Registration

How to get started when applying on behalf of the ship owner

Your first step will be to complete a ship registration pro forma (MSF 5547), which provides us with the necessary information to check if the ship and the owner are eligible for UK registration.

Following a successful check, you will then be assigned a Key Account Manager (KAM), and will guide you through the transfer of the ship on to the Register; and will be your dedicated point of contact for administration and general policy matters, both during the ‘flag-in’ process and for the period that the vessel remains with the UK Ship Register.

You will also be assigned a Customer Service Manager (CSM) who will deal with the technical issues regarding the survey
and inspection of the ship during the ‘flag-in’ process and for the period that the vessel remains with the UK Ship Register.

Required Documents for Part I Registration

• Application to Register – MSF 4740 (A)
• Declaration of Eligibility – MSF 4727
• Bill of Sale (for existing ships) – MSF 4705
• Copy of Certificate of Incorporation (if the owner is a body corporate
• UK Certificate of Survey for Tonnage & Measurement
• International Tonnage Certificate (ITC69) - (for vessels >500 GT)
• Builders Certificate (for new builds) - MSF 4743
• Deletion certificate/transcript from the current register or a written undertaking to provide
  one within six weeks
• Copy of the ship’s current Continuous Synopsis Record (for vessels >500 GT) - MSF 5623-C
• Mortgage registration forms (if appropriate) - MSF 4736 and MSF 4737
• Payment of £153 for 5 years

Once the documentation is received, a Carving and Marking Note will be issued to the owner / attending surveyor.
On receipt of the completed Carving and Marking note at RSS, the Certificate of Registry can be issued.

Please note that any documents used to support your application for Part 1 or Part 4 (Bareboat) Registration, if not in English,  must be accompanied by a translation,  which must be notarised

Required Documents for Part IV (Bareboat Charter) Registration

The following documents are required for Part IV registration:

• Application to Register a bareboat charter ship – MSF 4738
• Declaration of Eligibility for a bareboat charter ship – MSF 4735
• Copy of Certificate of Incorporation (if charterer is a body corporate)
• Copy of the bareboat charter party agreement
• Primary registration certificate showing the vessel’s official number
• Consent from the Primary Register
• UK Certificate of Survey for Tonnage & Measurement
• International Tonnage Certificate (ITC69)
• Copy of the ship’s current Continuous Synopsis Record (for vessels >500 GT)
• Payment of £153 for 5 years

Once the documentation is received, a Carving and Marking Note will be issued to the owner / attending surveyor.
On receipt of the completed Carving and Marking note at RSS, the Certificate of Registry can be issued.

Please note that any documents used to support your application for Part 1 or Part 4 (Bareboat) Registration, if not in English,  must be accompanied by a translation,  which must be notarised

These documents can be sent to us by email - uksr@mcga.gov.uk

We also can be contacted on +44 (0)20 3908 5200.

To complete your vessel registration, you can use the UK Ship Registration Service online.

You will need to have the following documents to complete your online application.

If you do not have an account you will need to create one and then sign in. This can be done here.

If you prefer to complete your registration via email, we require the following documents below:

Application to register 

(this form applies to all parts of the register)

Registration fee – this can be paid via the following links: £153 for standard service or £333 for premium service.

You will need to have the vessel name, official number and a card for payment.

Declaration of Eligibility

Certificate of Incorporation (if applicable)

Deletion Certificate. This is to be provided if vessel has been previously registered outside of the UK.

Radio Call Sign

Bill of Sale or Builder’s Certificate to confirm ownership of the vessel.

All new registrations regardless of the size of the vessel will require a UK Certificate of Survey for Tonnage and Measurement issued within a 12-month period of the application to register. The survey must be completed by a surveyor from a class/certifying authority or UK Authorised Recognised Organisation.

Commercial vessels of less than 24m load line/registered length require either a Work Boat Certificate, Passenger Boat Certificate, Small Commercial Vessel Certificate, or appropriate safety certificate at the time of registration. These can be arranged with a class/certifying authority.

Commercial vessels greater than 24m load line/registered length require an ITC 69 for all new registrations. The ITC must be completed by UK Authorised Recognised Organisation.

A Continuous Synopsis Record (if applicable) (CSR), please provide a copy of the Current CSR and CSR amendment form 2/3 for UK Ship Register to issue the next CSR in sequence.

On receipt of the above documentation, the Carving and Marking note will be issued which will confirm the correct markings for the vessel. The Carving and Marking note will need to be witnessed by either a class/certifying authority or UK Authorised Recognised Organisation if the vessel is greater than 24m.