Applying for a Certificate of Registry for pleasure craft

If you plan to travel internationally with your pleasure craft that is registered in the Netherlands, you should legally establish that it is registered in the Netherlands by applying for a zeebrief (Certificate of Registry). This helps you avoid problems in international waters.

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Please note: this page applies to seagoing vessels that are never used for commercial purposes in any way. If your vessel is registered as a pleasure craft, you are only allowed to use it for recreational purposes, or allow others to do so.

Certainty with a Certificate of Registry

The Certificate of Registry is an internationally recognised proof of nationality for ships, similar to a passport.

Unlike merchant ships, pleasure craft are permitted to sail at sea without a Certificate of Registry. However, a Certificate of Registry issued in the Netherlands grants you the right to fly the Dutch flag. Your vessel is registered in the Nederlands vlagregister (Netherlands flag register, in Dutch) as a Dutch-flagged vessel. This means that the laws and rules of the Netherlands apply to it.

Without a Certificate of Registry, the Dutch flag does not offer legal protection. The certainty and rights that come with a Certificate of Registry are not provided, for example, by the International Certificate for Pleasure Craft (ICP).

Applying for a Certificate of Registry for a pleasure craft

You can apply for a Certificate of Registry through the Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate (ILT). The steps you must take depend on the length of your vessel.

Complete the online form Application for a seagoing vessel to fly the Dutch flag and submit it to the ILT.
The ILT assigns an NSI number to your vessel and forwards your application to Kadaster (the Netherlands’ Cadastre, Land Registry and Mapping Agency).
Kadaster assesses whether your vessel qualifies for obtaining Dutch nationality.
A Kadaster inspector will contact you to inspect and measure your vessel and add a unique registration number.
Kadaster notifies the ILT that that the vessel has been registered as property in the public register and provides the main dimensions and the gross and net tonnage of your vessel. These details are included in the meetbrief (Tonnage Certificate, in Dutch), which is required for the Certificate of Registry.
The ILT sends you the Certificate of Registry, the Tonnage Certificate and the invoice.

Have your vessel measured by a recognised classification society. They will issue a meetbrief (Tonnage Certificate, in Dutch), which includes the main dimensions and gross and net tonnage of your vessel.
Complete the online form Application for a seagoing vessel to fly the Dutch flag and submit it to the ILT together with the Tonnage Certificate.
Apply for a nationaliteitstoets (nationality assessment, in Dutch) through Kadaster. Kadaster will issue a Mededeling Nationaliteit (Notification of Nationality).
Apply to register your vessel as property (in Dutch) through Kadaster. Kadaster will issue a Bericht van Inschrijving (Registration Notification) and inform the ILT of the registration of the ship.
The ILT will ask you to register your vessel in the Netherlands flag register. Use the online form Application for a seagoing vessel to fly the Dutch flag again for this.
You will receive the Certificate of Registry with confirmation of registration in the flag register, along with an invoice from the ILT.

Costs

In 2025, the fee for a Tonnage Certificate for pleasure craft under 24 metres issued by the ILT is €196. The fee for a Certificate of Registry is €215.

These fees are set out in the Regeling tarieven transportsectoren (Transportation Sectors Tariffs Scheme, in Dutch) and may change annually.

Validity

The Certificate of Registry remains valid as long as none of the vessel’s characteristics stated in the certificate change and you remain the owner.

If, for example, the vessel’s name, home port or tonnage changes, you must first report the change to Kadaster. Then apply for a new Certificate of Registry through the ILT.
If you sell your pleasure craft, the certificate becomes invalid. If the new owner also wishes to have a Certificate of Registry, they must apply for it themselves.

If any detail on your Certificate of Registry changes and you request a new one, you must return your old or expired Certificate of Registry by post to the ILT at the following address:

Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate (ILT)
Westelijke Parallelweg 4
3331 EW Zwijndrecht
the Netherlands

Applying for a Certificate of Registry for pleasure craft

Certainty with a Certificate of Registry

Applying for a Certificate of Registry for a pleasure craft

Certificate of Registry for pleasure craft under 24 metres

Certificate of Registry for pleasure craft over 24 metres

Costs

Validity

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