UK yacht registration for any Tom, Dick and Harry?

[Bouba]

I try and keep everything from the same country ... Sailing Quals, Passport, Registration, Insurance, and Radio licence .... I also have a strange affinity to the Red Ensign even with the B word problems in Europe.

My next boat will be U.K. registered, just like my last one ... I also like the combination of Name and Home Port and I really dislike registration numbers plastered on the bow or stern.

IMO, a boat is a member of the family, not a product with a registration number.

In France they decreased the size of the registration numbers and it’s only for motorboats....yachts don’t need them

 

[Baggywrinkle]

In France they decreased the size of the registration numbers and it’s only for motorboats....yachts don’t need them

Well stinkpots have no soul, so I'm OK with that. ...... I'll get my coat.

 

[Irish Rover]

Well stinkpots have no soul, so I'm OK with that. ...... I'll get my coat.

Is that what you call the big telegraph pole sticking up out of the deck of the boats snotty owners call yachts. I could never see the point myself although I do see a very small few using it to hang out the bed sheets

 

[Baggywrinkle]

Is that what you call the big telegraph pole sticking up out of the deck of the boats snotty owners call yachts. I could never see the point myself although I do see a very small few using it to hang out the bed sheets

@Baggywrinkle has already left the building.

 

[wonkywinch]

The business referred to has 1,778 glowing Trustpilot reviews, all written by people who have only ever left one (possibly) two reviews on there in total. They must have spent weeks signing up fake Trustpilot accounts. If it looks like a ... and smells like a ...

Boatandyachtregistration is rated "Excellent" with 4.9 / 5 on Trustpilot

Their website has the WHOIS details redacted, trading addresses from rented rooms in obscure parts of the world, to get round the residency rules they will set you up as a Ltd company then it's 249 Euro a year. For non ltd co, it's 199 Euro a year ongoing fees and you have to appoint them as a representative, presumably they have a UK resident on their books.

The cost for the setup of the LTD. is included in the rate and after that it is 249 Euro annually. As the LTD. is only used for owning a boat you will not need to pay any taxes or do any government filings.

An official address and representative is needed to register the Part 1 register, the first year is included, yearly renewals are 199 EUR
I'm not sure their comment about not having to file anything "as the ltd is only used for owning a boat" is strictly true.

From the Ships Registry :

If none of the qualified owners are resident in the UK, a representative must be appointed who is either of the following:

* an individual resident in the UK

* a company incorporated in one of the EEA countries with a place of business in the UK

 

[Baggywrinkle]

Is that what you call the big telegraph pole sticking up out of the deck of the boats snotty owners call yachts. I could never see the point myself although I do see a very small few using it to hang out the bed sheets

@Baggywrinkle has returned to the building with the lyrics for the song "The Irish Rover" ... apparently it had 27 masts. Who would have thunk it ... seems like a lot.



Sorry about your dog.

 

[Buck Turgidson]

It should make no odds at all but Greece and Spain started differentiating EU and non-EU flags in a way that makes it awkward for EU VAT paid boats with UK flags. Hopefully this will get sorted out and won’t spread to other countries. it sort of creates a confusing status in officials‘ minds.

?
My UK flagged boat has been in Spain for 4 years now with not a peep from anyone. Could you elaborate please?

 

[Irish Rover]

@Baggywrinkle has returned to the building with the lyrics for the song "The Irish Rover" ... apparently it had 27 masts. Who would have thunk it ... seems like a lot.

View attachment 168457

Sorry about your dog.

I'm not sure I saw that version before. Doelan[sic] in that version is from the same place as me. It's a real fun song in the pub when everyone is pissed.

 

[rotrax]

The offer seems to reflect a Part3 registration, I wonder how they cope with the UK residency obligation for the owner.

It must me a con.

The rules state clearly that the owner must reside in the UK.

 

[RupertW]

?
My UK flagged boat has been in Spain for 4 years now with not a peep from anyone. Could you elaborate please?

Not from personal experience, just from forum and Cruising Association comments. I haven’t been in Spanish waters (apart from the Canaries) since 2019.

 

[Irish Rover]

It must me a con.

The rules state clearly that the owner must reside in the UK.

#10

 

[Concerto]

At the Southampton Boat Show this year was a large stand offering registration in many different countries including the UK. They are based in the Glasgow area and chatting with the staff, they have been in the shipping industry for decades doing this. They have been moving into larger yachts as registration abroad can save them paying VAT. If you are spending in the millions on a new boat, the VAT saving makes the charges look exceptionally cheap.

 

[Tranona]

It should make no odds at all but Greece and Spain started differentiating EU and non-EU flags in a way that makes it awkward for EU VAT paid boats with UK flags. Hopefully this will get sorted out and won’t spread to other countries. it sort of creates a confusing status in officials‘ minds.

The states that are doing this (or are claimed to be) are not complying with EU law on Freedom of Circulation for boats which comes from evidence of VAT status. The problem is that such status comes from different sources, primarily evidence of payment of EU VAT, but also the various Accession treaties and crucially from the Withdrawal Agreement. The confusion arises because the UK is now a "third country" and prior to Brexit third country registered boats with EU VAT status were very rare. The CA is trying to resolve the problems in Greece through the commission, but the issue is complex because as I understand it (among other problems) EU rules in freedom of circulation do not specifically say that EU state of registration is required in addition to VAT status.

 

[Baggywrinkle]

?
My UK flagged boat has been in Spain for 4 years now with not a peep from anyone. Could you elaborate please?

When I came to sell my UK flagged boat based in Croatia to a Slovenian buyer, both the Croatian and Slovenian port authorities refused to accept it was VAT paid. I had the Croatian Import paperwork indicating it was imported at a zero rate but their reasoning was that the boat was UK flagged and therefore could not be VAT paid, and they wouldn't budge.

This is clearly wrong, but I resolved the issue by giving the Croatian import paperwork to a Croatian spedition company and they issued a T2L.

I was then able to sell the boat in the EU as VAT paid.

This problem was present long before the B-word for other 3rd countries, the UK just joined them ......

Demystifying Croatian requests for taxation documents on yachts

 

[Tranona]

At the Southampton Boat Show this year was a large stand offering registration in many different countries including the UK. They are based in the Glasgow area and chatting with the staff, they have been in the shipping industry for decades doing this. They have been moving into larger yachts as registration abroad can save them paying VAT. If you are spending in the millions on a new boat, the VAT saving makes the charges look exceptionally cheap.

VAT is incidental to offshore registration. The prime reasons for many is crewing and equipment requirements to operate as a chart boat and if over 80' or so even for private use. The "Red Ensign" group of registries has long been the leader in this market not least because many of the captains and crew hold UK qualifications. The recent growth in such agency activity simply reflects the massive growth n the number of 80'+ boats both sail and power being built. The fact that many of the owners of such boats come from countries that do not have comparable registration systems. The boats also tend to be "owned" outside the country of citizenship or residence of the person paying the bills.

 

[billskip]

The boats also tend to be "owned" outside the country of citizenship or residence of the person paying the bills.

Spain says " owned or used by" what I read that as , eg.. my son lives in UK has a British reg boat in Spanish waters, but if I as a resident in Spain use it, the rules are then applied making my son responsible equivalent to being resident himself.

 

[Buck Turgidson]

When I came to sell my UK flagged boat based in Croatia to a Slovenian buyer, both the Croatian and Slovenian port authorities refused to accept it was VAT paid. I had the Croatian Import paperwork indicating it was imported at a zero rate but their reasoning was that the boat was UK flagged and therefore could not be VAT paid, and they wouldn't budge.

This is clearly wrong, but I resolved the issue by giving the Croatian import paperwork to a Croatian spedition company and they issued a T2L.

I was then able to sell the boat in the EU as VAT paid.

This problem was present long before the B-word for other 3rd countries, the UK just joined them ......

Demystifying Croatian requests for taxation documents on yachts

I've got a pre vat boat with a notarised letter from the Harbour master that it was in Valencia on B day. I've not heard of anyone in Spain having VAT problems recently.

 

[Tranona]

Spain says " owned or used by" what I read that as , eg.. my son lives in UK has a British reg boat in Spanish waters, but if I as a resident in Spain use it, the rules are then applied making my son responsible equivalent to being resident himself.

I was not responding to whatever is going on (or not) in Spain or any other EU country, but to reasons why agencies handling the management of boats including registration. Many of the boats that they will handle are "owned" by offshore companies who have the title registered to them, but are not in fact the beneficial owner - that is the person or entity that paid for the boat.

 

[ithet]

Just had this add pop up .... View attachment 168447
.. looks like it's not only the Polish who are selling themselves as a flag state for boats.

So they will make a £35 part 3 application using an "address of convenience" and forward document on to you.

 

[Tranona]

I was not responding to whatever is going on (or not) in Spain or any other EU country, but to reasons why agencies handling the management of boats including registration. Many of the boats that they will handle are "owned" by offshore companies who have the title registered to them, but are not in fact the beneficial owner - that is the person or entity that paid for the boat.

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