The Delaware Flag Is No Longer Welcome In The EU

Looking for a jurisdiction before coming to Europe?

The Delaware flag is a US state flag that does not grant a national status and therefore is not recognized by EU countries as a foreign national flag. It will not allow yachts to benefit from Temporary Admission nor to have their Customs and VAT status cleared if you are planning to charter in the Med this season. Some European ports have already refused access to vessels registered in Delaware.

Furthermore, the State of Delaware issued on February 22nd a memorandum stating that they will not issue any new registry certificate nor verify existing ones if the yacht does not respect the conditions of being principally operated in Delaware waters and must not be available for hire. Using a Delaware flag vessel in international waters can bring for the owner some legal risks, as well as a refusal to cover by the insurance since the operating conditions of the flag are not met.

We recommend to all owners who have yachts or even tenders and chase boats registered in Delaware to register under a different jurisdiction before coming to Europe.

We remain at disposal for any further question you may have,

Best regards,
The YMCA team