What to do if your Malta yacht registration is expiring

A Maltese yacht registration requires renewal annually, failing to renew your registration could lead to legal, tax and operational issues and complications. Oceanskies are experts in the field of yacht registration and their team in Malta are here to give you all the key information that you need to know about the expiry of your Malta yacht registration. 

How long does a yacht registration last?

The Certificate of Registry issued by the Register of Maltese Ships is valid for 12-months at which point renewal is required and a new Certificate of Registry is issued for another 12-months term on successful completion of the renewal process. 

What’s required to renew a Malta yacht registration?

Pleasure yachts under 24m in length are required to submit a letter of undertaking that the expiring original Certificate of Registry will be returned to the Register of Maltese Ships once renewal is complete. A fee is payable to the registry to renew for another 12-month term. 

In addition to the above, any pleasure yachts over 24m in length are required to submit an antifouling declaration stating the type of fouling and when it was last applied. 

For commercial yachts, it is essential that all classification certificates and survey reports are submitted and in good order for the renewal. 

If you have a registered agent for your yachts registration then they must be contacted at the same time as renewal and their registered agent service must be renewed for another 12-month term to coincide with the registration. 

Radio Licence

Not all yachts registered in Malta have a Ship Station Licence but those which do hold a licence are required to renew them annually. This is done by submitting a request to the Malta Communications Authority in most cases with a signed declaration confirming no changes have been made to the equipment list. A fee will be due upon submission. 

When can you complete renewal?

You’re able to complete the renewal of your Malta registration 3-months prior to the expiry date. There is not much of an expected wait time to receive your renewed Certificate of Registry, it is usually 2 – 5 working days. 

Oceanskies are happy to assist with any renewal request, regardless of if we provided an initial registration service or not. Fees start from €750 depending on the extent of the services required. 

What happens if you miss your expiry date?

Your registration has a 12-month grace period in which you can renew it once it has expired before the registration is closed. It is important that the Register of Maltese Ships is informed of the reason why renewal is not made, and an exemption can be granted i.e. when a yacht is laid up for repair or refit and is not operational.

If your Malta registration is approaching its expiry date and you require assistance please do not hesitate to get in touch with the Oceanskies yacht registration team who can help guide you through the renewal process.

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