Frequently Asked Questions

See our most common questions related to the Panama boat registration.

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Regardless of nationality, any individual or business entity may apply for a Panamanian boat registration.

The documents required to register a boat in Panama may include:

Provisional registration / Radio license

  • Copy of Legalized Power of Attorney (POA): This is a legal document that authorizes someone to act on behalf of the yacht's owner during the registration process.
  • Copy of Bill of Sale (BOS): This is a document that proves the legal transfer of ownership of the yacht.
  • Copy of legalized Letter of Certification from Owner for pleasure yacht: This is a document that certifies that the yacht is used for pleasure and not for commercial purposes.
  • A copy of builder’s certificate

Original registration / Radio license

  • Original Apostilled Power of Attorney (POA): This is a legal document that authorizes someone to act on behalf of the yacht's owner during the registration process.
  • Original Apostilled Bill of Sale (BOS): This is a document that proves the legal transfer of ownership of the yacht.
  • Original legalized Letter of Certification from Owner for pleasure yacht: This is a document that certifies that the yacht is used for pleasure and not for commercial purposes.
  • Original Apostilled Deletion from previous registry of Construction Cert: This is a document that proves that the yacht has been deleted from its previous registry and is no longer registered in another country.
  • Description of radio equipment on board: This is a document that lists all the radio equipment on board the yacht, including the make, model, and serial number of each piece of equipment.

All the documents must be in English or Spanish language, documents in any other language must be sworn translated into Spanish. We will take care of that.

It takes 24- 48 business hours after the submission of the correct documents.

Yes. A 6-month-valid provisional patent and radio license are provided in the initial stage of registration. Originals should be requested during this time and are free of charge.

The provisional registration takes 24-48 hours if all the required documents are submitted correctly. This will allow you to sail your yacht already for 6 months.

The Panama Maritime Authority (PMA) issues the patent and radio license for a yacht registered in Panama, which is printed on secure paper. The Republic of Panama's coat of arms and the PMA's engraved stamp are often included.

Yacht registrations in Panama are normally valid for 2 years for leisure boats and 5 years for commercial yachts before needing to be renewed. Similar to the initial registration process, the renewal process includes providing updated documents and paying any costs that may be necessary. It is vital to remember that there could be fines and penalties if the registration is not renewed on time.

Private yachts in Panama are typically exempt from inspection requirements; however, commercial boats with a gross tonnage of 500 or more must be insured and undergo an assessment survey. The organization in charge of upholding these regulations and guaranteeing the security of commercial ships travelling through Panamanian waters is the Panama Maritime Authority (PMD). Knowing that PMD may periodically ask for an assessment survey to make sure older boats, regardless of their age, satisfy the safety requirements is a good idea.

Yes, when applying for original registration of a yacht in Panama, certain documents are typically required. These include a power of attorney, bill of sale, and deletion certificate. These documents must be provided to the Panama Maritime Authority (PMA) and must be original and apostilled.

After a boat is registered in Panama, the national flag of Panama shall be flown above it. A boat must fly the flag of the nation in which it is registered, according to international maritime laws and regulations.

No, the jet ski cannot be registered separately. The registration of it can be requested at the same time as the main boat.

Yes, we are able to request the MMSI at no additional cost when registering.

We accept all payment methods.

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