There are no requirements concerning local ownership or participation in ownership, in order to apply for registration of a vessel in International Merchant Marine Registry of Belize - IMMARBE.

The procedures and activities concerning registration of yachts as well as the relevant obligations and requirements applicable to all ships enrolled or seeking enrollment in the Merchant Marine of Belize are governed by the "Regulations for pleasure vessels" 1991. Belize as a member to the International Maritime Organization and the International Labor Organization has ratified several maritime conventions.

REGISTRATION OF YACHTS AND NON-COMMERCIAL CRAFTS

A simplified procedure for the registration of pleasure vessels and yachts as well as other non-commercial crafts provides for the enrollment under permanent status for two years and a special registration cost.

For the purpose of yacht registration the following requirements must be accomplished:

• Builder's certificate, if it is a newly built vessel

• Bill of Sale

• Judicial sale Instrument or Resolution
   

Documents are considered duly notarized only in the following manner:

A public notary or any other recognized and authorized public official vested with such a power must insert a written statement in the document certifying the authenticity of the signature's) appearing on the document as well as the authority of the person's) executing the document.

Copy of a document is considered a duly certified true copy of its originals in the following case:

A notary or any other recognized and authorized public official vested with such a power must insert in the document a statement indicating that based on the original document to him submitted he attests that he has collated the document and it corresponds to the original in all its parts.

IMMARBE's Deputy Registrars are vested by the Merchant Ships Act with authorization to notarize documents and to perform as certifying officials for all IMMARBE's purposes.

FEE SCHEDULE

The standard cost to register a yacht with IMMARBE is as follows:

1. Registration fee ...............................US$750.00

2. Radio license fee ........................ .....US$ 50.00

3. Administration fee ............................US$400.00

4. Our Professional fee....................... ..US$550.00
    

The total costs to register the yachts would be US$1,750.00