Yacht Registration in Poland – your must-have checklist

Have you recently become the owner of a yacht and are wondering which flag would be the best choice for you? You have probably searched most of the Internet looking for an answer. In most cases, the answer is simple: the Polish flag is currently the best option. Why? A straightforward and quick registration procedure, low costs and no additional requirements such as a technical survey.

So, what does the yacht registration procedure in Poland look like?

The Polish register of yachts and other vessels of up to 24 metres in length is maintained through the REJA24 system. An application may be submitted to any chosen registration authority. There is no requirement to apply to the authority competent for the owner’s place of residence. This is particularly advantageous because authorities located in the northern parts of Poland tend to have considerably more experience in registering vessels than, for example, authorities in south-eastern Poland. The registration application may be submitted either in paper form or electronically.

What documents are required to register a yacht in Poland

Before starting the procedure, we will ask you to provide us with scans of the following documents:

  1. the yacht’s CE Declaration of Conformity – as a general rule, it should be submitted with the application if one was issued. This applies to vessels built after June 1998. If more than 10 years have passed since the CE Declaration was issued, or if the declaration has been lost and obtaining a duplicate is impossible, an appropriate declaration by the owner will be required. The absence of a CE Declaration does, however, have certain consequences: in particular, it will not be possible to confirm on this basis the vessel’s design category, the maximum number of persons permitted on board, the permissible wind force or significant wave height.

  2. a clear photograph of the builder’s plate (CE plate) – only if the vessel has a CE Declaration of Conformity. The plate is not formally required, but it may sometimes be used to confirm the maximum number of persons permitted on board. This is particularly relevant where the CE Declaration does not contain this information, which is relatively common.

  3. a photograph of the HIN, CIN or WIN – the identification number must comply with the relevant ISO standard and correspond to the number shown in the vessel’s documentation. If the yacht does not have an identification number, or if the existing marking does not comply with the ISO standard, the registration authority will assign a Polish Individual Identification Number (INI). The INI remains assigned to the vessel throughout its lifetime.

  4. a document confirming the engine power – this may, in particular, be an owner’s manual, warranty document, technical specification or manufacturer’s brochure. The most important point is that the document states the engine power in kW or HP and identifies the engine manufacturer.

  5. a photograph of the engine serial number, together with information indicating whether the engine is inboard or outboard and whether it is petrol or diesel. As a general rule, providing the engine serial number is optional, although in practice yacht owners usually choose to disclose it. A photograph of the engine plate may also help to decipher the serial number, which is often difficult to read in older documents.

  6. a document confirming ownership of the yacht – most commonly, this will be a bill of sale. In the case of a new vessel, it will usually be a VAT invoice. Polish law also recognises other forms of proof of ownership, such as a deed of gift, an exchange agreement or a certificate of inheritance. In the case of a self-built vessel, an appropriate declaration by the builder is required.

  7. confirmation of deletion from the previous register, if the yacht was previously registered abroad. The document should confirm both the date on which the previous registration ended and the fact that the vessel has been deleted from that register.

  8. an identity document for each owner – an identity card or passport.

  9. documents concerning the operator – if the yacht has two or more owners, they must appoint an operator from among themselves. The operator may also be a third party who is not an owner of the yacht. In such a case, we will prepare an appropriate declaration for you, to be signed by each owner, identifying the person or entity acting as the operator.

  10. a power of attorney authorising us to act on your behalf. We prepare this document individually for each case; all you need to do is sign it.

What information do we need before submitting the application

In addition to the documents themselves, we will need to agree with you on several basic matters concerning the intended use of the vessel.

First of all, we need the name of the yacht. The regulations impose certain basic restrictions in this respect – the name must not be contrary to accepted standards of decency or be misleadingly similar to designations used by rescue services. Importantly, due to the way the REJA24 system operates, the name you choose does not need to be unique and may be used by other vessels as well. In many foreign registers, as well as in the Polish permanent ship register, a vessel’s name must be unique.

In the case of a seagoing yacht, a Polish maritime port of registry must be specified. Foreign owners most commonly choose Gdańsk, Gdynia or Sopot, i.e. ports within the Tricity metropolitan area.

It is also necessary to determine whether the yacht will be used for recreational or commercial purposes. This is an important decision. Commercial operation involves additional requirements concerning, among other things, vessel safety and documentation. The registration and operation of commercial yachts requires separate discussion and will be covered in our future publications.

The final basic piece of information is the area of operation. We need to specify whether the vessel will be used on maritime waters, inland waters, or both. Even if you select both areas of operation, the registration document will display the same designation as for maritime waters alone, namely “M”.

Foreign documents and translations

A significant proportion of the registrations we handle concern yachts purchased abroad. This means that most of the relevant documents are in a foreign language. As a result, certified translations will need to be submitted with the application. The documents that most commonly require certified translation are the bill of sale, engine documentation and the certificate confirming deletion from the previous register.

One important practical advantage is that registration authorities will usually not require a translation of the entire document, for example a lengthy bill of sale. In practice, it is often sufficient to translate only the relevant sections identifying the buyer, seller, vessel details and formal elements such as signatures.

What does the yacht registration procedure involve

Once we receive your documents, our first task will be to review them. In particular, we will verify the yacht’s details, its HIN/CIN/WIN and whether the identification number corresponds with the CE Declaration and the other documentation.

Once the documents have been reviewed, we will prepare a power of attorney for you, together with any additional declarations that may be required for the registration of your vessel or may help speed up the process.

We will then submit the application to the registration authority, which will verify the completeness and correctness of the documents provided. Once they have been reviewed, the authority issues a certificate confirming the yacht’s registration. In practice, where the application has been properly prepared, obtaining such a certificate usually takes approximately 3 to 7 working days.

The owner may use the certificate until the final registration document is issued. This means that once you have received the certificate, you can already sail the yacht. As a precaution, however, we always recommend keeping a copy of the bill of sale or VAT invoice on board together with the certificate. This is important because the certificate contains only the yacht’s details – it does not state the name of the owner, whether an individual or a legal entity. Obtaining the physical registration document usually takes around two weeks.

How much does it cost to register a yacht in Poland

At present, the administrative fee for processing a yacht registration application is PLN 80. The official costs may also include the cost of certified translations, as well as the representative’s professional fees for handling the registration procedure and the administrative fee applicable to the power of attorney.

Changes to the Yacht Registration Act

The current rules governing yacht registration may change in the near future. Work is currently under way on an amendment to the legislation intended to increase control over vessels registered under the Polish flag, introduce periodic confirmation of the validity of registration documents and increase registration fees, particularly for foreign owners. For the time being, however, these are only proposals currently being discussed by a parliamentary committee. Much will depend on whether the legislation ultimately receives the support of both the Sejm and the Senate and is subsequently signed by the President of Poland.

We will discuss the proposed changes and their significance for foreign owners of yachts registered in Poland in our next article.

Finally, we would like to invite you to read our free e-book, Safe Yacht Purchase 3.0. It contains plenty of valuable information and practical guidance that may be useful to you when buying or selling a yacht.