In a boat purchase, the same document goes by different names in different countries. Below we have put the ones you will meet most often into four groups. Which of them are needed depends on the boat's flag and on your circumstances. The seller's side prepares most of them, and we ask you for some. We follow all of them through. Even so, knowing the names helps you understand why something is being asked of you.
The documents that make the sale
- Letter of offer: the document that gives the seller your proposed price and terms in writing. If it is accepted, it sets the frame for the agreement.
- Sale agreement: the main contract, setting out the rights and obligations of buyer and seller. The price, the deposit, the survey period, the handover date and the equipment included in the sale are stated here.
- Addendum: the document that records a later change to the agreement, such as what was agreed after the survey.
- Bill of sale: the document signed by the seller that shows ownership has passed to you. It is the basis of the new registration. The name and the price in it agree with the sale agreement.
Registry documents
- Registration certificate: shows on which country's register the boat is entered, and in whose name.
- Transcript of register: the official extract showing the current state of the entry, the owner and any charges recorded. We ask for a fresh one just before the sale.
- Certificate of non-encumbrance: shows that there is no mortgage, lien or other registered charge on the boat. Some registers treat a current transcript as sufficient instead.
- Deletion certificate: shows that the boat has left its old register. The new registration usually depends on it.
The boat's identity
- Hull identification number (HIN): the number the builder marks on the hull. It must be the same on the registration certificate, in the survey report and in the sale documents.
- Builder's certificate: shows which yard built the boat, when, and to whom it was first delivered. It is the first link in the chain of ownership.
- CE mark and declaration of conformity: show that the boat was built to Europe's safety and environmental rules. They may be asked for in some registrations and when a boat moves between countries.
- Certificate of measurement: a document some registers require for registration, showing the boat's official dimensions and volume.
- Radio licence: the permission to use the radio on board. It is renewed when the owner or the flag changes.
Documents that depend on you and your circumstances
- Power of attorney: the written authority you give for someone else to act on your behalf. One is also drawn up for your captain if they are to take delivery of the boat. Some countries require it to be notarised.
- Company documents: if the boat is being bought in a company's name, the documents showing how the company was formed and who may sign for it.
- Notarisation and apostille: the certifications that allow a document to be accepted in another country.
- Proof of tax status: the evidence of the boat's tax position, for example whether VAT has been paid.
- Insurance policy: the policy issued for the boat in the new owner's name and covering its cruising area.
Whether the original of a document is needed or a certified copy will do is decided by the rules of the new register. We find that out at the start and have the documents prepared to suit. The flag you register under, and the name you register in, change this list as well. You take that decision with your lawyer and your tax adviser.
When the list is complete, the boat has passed to you on paper too.
