Certificate of Registry for pleasure craft

If you plan to travel internationally with your pleasure craft that is registered in the Netherlands, it’s highly recommended to take a zeebrief (Certificate of Registry) with you on your journey. You can get a Certificate of Registry from the Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate (ILT).

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This information is for pleasure craft used only for sports or leisure, not for work or business. It does not apply to vessels that carry commercial cargo or paying passengers.

Which pleasure craft can get a Certificate of Registry?

To obtain a Certificate of Registry from the ILT, the pleasure craft must meet the nationality requirements of the Netherlands following Article 311 of the Wetboek van Koophandel (Commercial Code, only available in Dutch). A pleasure craft meets the nationality requirements of the Netherlands if: 

  • you, as the owner, have the nationality of a Member State of the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland, or have the same rights as EU citizens according to the European Economic Community (ECC) Treaty, and;
  • you, as the owner, have a residence in the Netherlands where someone is responsible for the vessel and can act quickly in emergencies.

If you, as the owner, have transferred the management of the pleasure craft to a business partnership or company, it meets the nationality requirements of the Netherlands if:

  • the partnership or company follows the laws of the EU, the EEA or Switzerland, and;
  • the partnership or company has an office in the Netherlands where someone is responsible for the vessel and can act quickly in emergencies.

The Certificate of Registry is valid as long as you own the vessel and the vessel meets the nationality requirements.

How to apply for a Certificate of Registry for pleasure craft

How you apply for a Certificate of Registry depends on the length of your vessel.

How to amend a Certificate of Registry for pleasure craft