Step by step: registration of yachts under the Dominica flag

Dec 5, 2022

One of the most popular yacht flags is Dominica. Its advantages are that registration does not require a survey, it is made for 5 years and can be registered for a private person.

Let's imagine that we want to register a private yacht under the flag of Dominica (this material applies only to private non-commercial yachts). The Internet is full of various agents and consultants. But we would like to figure out how everything works and how much it costs. Below is a concise, without unnecessary lyrics, general information about the registration procedure and its cost.

The registry of Dominica, more specifically the Commonwealth of Dominica, is located at dominica-registry.com. On the official website, you can find all the necessary contacts and send a registration request. In response to which, you will receive information of the following kind.

For private yachts, three registration options are offered - for one, three or five years. If you register for three years or five years and provide 100% payment, discounts are provided. A five-year registration is the best value for money and we recommend it.

Please note that it is not required to register a company in Dominica to register a yacht. It means the following options are possible: registration for a Dominican company, registration for a foreign company (FME - Foreign Maritime Entity) and registration for a private person. The latter applies only to private yachts (non-commercial use) and no FME fee is charged for such registration.

Registration for a year
Entry into the Registry	$1000
IMO fee	$150
Collection MarCas	$25
FME registration fee	$300
Total with FME	$1475
Total without FME	$1175

* The FME fee is charged only when registering for a foreign legal entity.

With a three-year registration, a 10% discount on entry into the Registry and an annual administrative fee is provided, on the condition of 100% prepayment for all three years.

Registration for three years. First year payments
Entry into the Registry	$900
IMO fee	$150
Collection MarCas	$25
FME registration fee	$300
Total with FME	$1375
Total without FME	$1075

Registration for three years. Second year and third year payments
Annual reg. collection	$675
IMO fee	$150
Collection MarCas	$25
FME Annual Fee	$250
Total with FME	$850
Total without FME	$1100

Total for three years with FME: $3575
Total for three years without FME: $2,775
When registering for five years, IMO and MarCas fees are included in the registration fee.

Registration for five years. First year payments
Entry into the Registry	$500
FME registration fee	$300
Total with FME	$800
Total without FME	$500

Registration for five years. Payments for second - fifth year
Entry into the Registry	$500
FME registration fee	$250
Total with FME	$750
Total without FME	$500

Total for five years with FME: $3800
>Total for five years without FME: $2,500

As you can see, a five-year registration is the most profitable. But it should be noted that in addition to the indicated figures, it is necessary to add about $ 90 - $ 100 for postal services (sending documents).

The prices shown do not include any agent's margin and the amounts are paid directly to Dominica on invoice.

In order to register a yacht, in addition to money, you will need a number of other documents. Namely.

List of documents for temporary registration

Application for obtaining an official number, call sign and registration
One copy of the form CDVR-2001Y. All sections must be completed as much as possible.
Application for a Radio License
If a radio license is required, an application must be submitted using Form CDVR-2004.
Declaration of the private use of the yacht
All yachts used for private purposes must file a declaration confirming this.
Proof of ownership
Proof of ownership can be Bill of Sale. If the registration is made without a change of ownership, then you must provide a certificate confirming ownership or Transcript of Registry from the previous registry. If the ownership of the yacht was passed to someone else by a court decision, such decision must be provided.
IBC statement or FME statement or copy of passport
The owner of the yacht, in accordance with the laws of Dominica, may be a foreign legal entity created for the implementation of maritime activities (FME), an international Dominican business company (IBC) or an individual. Yachts owned by FME must complete Form CDRV-2003.
An owner wishing to establish a new legal entity to own a yacht must complete the IBC registration form CDVR-2003A and the Maritime Affairs Authority will register the new company within 48 hours.
Confirmation of the right to sign (usually a power of attorney is provided)
Tonnage certificate (if applicable)
Provided upon registration of all ships without exception.
Copies of Classification or Statutory Certificates (if applicable)
Provided by the owner or the classification society.
Fees payment.

List of documents for permanent registration

Certificate of Deregistration of a Previous Registration
Before a permanent registration can be obtained, a certificate or attestation of deregistration of the previous flag must be provided.
Issued Yacht Marking Notice
The official number and port of registry must be marked on the bow and stern of the yacht. This is certified by the captain (skipper) or an authorized surveyor in a special form CDVR-2002 in accordance with the Dominica Maritime Code.
Yacht and Owner Contact Form
Must be submitted prior to permanent registration
Proof of insurance
Yachts registered with the Dominica Maritime Administration are required to provide proof of hull, equipment and crew insurance. Confirmation can be provided in the form of P&I, Certificate of Entry or Confirmation of Entry .

All forms can be downloaded from the following links:

KYC requirements

I hope that after reading the material on the registration of a yacht under the flag of Dominica, many clarifying questions appeared and now you have two paths in front of you. First. Contact Dominica again and ask clarifying questions. Second. Seek help from an agent so that he can help you form the necessary package of documents and take care of the entire routine of correspondence. And most importantly, now you know the cost of registering a yacht under the flag of Dominica, which gives you the opportunity to easily determine how much an agent earns. Then draw analogies on your own. Agent's earnings = quality of his services… or not. Agent's earnings = the degree of his greed, which, in our opinion, should tend to zero, but often tends to infinity in real life.

If you choose to register your yacht with a company registered in Dominica, you will need to complete a special registration form in full; provide two documents confirming your identity (passport + driver's license, for example) and proof of address of residence; utility bills, which are quite suitable as proof of address of residence and your name; and also provide a completed KYC form.

Keep in mind that when registering a company you will have to provide the following:

several options for company names
name, date of birth, passport, address, email address of all participants of the legal entity
information about the shares distributed among the participants
copies of utility bills addressed to the director and shareholders as proof of their address.

Invoices are not submitted to the Register of Legal Entities, but must be kept by the Maritime Administration.

After all the necessary applications are received and verified, the Register issues an invoice according to the tariffs indicated below. Also, it must be taken into account that according to the laws of Dominica, an IBC cannot conduct banking, insurance or trust activities.