Boat registration Croatia - Arrival notification - Permit (Vinjeta) online

The boat registration in Croatia, formerly known as the vignette (Vinjeta) and in some countries referred to as a sailing permit, consists of the vessel safety fee and the lighthouse fee. Until 2015, it also includs a fee for an information card (nautical chart of Croatian waters). These fees apply to all recreational vessels in Croatia, both Croatian-flagged and foreign boats / yachts sailing in Croatian waters. The registration is carried out through the harbor master’s office (official document)

In Croatia, every foreign watercraft must be registered if it is longer than 2.50 meters and/or has more than 5 kW engine power. This also applies to DINGHIES! By registering your boat online, you save waiting time at the harbor master’s office and conveniently receive all documents by email.

The online boat registration is valid for the entire Croatian coastal waters and is not limited to the jurisdiction of the issuing harbor authority.

The boat registration is valid for the current calendar year, always until December 31 of the year in which the registration is issued. The fees do not change if you register your boat later in the year; they always and exclusively apply to the entire calendar year.

If you are registering your boat/yacht in Croatia for the first time, we will need your boat documents (e.g., international boat certificate), proof of insurance / insurance confirmation (not required for boats up to 15 kW – mandatory otherwise, as harbor master authorities are obligated to check the insurance when issuing the permit), your captain’s license for sea / coastal waters and a copy of your ID/passport. Additionally, a power of attorney, which we will send to you to fill, with your order confirmation after entering your details, is required.

If your boat/yacht has already been registered in Croatia with same data in the past 5 years, we only need your current proof of insurance and a power of attorney (sent via email with your order confirmation). Your boat registration / permit / vignette will be sent to you promptly by mail.

Since 2023, registrations in some countries are issued without specifying the length and engine power of a boat, yacht or jetski. In this case, we require an official document, such as a declaration of conformity (CE), clearly stating these specifications. Boats without registration cannot be registered for Croatian waters. Registration is mandatory.

The costs of the boat registration /permit / vignette in Croatia is calculated based on the length and engine power of your boat or yacht. You can check the amount HERE online. We invoice a additional processing fee for our service: €59.95 (€49.95 for registrations between January 1 and January 31, 2025, provided documents and payment are received at latest by February 6) for renewals (if your boat was already registered in Croatia with identical data in last 5 years) or €89.95 (€79.95 for registrations between January 1 and January 31, 2025, with documents and payment received by February 6) if the boat has not been registered in Croatia before, or if there have been changes, such as ownership or engine power.

Early Registration Offer: From January 2 to January 31, the processing fee is reduced to €49.95 instead of €59.95 for boats/yachts already registered in Croatia with identical data, and €79.95 instead of €89.95 if the boat/yacht has not been registered or if data changes have occurred.

We handle the entire process with the harbor master authorities for you, so you can start sailing immediately when arriving. No need to visit offices or wait for opening hours.

You can conveniently transfer the fees to us without the need to provide a credit card. There’s no need for a complicated international payment, as Croatia participates in the SEPA transfer system. Starting in 2024, we will also offer the option of a Paylink. If it’s urgent, we’re happy to provide an additional payment method to reduce bank processing time. Simply register your boat for Croatia online!

It’s very straightforward with us. You will receive your boat registration/permit/boat vignette immediately by email as soon as your boat/yacht has been registered with the harbor authorities. There’s no need to wait for a letter, which would take at least e.g. 8–14 days to arrive from Croatia to Germany or Austria. The stickers that were commonly used in the past are no longer issued since 2014; the emailed document serves as confirmation.

Typically, it takes one business day after payment is received if your boat was already registered in Croatia with the same data. If you send us all required documents and the payment is credited to our account by 10:00 a.m., we will register your boat/yacht same day and send arrival notification by mail. For urgent requests, payment via PayPal or PayLink is possible, and we will process your registration immediately.

For new registrations or changes, the process usually takes up to 3 business days from the receipt of payment and all required documents (complete).

In general, this is possible—but considering environmental protection, it doesn’t make much sense. We receive the confirmation digitally and send it to you via email. In exceptional cases, we can print the confirmation and send it by post. The costs for this are borne by the recipient. The postal delivery may take up to 21 days, and possibly longer during peak season. Please carefully consider whether shipping is truly necessary, as it is sufficient to carry a printed copy of the registration.

Yes, a jet ski (which, by the way, requires a coastal skipper license in Croatia, a helmet and appropriate vest must be worn) must be registered and insured separately. The same documents are required for registration as for a boat. Make sure that all measures like length and engine power is shown in your national registration from country of origin.

The dinghy must be marked with “t/t” (= tender to). It does not necessarily have to be registered separately. However, it must remain within sight of the main vessel and must not exceed 2.50 meters in length and/or have more than 5 kW of power.

If you wish to use your dinghy independently, it must be registered if it exceeds the specified limits (over 2.50 meters and/or more than 5 kW). Additionally, in this case, it also requires its own insurance if the power exceeds 15 kW.

No, carrying a crew list is not necessary for recreational boats. However, ONLY if you enter Croatia by sea from a third country (non-EU country) with your boat/yacht, you must present a crew list of all persons on board along with their travel documents (ID card or passport) when clearing in at the first “Port of Entry.”

Payment of tourist tax for a boat/yacht is only neccessary if your boat is longer than 7.00 meters and you actually stay overnight on board. Even if you have rented an apartment or campsite, the tourist tax for boats must be paid in accordance with the regulations. However, if you stay on board during this period, the tourist tax for the apartment/campsite does not need to be paid. Boat tourist tax Croatia registration.

The amount of the tourist tax for boats in Croatia depends on the length of your boat/yacht and the duration of your stay. You can choose between paying by person/days aboard or lumb sum for a time period.

Overview of Croatia Boat Tourist Tax 2021 (latest version).

Yes, Kapetanija (Harbor Master), police, and customs regularly check whether all fees have been paid. As the payment details are stored in a central system, Kapetanija, Customs, andPolice can verify all information online using the boat registration number. They do not need to board your boat/yacht for this. If your boat/yacht is not registered or the tourist tax for overnight stays has not been paid, these amounts must be settled retroactively, and significant fines will be imposed. Additionally, if the Kapetanija or Police stop you for another reason, they will check your documents, and penalties may accumulate.

Currently, fines of up to 2000 euro are imposed if boaters are found without a valid permit/vignette/arrival notification. Caution: If other rules and laws are also violated, fines will accumulate. For example, no arrival notification -> 2000 euro + speeding near the shore -> 800 euros = total fine of 2800 euros! All fines will be charged directly by card payment.

Yes, and this applies without exception to all motorized watercraft. Fines for operating without a license are considerably high, up to 400 euros according to the port authority. Caution: In Croatia, there is no “steerer rule” – EVERYONE at the helm must hold a valid boat license. For further violations, fines will accumulate. If you run VHF aboard, you also have to have a VHF Licence.

In Croatia, all boats with an engine power over 15 kW (20 HP) are required to have insurance (liability insurance). The mandatory minimum coverage is 460,000 euro. You can take out your water sports liability insurance, for example, HERE. If you are sailing on someone else’s boat, it is recommended to also take out a skipper liability insurance.

All boats and yachts with more than 15 kW (20.39 HP) must be liability insured when used in Croatian waters. The legally required minimum coverage is 465,000 euro (formerly 3.5 million kuna). Dinghies/tenders must also be insured.

No, a hobby catamaran, like a surfboard, is considered a sports equipment and does not require a vignette/boat vignette. Neither needs to be registered.

Your arrival date helps us estimate how urgent your arrival notification with the port authority should be processed. Especially during the season, there is a lot going on, and we want to ensure that you receive your registration on time for the start of your vacation.