Besides a non-commercial and commercial registration, the registration in France can be categorised in pleasure crafts shorter than 7 meters, longer than 7 meters and jet skis/water-scooters.

For certain types of pleasure crafts, the French registration is particularly interesting.

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<7m in length
>7m in length
Jet ski
Doc.

Free
of taxes

The French ships registrar is particularly interesting for pleasure crafts of 7 meters or less, with an engine that does not exceed 22 administrative Horse Power of 22, which is roughly 200 HP.

Why?

Well because these types of vessels are free of any French taxes. That is as long as the boat is shorter than 7 meters with an engine power of less than 200HP. If the length exceeds by 1cm and/or 1 HP, annual taxes are payable.

Taxes

In France every pleasure craft is subject to annual taxes. If the taxes are less than €76 a year, one does not have to pay the taxes. The amount of taxes to be paid, is determined by a rather complicated formula.

 

Would you like to have calculated if your pleasure craft is subject to taxes or not, if you would have your boat registered in the French ships registrar?

Calculate taxes

Taxes, or not
that is the question

In principle all pleasure crafts in the French ships registrar are subject to taxes. There are some exceptions related to the length, age and type of the vessel.

Taxation criteria

A rather complicated formula determines whether a vessel is subject to taxation or not. These criteria are :

  • pleasure craft (constructions date, hull length)
  • engine (number of engines, inboard or outboard, type of fuel, petrol or diesel, number of cylinders, bore, stroke)

 

Would you like to have calculated if your pleasure craft is subject to taxes or not, if you would have your boat registered in the French ships registrar?

Calculate taxes

Costly
except.......

Jets ski’s and water-scooters are a whole different category. They do not fall under the same regime as sailing- and motorboats do.

Such pleasure crafts are not subject to taxes if the engines power is less than 90 kilowatts.

If exceeding the 90 kilowatts, you are subject to :

  • € 3 per kW starting from the first kW (engines 91 kW to 159kW)
  • € 4 per kW starting from the first kW (engines 160+ kW)

 

For example : if the engine of your water-scooter is 165 Kw, the annual taxes are 165 x €4 = € 660.

Document
requirements

Original

  • Certificate of withdrawal
  • Power of attorney

Copy

  • ID Card / passport
  • Proof of residence
  • Purchase contract
  • CE Declaration of boat

Process time

15 to 30 days

The advantages of

yacht registration in France

Nationality
The advantages of yacht registration in France is that both EU as well as EEA* passport holders can apply for registration.

(*) European Economic Area : Iceland, Norway, Lichtenstein, Switzerland and Croatia

Taxes & levies
Payable annual taxes are determined by a number of factors. There are exceptions for certain types of pleasure crafts.
Surveys & inspections
No periodical technical inspections arerequired, if and when your yacht is <24m and is no commercial registration.
Navigation zones
There are no navigational restrictions
Charter
Under certain circumstances it is permitted to commercial exploit the vessel for charter purposes, without having to have a commercial licence.
The process
The registration process takes between 2 to 8 weeks, depending on the agency with which the vessel is registered.
Internationally recognised
The flag of France is ranked Nr. 15 in the Paris MoU ‘White List’