Which flag or country of registration to choose for your pleasure boat?
French, Polish, Belgian, Dutch, British or Spanish: your boat's flag determines the rules that apply on board, the formalities to complete and the costs to expect. This comparison helps you choose according to your situation and your sailing plans.
What is a boat's flag?
A boat's or vessel's flag designates its nationality: it is the country in which it is registered. It takes the form of the flag flown at the stern of the vessel and of the navigation title issued by that country's administration.
This choice is far from trivial: it is the regulations of the flag State that essentially set the safety equipment to carry, the licence required, the compulsory inspections and the validity period of the registration. Whatever your nationality, you can opt for a French flag or a foreign flag, provided you meet the criteria of the chosen country.
Flag of convenience: definition
We speak of a flag of convenience when an owner has their boat registered in a country with which they have no connection, neither of nationality nor of residence, in order to benefit from more flexible conditions: lighter formalities, lower costs or less restrictive regulations. The expression comes from the merchant navy, but it is commonly used in pleasure boating to refer to a foreign flag, also known as an international flag.
A foreign flag remains a legal choice, but it does not exempt you from the obligations linked to your country of residence.
Comparison of the main flags
Here are the flags most often chosen by boaters, and their main characteristics. We carry out all the formalities for obtaining a foreign flag, as well as those for the French flag.
| Flag | Who can obtain it | Time to obtain | Validity |
|---|---|---|---|
| French | European citizens (and British nationals whose residence permit, referring to the Brexit agreement, was renewed before 30/09/2021) | 15 to 30 days | No limit (check every 10 years) |
| Polish | Any owner of a boat under 24 m, of any nationality | Provisional certificate in 2 to 3 days, final registration within approximately 30 days | No limit (safety inspection every 5 years above 15 m) |
| Dutch (Kadaster) | Natural person residing in the European Union | 2 to 6 weeks | No limit |
| Belgian | Natural or legal person of Belgian nationality or residing in Belgium | Approximately 5 weeks | To be renewed every 5 years |
| British | UK resident, or company set up locally with a legal representative | Approximately 2 weeks | To be renewed every 5 years |
| Spanish | Holder of an NIE card or of Spanish nationality | Variable | Safety inspection every 5 years, boat present in Spanish waters |
More or less demanding formalities
Registration under the Polish flag is currently the simplest: there is no check or inspection of the boat below 15 m, and payment of VAT is not a prerequisite, which is only of interest to non-EU-resident owners who may not be subject to VAT.
The Dutch national flag (Kadaster) requires a safety inspection, at the owner's expense, and does not allow any chartering, even bareboat. It should not be confused with the certificate issued by a sports organisation (Watersportverbond), recognised only in Dutch waters.
For an owner who does not reside in the United Kingdom, the British flag means setting up a structure there, with representation and maintenance costs: it is mainly of interest to UK residents or for commercial use. The Spanish flag remains, by far, the most complicated to obtain and the most restrictive.
Safety, licence and CE marking according to the flag
CE marking
All boats built after 1998 must have CE certification. In Spain, they must also be approved by the Directorate-General of the Merchant Navy (DGMM), a paid procedure to be renewed every 5 years. For boats built before 16/06/1998, each situation must be examined case by case.
Safety equipment
Under the French flag, the boater must carry the equipment corresponding to their situation, detailed in Division 240: for example a VHF as soon as they go more than 6 miles from a shelter. The list required under the Polish flag is very similar.
Under the British flag, a boat under 45 feet (13.7 m) can sail without a VHF, whatever the distance. Under the Belgian flag, the owner chooses their own safety equipment, with a compulsory VHF (two above 20 m of hull length). Under the Belgian and Dutch flags, a liferaft is not compulsory, even for offshore sailing, and no regulatory inspection is imposed. The Spanish flag is considerably more demanding: it makes no distinction between pleasure and commercial use, imposes an annual check of beacons, liferafts and fire extinguishers, and a technical inspection every 5 years above 6 m.
The boating licence
In France, a licence is required as soon as the engine power exceeds 4.5 kW. Under the British flag, you can sail without a licence or limitation. Under the Belgian flag, a Belgian tax resident can sail as far as the offshore zone without a specific licence or power restriction, except in special cases. Under the Dutch flag, it is the boat's category (A, B, C or D) that determines the possible distance from shore, and a licence is only required above 15 m of hull length or 20 km/h.
Sailing in French waters under a foreign flag
Since the Blue Economy Act of 20 June 2016, boaters who are tax resident in France must apply French regulations in French waters, both under way and in port, whatever their boat's flag: safety equipment, gear and boating licence.
How much does a flag cost?
Registration fees
Depending on the boat's situation, your country of tax residence and whether or not the boat needs to be imported, the cost of a flag ranges from a few hundred to several thousand euros, including file fees and inspections.
- France: from one to a few hundred euros, depending on hull length.
- Belgium: above 7.50 m, a registration tax of €2,478 for a new boat, reduced by 10% per year of age.
- Netherlands: between €2,000 and €3,000 for the national flag, safety inspection included.
- Poland: file fees generally between €450 and €1,000, depending on length; above 15 m, a safety inspection costing several thousand euros, to be renewed every 5 years.
- Spain: a safety inspection every 5 years, at a rate comparable to that of France and Poland.
The annual tax (TAEMUP)
Under the French flag, the owner pays each year the annual tax on maritime craft for personal use (TAEMUP), formerly the annual registration and navigation duty (DAFN). Its amount depends on the boat's characteristics. The only exemptions are boats under 7 m whose engine does not exceed 22 administrative CV, and personal watercraft (PWC) with an actual power of less than 90 kW.
The passport duty
Under a foreign flag, a French tax resident must pay the passport duty each year, the equivalent of the TAEMUP, whether or not they sail in French waters. It is calculated according to the boat's hull length and age.
Preparing for a round-the-world voyage?
For a long voyage, other criteria come into play: renewals to plan for far from home, checks at sea, stopovers, French waters along the route. We detail them in our guide which flag to choose for a round-the-world voyage by boat.
To go further, flag by flag: French flag, Polish flag, Belgian flag, Dutch flag, British flag, Spanish flag.
Hesitating between several flags?
Every situation deserves to be examined: our experts determine the flag suited to your project and carry out all the formalities.