Boat Registration in Italy: difference between watercraft and pleasure craft

The boats are not all the same, and it is good not to confuse them, especially if you decide to register a boat in Italy because they entail different obligations.

Indeed, the following distinction is noted:

  • Pleasure ships, units with hulls longer than 24 meters;
  • Pleasure vessel, units with a hull less than 24 meters in length and greater than 10 meters;
  • Pleasure boat, with a length equal to or less than 10 meters.

Boat Registration in Italy: When it is mandatory to register a boat in Italy?

Register a boat in Italy (or rather, inscription in the Register of Boats) is not always necessary. Registration is in fact mandatory when you have a vessel with a hull between 10 and 24 meters in length, as well as for pleasure ships longer than 24 meters.

Outside of these cases, the registration of pleasure boats such as rowing or motor boats with hulls of less than 10 meters is discretionary.

Boat Registration in Italy: Procedures to change Flag in Italy

What is required to register a boat in Italy or to register your boat in the Register of Boats, in addition to the application form?

Let's find out together:

  • The title of ownership (public deed or authenticated private deed);
  • The declaration of power of the engine or engines installed on board or, alternatively, the type-approval certificate and declaration of conformity;
  • The EC declaration of conformity;
  • Copy of the sales invoice / tax receipt;
  • Declaration of assumption of responsibility by the interested party for events related to the use of the unit;
  • Certificate of registration in the Business Register (only if it is intended to use the unit for commercial purposes);
  • The certificate of citizenship and residence of the owner (foreigners are not excluded, as long as they elect their legal domicile in Italy).

The offices in charge of registration are called RID (Registri Imbarcazioni da Diporto - Pleasure Vessel Registers), which, once the application is accepted, issue the navigation license, within 20 days from the date of the request.

With the DPR 14.12.2018, n. 152, the central telematic system for pleasure boating was implemented, which includes the Central Telematic Archive of pleasure craft (ATCN), the Central Conservatory Office for pleasure craft (UCON) and the telematic counter for pleasure boats (STED).

The STEDs were created to accelerate and modernize registrations, and are operating at full capacity today.

Boat Registration in Italy: the safety certificate

All pleasure crafts must have a safety certificate, which is a certificate stating that the unit complies with the directives of the safety regulations depending on the type of approval category.

The safety certificate is issued by the maritime authority or by the authority of navigation in inland waters (civil motorization) on the basis of a technical documentation issued by a legally recognized certifying body such as ENAVE (European Naval Authority), an organization composed of a pool of naval engineers and long-time captains, responsible for carrying out the inspection service for the issue, renewal and validation of this certificate throughout the national territory.

The certificate is renewed every 5 years through a periodic visit.

Boat Registration in Italy: How can we help you?

The Arnone & Sicomo International Law Firm has an internal maritime and navigation law department. We assist Italian and foreign customers in the procedures for changing the flag in Italy and we assist them in all phases of boat registration under the Italian flag.

We assist our clients in the control operations of on-board equipment for the purpose of issuing certificates of eligibility and safety for the registration of boats in Italy. We take care of the procedures related to the transfer of boat ownership, through the drafting of MOA and bill of sale.

In addition, we deal with tax issues related to non-EU and intra-community changes of ownership.

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.