Yacht Registration / Title Procedures
We professionally manage yacht registration in Turkey and all title procedures for your new or second-hand yacht, including flag changes.
Registering a yacht in Turkey is straightforward once you know which register your vessel belongs in. Turkey does not have a single "yacht registry" — it has three, and picking the wrong one costs weeks. Yacht Assist establishes the right route for your ownership structure, prepares the paperwork, coordinates tonnage measurement and survey, and deals with the harbour master and registry office on your behalf.
Which register does your yacht belong in?
Bağlama Kütüğü — Marine Tourism Vessel Register. The register most private yacht owners in Turkey actually need. It is administered through harbour masters (Liman Başkanlığı) and issues a Bağlama Kütüğü licence tied to a home port. It is the practical route for privately used yachts, and it is open to foreign owners as well as Turkish nationals.
Milli Gemi Sicili — National Ship Register. The register that grants the Turkish flag proper. It creates a title record, allows a mortgage to be entered against the vessel, and is what banks and buyers look for. Turkish ownership conditions apply, so the structure through which you hold the yacht matters here.
TUGS — Turkish International Ship Register. Intended for commercially operated vessels and yachts, with its own tax treatment. If your yacht will be chartered rather than used privately, this is usually the register to evaluate first, alongside a commercial operating licence.
Requirements differ meaningfully between the three, and they also depend on whether the owner is an individual or a company, resident or non-resident. We confirm the current requirement set for your specific case before any fee is paid or document ordered.
Which documents are normally required?
- Proof of ownership — bill of sale, or a builder's certificate for a new build
- Deletion certificate (transcript of cancellation) from the previous registry, if the yacht is already registered elsewhere
- Tonnage measurement and technical specification documents
- Class or survey documentation where the vessel type requires it
- Owner identification — passport or ID, plus a Turkish tax number
- Company documents and signature circulars, where the owner is a legal entity
- Import and customs clearance records where applicable
How the process works
We start by reviewing the yacht's existing papers and your intended use — private or commercial — and recommend a register on that basis. We then assemble the document set, order any missing certificate from the issuing authority abroad, and arrange tonnage measurement or survey where one is required. Filings are made with the relevant harbour master or registry directorate, and we follow the file through to issue. You receive the completed registration document together with a plain-language summary of what it does and does not cover.
Can a foreign owner register a yacht in Turkey?
Yes, in most cases — but the register available to you depends on your ownership structure. Foreign individuals and foreign-owned companies routinely register yachts through the Bağlama Kütüğü. The Turkish flag through the National Ship Register carries ownership conditions that a foreign owner usually meets by holding the vessel through a suitable Turkish company. We assess both routes and tell you honestly which one fits, including when the answer is that you should keep your current flag.
Changing flag, deletion and re-registration
Moving a yacht between flags is a sequence, not a single filing: the outgoing registry must issue a deletion certificate before the incoming registry will complete registration, and any mortgage on the vessel has to be discharged or transferred in the correct order. We manage both ends of that sequence so the yacht is never left without a valid registration in the middle of the process.
Why Yacht Assist
Our Marmaris-based team works with harbour masters and registry directorates along the Turkish coast every week, and coordinates with foreign registries on flag changes. We tell you the realistic route, the documents that genuinely take time to obtain, and where the process typically stalls — before you commit. Explore our full range of services or get in touch with the yacht's details and we will outline the route in writing.
Related reading: buying a boat in Turkey and the annual cost of owning a yacht in Turkey.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which register do I need for a private yacht in Turkey?
For a privately used yacht, the Bağlama Kütüğü (Marine Tourism Vessel Register) is usually the right route, and it is open to foreign owners. If the yacht will be chartered commercially, TUGS or a commercial operating structure should be evaluated instead.
Can a foreign national register a vessel in Turkey?
Yes. Foreign individuals and foreign-owned companies can register through the Bağlama Kütüğü. The Turkish flag via the National Ship Register carries ownership conditions, which foreign owners commonly satisfy by holding the yacht through a Turkish company.
What documents are required for yacht registration in Turkey?
Typically proof of ownership, a deletion certificate from the previous registry, tonnage and technical documentation, survey or class papers where applicable, owner identification and a Turkish tax number. Company owners also provide corporate documents.
How long does registration take?
It depends far more on how quickly certificates arrive from the previous registry or builder than on the Turkish filing itself. Once the file is complete, the domestic steps move quickly. We tell you at the outset which document is likely to be the bottleneck.
Do I need a Turkish tax number to register a yacht?
Yes. A Turkish tax number is required for the owner, whether an individual or a company. We can obtain it as part of the registration file.
What is a deletion certificate and why does it matter?
It is the confirmation from your current registry that the yacht has been removed from it. No new registry will complete registration without it, and obtaining it is often the slowest step in a flag change.
Can I register a mortgage against a yacht in Turkey?
Yes, through the National Ship Register, which maintains a title record against which a mortgage can be entered and later discharged. We handle both the creation and the release of ship mortgages.
Should I keep my current flag instead?
Sometimes, yes. If your yacht is already registered under a flag that suits its use and cruising pattern, changing it may add cost without benefit. We give a straight recommendation, including when that recommendation is to change nothing.