Marine accountancy

Avoid penalties and complications with joined-up expert advice

Boats can bring more tax complications than you might think – especially if you’re crossing jurisdictions, like sailing between UK and EU waters. To use your craft with confidence, it helps to have an experienced guide. 

As valuable assets, built to travel – often with paid crew aboard – yachts and superyachts pose a number of tax, VAT, and compliance issues. At every stage of your ownership – from buying, operating, and chartering to eventually selling – a little knowhow can avoid problems and save you money. 

We use our marine experience, and our in-house specialists, to make that process simple. We’ll talk about your plans, then put the right paperwork in place – so you can forget about surprise tax bills and enjoy your pleasure craft to the full.

Support for every stage of yacht ownership and use

Especially since Brexit, buying and using pleasure craft can lead to unexpected VAT and customs costs. Reliefs are available, but they can bring different restrictions – so it’s important to talk about your plans with an experienced marine tax expert.

For instance, we can save time, money, and stress when you:

• Buy or sell your yacht – Advising on VAT, and finding the most tax-efficient way to buy or sell your vessel – whether in the UK or overseas. And giving you peace of mind by reporting on its VAT paid status (VPS).
• Sail between national tax jurisdictions – Making use of the best tax and customs reliefs to suit your use of the vessel, so you can get the right paperwork to cross borders with confidence.
• Operate boats under charter – Navigating the personal and corporate tax implications of charter operations – including deciding on the best business structure for your needs. Planning in advance is key.
• Travel for maintenance and refitting work – Helping you comply with place of supply VAT rules on work done overseas. And using the right VAT and customs arrangements to make it as efficient as possible.
• Employ crew and international staff – Keeping you compliant with local tax, employment, and benefit-in-kind rules wherever you sail. In fact, we have a dedicated global mobility team to advise on every aspect of working overseas.