Issuing certificates of flag registration for yachts
(corresponds to EC design categories A or B)
The certificate of flag registration is valid for sailing at sea and in foreign waters. It is issued on the basis of Art. 5 of the Ordinance of 15 March 1971 on Swiss Sea-Going Yachts (Ordinance on Yachts, RS 747.321.7; in German, French and Italian only).
To be considered sea-worthy, yachts are generally expected to have living quarters, an automatic bilge pump in the cockpit and to be equipped in compliance with the guidelines of the Swiss Maritime Navigation Office (SMNO).
The certificate of flag registration is required for sailing at sea under the Swiss flag. Breaches of the regulations are punishable under Art. 143 of the Federal Act on Navigation under the Swiss Flag (RS 747.30).
In particular, regulations concerning yachts must be respected: Swiss-registered yachts may not be used for commercial purposes (Art. 17) and are allowed only in exceptional circumstances to be used by a third party (Art. 18).