Marshall Islands Yacht Registration
Register your yacht under the Marshall Islands flag: remote registration for owners of any nationality. Registry fees at cost plus one fixed Vessel Flag service fee.
Validity
Permanent registration, plus a yearly tonnage fee
Survey
No pre-registration inspection for private yachts of 12–24 m under 20 years
Registration process
Handled for you, fully remote
Validity
Worldwide
Nationality
Any nationality, through an owning company
Transparent pricing for private yachts: registry fees in US dollars are paid at cost to the registry, plus one fixed Vessel Flag service fee of €250 per yacht registration.
Marshall Islands Yacht Registration Costs
Private yacht under 24 m
Vessel Flag service fee per yacht registration- Registry fee at cost: first-year total USD 1,600, then USD 750 per year
- Application, document preparation and follow-up until your certificates are issued
- Registry fees are invoiced separately by the registry
- Remote process – no visit needed
- Any nationality
Yacht 24 m and over
Vessel Flag service fee per yacht registration- Registry fee at cost, by gross tonnage: first-year total USD 2,550 to 3,450, then USD 750 to 1,250 per year
- Application, document preparation and follow-up until your certificates are issued
- Registry fees are invoiced separately by the registry
- Remote process – no visit needed
- Any nationality
Any nationality
Owners of any nationality can register, through a Marshall Islands company or an existing foreign company registered as a Foreign Maritime Entity.
Fully remote
The whole registration is completed online. No visit to the Marshall Islands and no trip to a registry office.
No inspection in many cases
Private yachts of 12–24 m under 20 years old are exempt from the pre-registration inspection. Older yachts: ask us first.
Recognised worldwide
The Marshall Islands registry is one of the largest in the world and is on the Paris MoU white list.
Mortgages and resale
Marine mortgages can be registered, which helps with financing and resale of the yacht.
Non-EU flag
The Marshall Islands is a non-EU flag. VAT and customs status in EU waters depend on the yacht, the owner and the country, so check with us before you buy or sail.
Why Choose Marshall Islands Yacht Registration in 2026?
The Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) runs one of the largest maritime registries in the world through International Registries, Inc., and has offered dedicated yacht registration since 2001. Owners choose it for its international reputation, ownership through a company by any nationality, a fully remote process and clear ongoing costs: a registration fee and a yearly tonnage fee. Vessel Flag prepares the application, deals with the registry and follows the case until your certificates are issued.
Marshall Islands Yacht Registration
Register your boat under the Marshall Islands Flag
If you want a flag with a long maritime track record, a strong legal framework and a process you can complete from anywhere, Marshall Islands yacht registration is a solid choice. The registry answers quickly, works in English and registers private, bareboat and commercial yachts. Our job is to make the paperwork simple: we tell you the costs up front, prepare the documents, and keep you informed at every step.
The Intersection of Trust, Flexibility and Tax Advantages
In terms of tax advantages, the Marshall Islands offer an attractive environment for ship owners. With exemption from taxes such as company tax and capital gains tax, the Marshall Islands allow ship owners to significantly reduce their tax burden. Additionally, ship registration fees and annual renewal fees are quite low in the Marshall Islands.
What you get with Vessel Flag
- Clear costs up front: registry fees at cost plus our fixed €250 service fee
- Eligibility check of your yacht (size, age, use) and of the owning company
- Preparation of the application and supporting documents, with a draft sent to the registry for pre-clearance
- Help with the owning company, insurance and closing documents
- Your certificates from the registry: Private Certificate of Registry, temporary authority ship radio licence, port authority letter and tonnage tax receipt
- One contact person from the first question to the final certificate
Marshall Islands registration: owners of any nationality, one owning company
Any person or company, of any nationality, can register a yacht under the Marshall Islands flag through an owning company: a Marshall Islands company, or an existing foreign company registered as a Foreign Maritime Entity (FME). The yacht can be private, bareboat chartered or used commercially, each with its own rules. Tell us about your yacht and your company and we will confirm the route that fits.
Why choose the Marshall Islands flag?
- It has a respected reputation internationally.
- It significantly reduces the tax burden of ship owners.
- The ship registration fee and annual renewal fee are quite affordable.
- It offers a wide range of registration options for different ship types and ownership structures.
- The Marshall Islands is on the Paris MoU white list.
- Expert support with Marshall Islands maritime rules and registry procedures.
- The Marshall Islands registry has a respected international reputation.
- The process is simple and the registry answers fast; the whole case is handled remotely.
- High standards of privacy and data protection for ship owners.
Marshall Islands Yacht Registration Guide: Rules, Costs and Process
Last checked: October 2026. Fees: Marshall Islands registry yacht fee schedule and invoices. The registry’s invoice is final.
What does Marshall Islands yacht registration cost?
Our price has two parts: the registry fees, set in US dollars by the Marshall Islands registry (International Registries, Inc.) and paid to it at cost, and our fixed €250 service fee per yacht registration.
Vessel Flag service
| Item | Paid to | Amount | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Service fee, registration of one yacht | Vessel Flag | €250 | Fixed |
| Marshall Islands flag 65×40 | Vessel Flag | €25 | Optional |
Yacht registry fees (first year, then yearly)
| Item | Paid to | Amount | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Private yacht under 24 m: first-year total (registration USD 550 + tonnage tax USD 750 + radio licences USD 300) | Marshall Islands registry | USD 1,600 | Registry fee schedule |
| Private yacht under 24 m: every following year (tonnage tax) | Marshall Islands registry | USD 750 per year | Registry fee schedule |
| Yacht 24 m and over, up to 299 GT: first-year total, then tonnage tax | Marshall Islands registry | USD 2,550, then USD 750 per year | By gross tonnage |
| Yacht 24 m and over, 300–399 GT: first-year total, then tonnage tax | Marshall Islands registry | USD 2,750, then USD 750 per year | By gross tonnage |
| Yacht 24 m and over, 400–999 GT: first-year total, then tonnage tax | Marshall Islands registry | USD 3,000, then USD 1,000 per year | By gross tonnage |
| Yacht 24 m and over, 1,000 GT and over: first-year total, then tonnage tax | Marshall Islands registry | USD 3,450, then USD 1,250 per year | By gross tonnage |
| Simplified tonnage statement (only if no other tonnage evidence) | Marshall Islands registry | USD 100 | Only when needed |
Owning company fees (only if you need them)
| Item | Paid to | Amount | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Marshall Islands company, capital up to USD 50,000 | Marshall Islands registry | USD 750 | Per IRI corporate fee schedule 2025, confirm at order |
| Company annual fee (USD 550 annual + USD 150 economic substance) | Marshall Islands registry | USD 700 per year | Per IRI corporate fee schedule 2025, confirm at order |
| Foreign Maritime Entity (existing foreign company as owner) | Marshall Islands registry | USD 1,500, then USD 1,150 per year | Per IRI corporate fee schedule 2025, confirm at order |
Certificates (on request)
| Item | Paid to | Amount | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate of Good Standing / Tax Exemption certificate | Marshall Islands registry | USD 250 each | Per IRI fee schedule 2025 |
| Circular of Signature | Marshall Islands registry | USD 350 | Per IRI fee schedule 2025 |
| Certificate of Incumbency | Marshall Islands registry | USD 350 (USD 225 if paid within a month of formation) | Per IRI fee schedule 2025 |
Fee sources: the registry’s yacht fee schedule (Marine Notice MN 1-005-2, July 2025) and invoices issued by the registry. Last checked: October 2026.
Private, bareboat and commercial use
Private yachts of 12–24 m under 20 years old are exempt from the pre-registration inspection. Older yachts need an inspection first (an age waiver may apply), so ask us before you start. Commercial and charter use requires registration for commercial use and the commercial yacht standards. Private yachts of 24 m and over can apply for a Temporary Certificate of Registry for a Yacht Engaged in Trade (YET), limited to 84 days a year. Tell us how you plan to use the yacht and we will confirm the right category.
Step by step: how we register your yacht
- Free eligibility check. You send the yacht size, age, use and owner details. We confirm the route and the fees.
- Owning company. We prepare the company side: an existing Marshall Islands company, an existing foreign company registered as a Foreign Maritime Entity, or a new Marshall Islands company.
- Application to the registry. We send the draft application to the registry first for pre-clearance; the yacht name is reserved and the call sign and MMSI are assigned.
- Insurance and closing documents. You arrange third-party liability and hull-and-machinery insurance; we help with the closing documents.
- Certificates. Once the registry has the registration fee and the documents, it issues your certificates, and we send them to you.
Compare with other flags
Not sure the Marshall Islands is the right flag? See our guide to choosing a yacht flag, the comparison Poland vs San Marino vs UK, or our pages for Poland, San Marino and UK Part 1. Need a radio licence? Read about MMSI and radio licences and the documents for yacht registration.
Sources and further reading
- Marshall Islands registry: yacht fee schedule
- Marshall Islands registry: private yachts
- Marshall Islands registry: yacht FAQs
Vessel Flag is a private consultancy, not a registry or government authority. Last checked: October 2026.
Marshall Islands Yacht Registration FAQ
Our price has two parts. The registry fees are set in US dollars and paid at cost to the registry. For a private yacht under 24 m the first-year total is USD 1,600 (registration USD 550, tonnage tax USD 750 and radio licences USD 300), then USD 750 per year. For yachts of 24 m and over the fees depend on gross tonnage: first-year totals from USD 2,550 to USD 3,450. Our Vessel Flag service fee is a fixed €250 per yacht registration. The registry’s invoice is final.
Yes. Owners of any nationality can register, with the yacht owned through a Marshall Islands company or an existing foreign company registered as a Foreign Maritime Entity.
Private yachts of 12–24 m under 20 years old are exempt from the pre-registration inspection. Older yachts need an inspection first, although an age waiver may apply. Larger or commercial yachts follow the commercial rules. Ask us before you start with an older yacht.
No. The whole registration is completed remotely, with documents sent and signed electronically or by post.
After the first year you pay the yearly tonnage tax to the registry: USD 750 for a private yacht under 24 m, and USD 750 to USD 1,250 for yachts of 24 m and over depending on gross tonnage. The registration is revalidated every year. If your owning company is a Marshall Islands company, its annual fee is USD 700; for a Foreign Maritime Entity it is USD 1,150 (per the registry’s 2025 corporate fee schedule, confirm at order).
Yes, if the yacht is registered for commercial use and meets the commercial yacht standards. Private yachts of 24 m and over can apply for a Temporary Certificate of Registry for a Yacht Engaged in Trade (YET), up to 84 days a year. Ask us which route fits your yacht.
In general: passport copies and proof of address of the owner or company representatives; the owning company documents; the bill of sale or other proof of ownership; the builder’s or CE documents and yacht details (name, length, hull number, engine); a deletion certificate if the yacht was registered before; insurance (third-party liability and hull and machinery); and proof of payment of the registry fee. We send you the exact list after the free eligibility check.
Yes, the yacht is owned through a company: an existing Marshall Islands company, an existing foreign company registered as a Foreign Maritime Entity, or a new Marshall Islands company. Per the registry’s 2025 corporate fee schedule a new company costs USD 750 then USD 700 per year, and a Foreign Maritime Entity USD 1,500 then USD 1,150 per year; we confirm the current amount at order.
Yes, but the previous registration must be deleted. You will need the deletion certificate or equivalent evidence from the previous registry. We check this at the start so there are no surprises.
You pay them directly to the Marshall Islands registry, which invoices you by email in US dollars; you can pay online or by bank transfer. We tell you the expected amount before it is paid. You pay our €250 service fee to Vessel Flag when you place your order.
No. Vessel Flag is a private consultancy, not a registry or government authority. We prepare and submit your application to the Marshall Islands registry, which issues the registration and the certificates.
