanish residents allowed to have British flagged boat?

Yes, but not on the SSR (although some do - illegally due to poor policing in the past). However a UK corporate body is also eligible to have a boat on the main (Part 1) register. As this is not a trivial exercise to set up and maintain it tends only to be used by those who think their personal position justifies it and have the money to support it. Remember that there are many Spanish people who own and operate businesses in the UK so for that sector it is not a big deal.

 

[capnsensible]

Hi All,

Hoping to get some solid advice here on my planned move to live full time on Gran Canaria.

It's my intention to purchase a 12mtr motor cruiser to live aboard as my sole residence after selling up here in the UK, hoping to complete the move by the end of 2017.

54 years of age I've owned boats of all sizes up to 36ft all my adult life but have never done any qualifications hence doing an ICC 10mtr plus here in the UK prior to my move is an option.

First question...without a qualification could I live aboard in a Marina without one as long as boat is not moved? (until qualification achieved).

Second....I have my eye on a Spanish registered craft close to where I intend to base myself, an ideal purchase given the logistics and as I'm going to have to become a Spanish resident due to time spent in Country and no UK residence(unable to change reg to UK perhaps?) would I be forced to do the license exam in Spanish after the 180+period?

Head spinning after many days searching online but getting no definitive answers.

Many thanks, Rob.

Got an answer from someone who has been involved with this stuff for over ten years. You can own and live on your Spanish registered boat without taking a Spanish licence. An ICC plus your passport will be fine for personal use.

Hope this helps!

 

[macd]

is a Spanish residents allowed to have British flagged boat?

As Tranona wrote, a British citizen living anywhere is eligible for the UK Part 1 register. There's no ambiguity about this. (It's also implicitly why flag state, as opposed to the owner's country of residence, is irrelevant so far as VAT and excise matters are concerned.)

 

[RobWales]

Thanks all for the valued input. Rob.

 

[RobWales]

Got an answer from someone who has been involved with this stuff for over ten years. You can own and live on your Spanish registered boat without taking a Spanish licence. An ICC plus your passport will be fine for personal use.

Hope this helps!

Hi Cap.....
Can you check with your friend that he is certain about this please? in particular to the fact I will be having to become a resident of Spain and will have no UK residence moving forward....
Many thanks, Rob.

 

[capnsensible]

He is sure. Has been in the Canaries for 12 years and has a brokerage business. When you are looking for the boat, worth an ask in the marina office of where it's moored, just to double check.

I've just got residencia myself. Used an agent. It's best to get the ball rolling early on that one. Don't know what will happen after Brexit. The agent advised on the paperwork necessary, did a pre interview with the police to check all in order. Then made the appointment for me and sat in as translator for the technical bits (I can just about do the easy bits). Only takes a few minutes if you are properly prepared.

Hope you enjoy your new life. We are!

 

[Mee]

First question...without a qualification could I live aboard in a Marina without one as long as boat is not moved? (until qualification achieved).

Nobody answered this with any clarity