Published on Australian Maritime Safety Authority (https://www.amsa.gov.au)
If your Australian owned vessel is chartered to a foreign operator, the vessel can be exempted from the requirement to be registered.
A vessel can only hold registration in one country. The owner can suspend a registration while the vessel is chartered.
If your vessel is entitled to be registered, but is not currently registered, it will not be allowed to leave an Australian port for an international destination. Customs officials will not issue an unregistered vessel with a certificate of clearance. A temporary pass may be issued in some circumstances. Alternatively a, provisional registration can be arranged so your vessel can start a voyage before the registration procedure has been completed.
Your vessel will not be allowed to leave a foreign port where there is an Australian diplomatic representative unless it has either been registered or issued with a provisional registration certificate.
If you are travelling between a foreign port and an Australian port (or vice versa), or from one foreign port to another, you can be issued with a temporary pass.
You can also obtain a temporary pass if you have an unregistered vessel participating in a yacht race.
If your vessel has never been registered on the Australian shipping register and you can provide proof that it has never been registered, you can apply for a certificate of non-registration.
If you have a registered commercial ship over 24 metres in tonnage length, you must fly the Australian Red Ensign. For any other registered ship, you have the choice of flying either the Australian National Flag or the Red Ensign.
If your ship is unregistered, you can get a certificate allowing you to fly either flag.
You might be allowed to fly other flags in Australian waters including:
To apply for an exemption from the requirement to be registered, you need to:
A copy of the demise charter agreement is required in order to grant an exemption from the requirement to be registered.
Application for exemption from the requirement to be registered.
Before you send us your application, pay the fee online.
Record your payment reference number in the ‘Submitting your application’ section on your application form.
Send the original completed form with a copy of the demise charter agreement to:
If your ship is registered you will need to surrender your registration when lodging the application.
We will let you know if there is any additional information that we need to process your application. If not, the exemption will be finalised and we will post the exemption certificate to you.
To apply for a temporary pass, you need to:
Before you send us your application, pay the fee online.
Record your payment reference number in the ‘Submitting your application’ section on your application form.
Attach all required supporting documents and send the paperwork to us at our postal or courier address:
We will let you know if there is any additional information that we require to process your application. If not the temporary pass will be finalised and the certificate posted to you.
To apply, you need to:
A request for a certificate of non-registration can be made to the Shipping Registration Office. Provide details of the particulars of the vessel, including:
Before you send us your application, pay the fee online.
Provide your payment reference number with your application.
Your application can be sent to:
We will let you know if there is any additional information that we require to process your application. If not the certificate of non-registration will be issued and posted to you.
If you need a certificate to fly the national flag and the red ensign, you need to:
Application for certificate of entitlement to fly the national flag and red ensign form 201.
Before you send us your application, pay the fee online.
Record your payment reference number in the ‘Submitting your application’ section on your application form.
Attach all required supporting documents and send the paperwork to us at our postal or courier address:
We will let you know if there is any additional information that we require to process your application. If not the certificate of entitlement to fly the national flag and red ensign will be issued and posted to you.