Yacht Registration in Langkawi

Malaysia is a rapidly-developing country in Southeast Asia. Malaysian Ship Registry is one of the fastest growing in the world. Registration of foreign yachts takes place on the island of Langkawi. Langkawi Island is a free economic zone where there are no duties, VAT and income tax. It is located in the north-west of Malaysia, near the border of Thailand, with a population of about 100,000 people. Registration of the Malaysian flag goes on remotely. Simple and clear requirements. Registration is done for life, with a small government fee once a year.

Documents Required for Boat Registration

• 1. Copy of the passport (page with photo) of the yacht owner.
• 2. In case of a corporate owner – we will need the copies of all corporate documents of the company (certificate of incorporation, M&AoA, appointment of the director, share certificates, etc.), including a copy of the director's and shareholder’s passport or ID card. If the documents are more than 6 months, an up-dated extract from the Register is required (Certificate of Good Standing, Certificate of Incumbency).
• 3. Scan of the signed power of attorney for the yacht registration in Langkawi International Yacht Registry - we will provide you with a sample.
• 4. Proof of Ownership of the yacht:
  - Builders Certificate for new boats,
  - if the vessel was bought, then the Bill of Sale, Sales Agreement, Invoice, etс.
• 5. If the yacht was registered before:
  - Deletion Certificate,
  - Certificate of Registry from previous registration.
• 6. Photos of the yacht:
  - bow, stern, left or right side of the boat,
  - photo of Hull Identification Number (HIN),
  - photo of the Engine Serial No.
• 7. Scan of signed forms: Application of Approved Name / Change of Name / Name Reservation / Pre-Fix or Suffix. Here you write down 3 alternative names of your yacht.
• 8. Scan of the Application to Register Yacht, in which it is necessary to specify the name and address of builder, country of build, year of build, hull material, etc. We will help you fill out the form.
• 9. Scan of the signed Declaration of Ownership. In this form, you should enter the name of the owner, passport number, nationality, phone number, e-mail, postal address, etc. We'll help you with filling it out.
• 10. Scan of a signed Particulars of Yacht, in which you need to show the length, breadth, depth, tonnage, engine model, location of yacht. We'll help you fill out this form.
• 11. Confirmation of payment of government fees.

All documents should be scanned in PDF format in good quality, yet files shouldn’t be too heavy.

Timing. The registration period of the Malaysian flag takes about 3 weeks, after submitting all documents to Langkawi International Yacht Registry.

More Information

Malaysia consists of two parts separated by the South China Sea.

Langkawi Island is located on the west coast of Malaysia, surrounded by a beautiful aqua blue sea.

The registration of foreign yachts is run by Langkawi International Yacht Registry. Everything is done remotely. The yacht can be located anywhere in the world, its physical presence in the waters of Malaysia is not required.

Registration can be done through an authorized registration agent – an experienced professional with whom registration is easy and fast. We work with such agent.

The registration procedure takes 2-3 weeks, in case if all documents fit the boat register.

Registration is for life, however it is necessary to pay a small government fee once a year. For yachts with a displacement of up to 150 tons, it is 380 MYR (≈ 100 USD). For vessels over 150 tons, the annual tonnage fee is higher.

We can take care about annual renewal for a small fee – 100 USD and make sure that the government fees are paid on time.

The Malaysian flag can be registered by a citizen of any country (countries under sanctions are discussed individually).

Registration is possible for an individual or for a company. The company can be of any country. If you register a yacht for a company, the price is higher, because more time is needed to study corporate documents, KYC check, etc. Usually it is about 500 USD – more accurate cost is known when we study the company's documents.

Yacht registration is possible for private, commercial or bareboat use. The cost of registration is the same for all three categories. In case of commercial or bareboat use, we would prefer to study the data about your vessel more deeply. An individual approach is needed here. Send e-mail and we will work at your task.

In most cases, a survey is not required. If the Ship Registry does request inspection document, we will recommend some survey companies (our partners) to you. So it’s not a problem.

We will help you fill out all registration forms, prepare the necessary documents, pay government fees and, if needed, will courier a Malaysian flag made of polyester to be raised on your yacht.

Interesting Facts

Malaysia is the most multinational country in Asia. Only 50% of the country's population is original Malaysians. The remaining 50% allotted as follows: 23% — Chinese, 7% — Indians, 12% — small ethnic groups.

Langkawi Island has historically been a harbour for sailors and a haven for pirates. The largest anti- pirate operation was carried out by Great Britain. In the period from December 1945 to March 1946, the British Navy defeated all the pirate shelters on Langkawi.

Afterwards the pirates tried to regain their influence, but the Malaysian Navy increased patrols of Langkawi, and in recent years the number of pirate attacks has fallen to minimum.

In 1987, the Malaysian government allowed Langkawi tax benefits. As a result, Langkawi has become a paradise for duty-free goods from all over the world. There are numerous branded duty-free shops on the island, where perfumes, cosmetics, chocolate, sweets, wine, cigarettes and other goods are sold in large quantities and at low prices. Langkawi Island has become a favorite resort for Malaysians and foreign travelers.

Due to these tax benefits, the yacht business, including international yacht registration, began to grow quickly in Langkawi.

Langkawi has its own yacht club and a comfortable marina.