Pleasure boat registration document: procedures, obligations
and validity

The navigation card is a type of navigation document dedicated to pleasure boats, which could be compared to a boat's registration certificate. It is a mandatory document: every owner must have one and, if necessary, update it.

What is a maritime or river navigation card? For which pleasure boats is it mandatory? How to obtain this navigation document? What form does it take, and what is its validity period? Our expert service for administrative procedures related to pleasure boating explains everything to you.

The navigation card is a navigation title for pleasure boats. This mandatory administrative document is an official document that compiles information about the owner and the vessel, and certifies the regulatory compliance of the boat.

Pleasure boats in maritime waters, as well as those in inland waters, must have navigation cards. Owners must always carry it with them, whether on the water or during a journey on land - for example, a towing operation.

In maritime areas, a navigation permit is mandatory for:

• Pleasure boats – motorboats or sailboats – with a hull length of less than 7 meters and an engine power not exceeding 22 administrative horsepower
• All Personal Watercraft (PWC) – jet skis, sea scooters
• Kayaks and rowboats whose owners wish to navigate beyond the 300-meter zone.

An inland waterway navigation permit is required for pleasure boats between 5 and 20 meters in length and/or equipped with an engine with a real power of 4.5 kW (6 horsepower).
Personal Watercraft (PWC) are also concerned.

An additional document: the act of francization of pleasure boats

While the navigation permit is mandatory for all, the certificate of French registration is only mandatory in certain cases – depending on the navigation zone (maritime zone or inland waters), the type of pleasure craft, its hull length, and its engine power.

Issued by the Customs Department, the certificate of French registration is mandatory for all pleasure boats with a hull length equal to or greater than 7 meters, regardless of their propulsion mode (manual, motor, or sail). It also applies to any boat with an engine power greater than or equal to 22 administrative horsepower and all Personal Watercraft with a power of 90 real kilowatts and more.

French registration is essential if the pleasure boat previously flew a foreign flag or if you intend to navigate in foreign territorial waters.

Note: With a French-registered boat, the owner must pay the Annual Tax on Maritime Equipment for Personal Use or TAEMUP (formerly the Annual French Registration and Navigation Fee, or DAFN).

The oldest registration certificates are paper documents. Since October 1, 2019, "new maritime registration certificates" have been dematerialized.
Now, it is a digital document sent to the owner by email via the state software called PUMA, and which can be printed directly at home. In its new version, a boat's registration certificate is more secure and often simplifies interactions with the administration.

A new feature to highlight on registration certificates in this new format: in case of multiple ownership,
a manager is designated. This person acts as a reference in case of boat rental and as a contact person in case of damage.

The pleasure craft registration certificate is issued by the DDT (Departmental Directorate of Territories) for inland navigation (rivers, canals, lakes, etc.) or by the DDTM (Departmental Directorate of Territories and the Sea), commonly known as the Bureau of Maritime Affairs, for sea navigation (coastal zone and offshore zone).

Depending on the complexity of the file, the procedures can be tedious and complicated. You don't want to undertake the procedure yourself? Entrust the preparation of the administrative file and your application to our advisors!

For a boat that needs to be registered for the first time, it is generally the manufacturer or seller who provides the necessary documents. The processing times for boat registration by the administration vary between 7 to 30 days, depending on the period, the chosen flag of navigation, and the completeness of the file. By using our services, you benefit from optimized tracking and save time.

In the case of a used boat transaction, the new owner has one month after signing the bill of sale to complete the change of ownership with the administration. The procedure includes changing the name of the holder on the navigation license.

The procedures can be completed online, on the boating formalities portal, or delegated to our specialized service. This notably helps avoid administrative complexities, errors, and delays, and ensures rapid processing of your application.

Once the bill of sale is signed by all parties and the pleasure craft is yours, you have one month to complete your application for a navigation permit.

Various documents may be requested:

• The bill of sale signed by the parties,
• Proof of address,
• The identification document(s) of the owner(s),
• The EC declaration of conformity or a certificate of francisation if applicable,
• The old circulation permit (in the case of a change of ownership).

Let's look below at the details of the different information present on the document in its different versions.

Document identification code:

• File management number for the circulation permit application.

Owner(s) data:

• Last Name and First Name
• Company Name
• Relationship: owner, co-owner of the boat, or manager (if applicable).

If there are multiple co-owners, the two main ones appear on the document (the others are not listed but are administratively registered). You can also designate a boat manager, who will act as the administrative contact person in case of boat rental and as the person to contact in case of damage or accident.

Vessel data - identifiers:

• Registration number provided by the DDTM: the first two letters refer to the registration district, followed by 6 digits and a key letter. In case of a change of owner AND home port, only the first two letters will be modified accordingly when declaring the change of ownership.
• Francisation number: number given by the Customs Service upon application for the boat's francisation certificate.
• Updated by the service: instructing service for the file at the DDTM.
• WIN number (Watercraft Identification Number): identification number of the boat's hull, replaces the old HIN and CIN numbers.

Vessel data - boat characteristics:

• Name: official name of the boat, modifiable on request.
• Manufacturer: builder's name.
• Model: boat model name given by the manufacturer.
• Design category: boat's ability to withstand certain navigation conditions (A for ocean, B for offshore, C for coastal area, and D for protected waters).
• Year of construction.
• Vessel type: motor vessel, sailboat, yacht, catamaran, trimaran, jet ski…
• Hull length in meters.
• Hull width in meters.
• Max recommended power (kW): maximum engine power that the vessel can handle, expressed in kilowatts.
• Installed power (kW): actual power of the currently installed engine.

Engine(s) - engine characteristics:

• Engine brand.
• Engine model.
• Engine serial number: unique engine identifier.
• Power (kW): actual engine power expressed in kilowatts.
• Fuel: gasoline, diesel, or LPG.

Special mentions:

• May concern the prohibition of selling a vessel for a given period, mainly concerns amateur constructions.

Issuance date: start date of validity of the navigation permit.

Validity date: expiration date of the maritime circulation permit.

Boat identification:

• Boat motto: boat's christening name (can be changed upon request)
• HIN or CIN number: Hull Identification Number for CE-approved vessels (unique and cannot be changed)
• Registration number: registration number provided by the inland waterways safety training center (DDT), where the first two letters refer to the registration district, followed by 6 digits and the letter F.
• Manufacturer: name of the boat manufacturer
• Series: boat model
• Year of construction
• Length (L), Width (W) and Draft (D): hull measurements expressed in meters
• Volume in m3: boat's light displacement, data obtained by multiplying the hull length by its width and by the draft (V = L x W x D)
• Design category: boat's ability to withstand certain navigation conditions
• Maximum number of recommended persons on board: variable number depending on the type of boat and its dimensions to ensure passenger safety
• Propulsion type: engine, sail or manual
• Max. authorized power in kW: maximum engine power that can be supported by the vessel, expressed in kiloWatts
• Installed power in kW: actual power of the currently installed engine.

Identification of the holder of the inland waterways navigation certificate: Name, first name, date of birth, full address

Owner or co-owner: holder's link to the boat.

Authority stamp: stamp and signature of the DDT in charge of the file.

Document identification code: file management number for the navigation certificate application given by the DDT.

If you make changes to your pleasure boat or PWC such as an engine change, a change of boat name, or a transfer to a new home port, a new card will be issued. This is also the case if there is a change of ownership: you will need to inform the administration and submit a boat registration application within one month of the transaction. The registration number will remain unchanged, unless the instructing office changes.

Please note: in the event of your boat's destruction or export, you will need to proceed with the vessel's deregistration with the instructing services. The navigation permit will then become invalid.

While the old paper-format circulation permit had an unlimited validity period, since October 1, 2019, the dematerialized version of the circulation permit has been valid for 10 years.

Please note: the document must be renewed before its expiration date! When the expiration date approaches, submit a renewal request through our services.

No, the document is only valid for the boat for which it was issued.

No. The document is mandatory for all regulated navigation. The registration certificate must always be onboard, including for land transport.

Navigating without a valid boating license exposes you to penalties and can complicate any procedures in the event of an accident or dispute.

The absence of a boating license during an inspection can lead to administrative sanctions such as a fixed fine or temporary impoundment of the boat. For more information, consult the service-public.fr website.

The circulation permit is required for all Personal Watercraft (PWC) and for kayaks navigating beyond 300 meters from a shelter. These are vessels in the legal sense.