Yacht Registration in Cayman Isls
The Cayman Islands is an overseas territory of Great Britain in the Caribbean Sea, consisting of 3 small islands with a total area of 264 km2. The population is about 65 thousand people, the official language is English. The currency is the Cayman dollar. It is the world's largest offshore center for the registration of premium yachts and cats. Approximately 15% of yachts with a length of more than 30 meters and about 20% of yachts with a length of more than 40 meters of the global yacht fleet are registered in the Caymans. To register a yacht, a survey inspection is required. The physical presence of the yacht in the Caymans is not required, all registration can be done remotely. Registration is valid for 1 year, then it is necessary to renew it.
The Cayman Registry is a member of the Red Ensign Group with Category 1 status. The Cayman flag is a premium one. A vessel flying the flag of the Cayman Islands can benefit from consular support from the United Kingdom, as well as the protection of the Royal Navy.
Not all nationalities can register vessels under the Cayman Islands flag.
Registration of Pleasure Yachts up to 24 Metres
The yacht registration process in the Caymans is divided into several steps:
1 Step: Question Form
Registration starts with a questionnaire that we ask you to fill out in order to understand the possibility of registering your yacht under the Cayman Islands flag. In this form it is necessary to provide information about your passport, your yacht, its age, current location, and previous registration history, etc. We will help you complete the questionnaire.
If we see that it would be a problem to register in the Cayman Islands, we’ll suggest other suitable alternatives to you. If we see no difficulties, we can proceed.
2 Step: Survey Inspection
To register a boat in the Caymans, it is necessary to undergo a survey inspection by one of these Classification Societies:
- American Bureau of Shipping (ABS);
- Bureau of Veritas (BV);
- Det Norske Veritas (DNV);
- Lloyds Register of Shipping (LR);
- ClassNK (NK);
- Registro Italiano Navale (RINA).
You’ll need to obtain a Certificate of Survey and a Tonnage Certificate.
A simplified procedure is applicable to yachts of up to 24 meters, as a result, you receive a combined Certificate of Survey/Tonnage Measurement.
The survey inspection can be done in any convenient place where there is a representative of any of these Classification Societies.
Contact us, and we will help you find a surveyor.
3 Step: Documents Required from You
1. Copy of the passport (page with photo) or ID card of the yacht owner*.
* For corporate owners – copies of all corporate documents of the company (Certificate of Incorporation, M&AoA, Appointment of the Director, Share Certificates, etc.), including copies of the director's and shareholder’s passports or ID cards. If documents are older than 6 months, an updated extract (Certificate of Good Standing) from the register is required.
2. Proof of Address of the yacht owner. For example, Utility Bill for electricity, water or gas, which contains full name and the address of the owner of a yacht.
3. Completed Applications for boat registration (Form CISR 854, Form CISR 856), in which you must provide complete information about the boat, its technical characteristics, location, and owner's details: full name, address, nationality, phone, e-mail; select a home port and suggest 4 names of the boat. We will help you prepare these forms.
4. Documents confirming ownership of the yacht:
- Builder's Certificate,
- Bill of Sale,
- Sales Agreement,
- Invoice,
- Court Documents,
- Protocol of Delivery.
5. Yacht Documents: CE Certificate of the yacht, Certificate of Construction.
6. Deletion Certificate issued by previous yacht register, if the boat was registered earlier.
7. Certificate of Survey / Tonnage Measurement – see 2 Step: Survey Inspection above.
8. Appointment of a local Representative Person. To register a yacht in the Caymans, a local registration agent is required; usually this is a local lawyer. We work with such agent. To appoint him, you’ll have to sign an Agreement with him and pay for his services. We will help you do all this.
9. Appointment of an Authorized Person. The yacht owner can act on his own behalf, or he can appoint an Authorised Person (for instance, the lawyer you know) with whom the yacht registry will contact regarding registration. To do this, you will need to prepare the Form CISR 855: Appointment of an Authorized Person. A Power of Attorney is also required to be issued along with this form. We will help you prepare these documents.
10. Color Photos of your yacht:
- bow, stern, left or right side of the boat, its name,
- Photo of Hull Identification Number (HIN),
- Photo of the Engine Serial No.
11. Confirmation of payment of government registration fees.
If the documents are not in English, a notarized translation is required.
During the registration process, the yacht register can request more documents about your boat. Any requested technical details should be provided.
After submitting all documents to the boat register, you will receive a Certificate of British Registry for a period of 1 year, together with a Carving and Marking Note.
4 Step: Marking of the Vessel
After receiving the Carving and Marking Note from the boat register, you must duly affix the name of the boat, the port of registry, registration number, tonnage and so forth, on the hull of the yacht. According to the requirements of the ship register of the Caymans, the lettering should be in certain parts, of a special size and color. The marking of the vessel should be done within 21 days from the date of receipt of the Carving and Marking Note from the Register. We will help you choose the company that marks the vessels.
5 Step: Radio License (MMSI, Call Sign)
After receiving the Certificate of British Registry, you can immediately apply for a radio license. This can be done along with the marking of the vessel.
The radio license (MMSI) in the Caymans is issued by the Utility Regulation and Competition Office of the Cayman Islands (or OfReg).
To obtain a radio license, you have to pay a license fee (approximately 100 - 300 USD) and fill out an application where it is necessary to list all radio devices on your yacht, and to provide your radio operator's license or certificate. You should also provide copies of the technical documentation for all radio devices, if required.
Optional Services
1. Change of Representative Person – 200 USD
2. Change of Registered Address – 600 USD
3. Transfer of registration of a ship between british registers – 1200 USD
4. Duplicate certificate of registry – 300 USD
5. Certified copy of a document relating to the registration of a ship – 300 USD
6. Transfer of ownership registration – 1100 USD
7. Deletion of a vessel from Cayman’s Registry – 1200 USD
8. Under construction registration – 600 USD
9. Survey for tonnage measurement and issue of appropriate tonnage certificate under the tonnage regulations, under 24 metres in length – 500 USD
Registration of Private Yachts Over 24 Meters
Yachts for Commercial Use
The Cayman Islands are a favorite place to register luxury yachts. Therefore, registration agents (lawyers) in the Cayman Islands typically require an initial deposit of approximately 3,500 USD, from which they charge an hourly rate of 200 USD. You may also negotiate a fixed fee.
We can help you prepare all the necessary documents for yacht or catamaran registration and conduct preliminary negotiations. The better your documents are prepared, the less time the Cayman lawyer will need to spend, reducing your overall costs.
Email us, and we will begin working with you immediately.
Yacht Ownership within the Cayman Company
Yacht registration through a company is one of the most popular options.
It can be any foreign company that got approval from the Cayman Yacht Registry to operate as a Foreign Company registered in Cayman. The cost of such formation is from 4000 USD.
Or you can register a new company in the Cayman Islands. Another suitable type is the Cayman Exempt Company. We will help you register a company in the Caymans and in its further maintenance as well.
The following documents are needed for company registration:
1. A notarized and apostilled copy of the boat owner's passport (page with photo) or ID card.
2. Proof of address, such as a utility bill for water, gas, or electricity, which contains the full name and address of the yacht owner.
3. Bank Reference or a Recommendation Letter from a law firm addressed to the registration agent.
All yacht owners confirm that the majority interest belongs to the persons eligible to register under the Cayman flag (see the list of nationalities who can register the Cayman flag for their yacht), and sign the Declaration. We will help you prepare it.
If the documents are not in English, a notarized translation into English is required. We will explain how to obtain a duly notarized translation.
The cost of company incorporation in the Caymans – 4500 USD.
The cost of annual renewal of the Cayman company – 4000 USD + accounting statements + taxes (if applicable in the Cayman Islands).
Please Note! Company registration in the Cayman Islands must comply strictly with the tax laws of your country. Your national tax authorities should be aware of the existence of your Cayman company and its assets, including the yacht.
More Information
The Cayman Islands are a scenic archipelago of 3 small islands in the Caribbean Sea, located between Cuba and Jamaica. The Caymans are a self-governing British Overseas Territory. They are the world's largest offshore zone and luxury yacht registration center. More than half of all superyachts in the world are registered in the Caymans. The Cayman Islands have maintained a shipping register since 1903.
The international registration of yachts in the Caymans is handled by the Cayman Islands Shipping Registry (CISR). Radio licenses (MMSI) are issued by the Utility Regulation and Competition Office (or OfReg). The Caymans have a unique feature: radio call signs are assigned by CISR, and MMSI numbers are issued by OfReg.
The Shipping Registry has offices in the USA, Great Britain, Panama, France, Greece, Japan and Singapore. An additional fee of $350 may apply for services through regional offices.
There are 3 Ports of Registry in the Caymans: George Town, The Creek, and Bloody Bay. Two yachts can have the same name if they are registered in different home ports.
Registration is usually processed quickly – offten within 24 hours, provided all documents and forms are submitted to the Registry, everything meets the Registry's requirements, and all government fees are paid.
Scanned documents in PDF format can be submitted to the Registry first. After the yacht registry reviews and approves them, the original documents must be sent by DHL courier to the Caymans within 7 days.
To register a boat in the Caymans for a non-resident, a Representative Person is required to facilitate communication between the yacht owner and the registry. Typically, this is a local lawyer who is responsible for ensuring the yacht's compliance with local laws and regulations. The lawyer also monitors all changes in legislation and informs the yacht owner about them.
Registration must be renewed annually, at least 30 days before the expiration date to avoid penalties. We can provide advance reminders for annual renewal.
Interesting Facts
The Cayman Islands were discovered in 1503 by Columbus and were initially named "Las Tortugas" due to the abundance of sea turtles. Later, the islands were renamed to the Cayman Islands after the caiman crocodiles. Early sailors mistakenly believed crocodiles inhabited the islands, but they were actually seeing large iguanas.
Iguanas still thrive in the Caymans to this day. The islands even have special road signs: "Beware of iguanas!" This warning reminds drivers to check under their vehicles before moving, as iguanas often rest there.
For centuries, the islands were inhospitable due to mosquitoes, freshwater shortages, and tropical hurricanes. Consequently, they remained largely uninhabited for a long time and served as a haven for pirates and people fleeing debt.
Turtle hunters were the first to settle the islands. They sold turtle meat to passing ships. As a result, almost all sea turtles were destroyed. Now there is a sea turtle farm in the Caymans, which breeds and releases thousands of small turtles into the sea every year.
The Cayman Islands are often too small to appear on world maps due to their size. Therefore, special maps and globes are made for residents that show the islands slightly larger than scale.
Today, the Cayman Islands are a prosperous offshore financial center with modern tourist infrastructure, beautiful white sand beaches, expensive real estate property and a number of duty-free shops. The Caymans are famous for excellent spearfishing, diving, and yachting.
Summary of Cayman Flag
Prestigious Red Ensign
Group Member
Group Member
One of the Oldest Registries, Since 1903
Major Offshore
Jurisdiction
Jurisdiction
Remote Registration
Process
Process
Premium Yacht Flag
Global Reach with Offices Worldwide
International Call Sign and MMSI Registration
Registration Through Offshore Companies Available
The Yacht is Protected
by His Majesty's Navy
by His Majesty's Navy
British Consular
Support
Support
Easy Registration
Process
Process
Valid in All Countries