Polish yacht registration reform: what the bill proposes and when it could apply

What is REJA24 and what does a Polish flag yacht offer today?

REJA24 is Poland’s electronic register of yachts and other craft up to 24 m. It was created by the Act of 12 April 2018 (opens in a new tab) and has been running since 1 August 2020 In force. That is why so many owners from outside Poland registered there:

• No residence or nationality requirement. You do not need to be Polish or an EU citizen: an address for service and a home port in Poland are enough In force. The Ministry of Infrastructure confirmed this in the Sejm on 3 September 2026: “Nie ma wymogu zamieszkania w Polsce” (“there is no requirement to live in Poland”).
• Proof of ownership is enough. The Act does not list proof of VAT payment among the required documents In force. That does not settle VAT: the flag does not decide the boat’s tax status.
• A PLN 80 fee for registration In force.
• A document with no expiry date: the registration card is issued without one In force.
• No technical inspection for pleasure yachts up to 15 m In force.
• Online procedure, through the REJA24 portal In force.

According to the explanatory memorandum, in December 2025 the register held more than 100,900 craft, and 40,018 had an owner domiciled outside Poland. The figure counts domicile, not nationality: a Polish national living in Spain is included; a foreign national domiciled in Poland is not.

What does the reform of the Polish register propose?

Poland’s Council of Ministers approved the bill on 28 July 2026, and it reached the Sejm the following day as druk 2995 (opens in a new tab). The reference text today is the committee report, druk 3220 (opens in a new tab), of 22 October 2026. Everything below is a proposal: it may change or never be passed.

• Mandatory prior inspection of boats that are not Polish-owned, carried out by an authorised classification society Proposed.
• Confirmation of the registration every 5 years Proposed. The document would no longer be valid indefinitely.
• Loss of the Polish flag for non-compliance Proposed.
• Provisional certificate limited to 60 days, and no sailing on it Proposed. This would be among the first measures to apply: 14 days after the Act is published.
• New fees, to be set by a later regulation Proposed.

How much would a Polish flag cost if the reform is passed?

Today the registration fee is PLN 80 In force. New amounts would be set by a later regulation; what has been published are proposals Proposed. Watch the category: the high figure is for the voluntary register, where most foreign owners are, not the mandatory one.

Why does Poland want to tighten its yacht register?

The bill’s explanatory memorandum (opens in a new tab) gives three reasons:

• drug smuggling on Polish-flagged yachts outside Poland;
• intermediaries who do not check the details of the boats they register;
• forged provisional certificates.

The Ministry of Infrastructure gave a figure to the Sejm committee (opens in a new tab): requests from other countries to board Polish-flagged yachts rose from 11 in 2022 to 378 in 2025. These are boarding requests, not seizures.

According to the PAP news agency, of the at least 30 craft involved between 2022 and 2026, only one had a Polish owner or operator. This is the stated reason for the reform, not a portrait of those who registered there.

Where does the reform stand and when would it come into force?

The reform has passed its first reading and has a committee report. As of 27 October 2026, the Sejm’s record of the process (opens in a new tab) lists it as not passed Proposed.

How long would boats already under the Polish flag have?

Boats already registered would not lose the flag on day one. The bill gives them between 3 and 24 months from entry into force to apply for confirmation that their registration is valid, depending on their registration date Proposed.

If the boat is not Polish-owned, it would also have to pass the prior inspection. Owners who do not comply would lose the Polish flag Proposed.

What can you do now if your boat flies the Polish flag?

Nothing forces you to act today: your Polish registration is still valid In force. These are your options:

1. 1

   Wait for the final text

   The reform may still change at the vote and, if passed, you would have between 3 and 24 months to adapt Proposed. The risk is having to decide with the clock already running.

2. 2

   Get your paperwork ready

   It will help whatever you decide. Find the original Polish registration document (you need it for deregistration), the invoice or bill of sale and the manufacturer’s CE declaration: under the bill, it could allow the Polish inspection to be done remotely, and the Var DDTM requires it for boats built after 16 June 1998. Clear up the VAT position too.

3. 3

   Reflag your yacht to France

   It is an EU register with no tightening reform under way for pleasure craft. At least 50% of the boat must belong to EU or EEA nationals, but you do not have to live in France: an “élection de domicile” (address for service) is enough In force. Registration is free and there is no periodic administrative inspection of private pleasure craft for personal use, although there is a safety check before registration In force. In return, you pay an annual tax, the TAEMUP. More in French boat registration and how to move from the Polish to the French flag.

4. 4

   Switch to the Spanish flag, if you live and sail in Spain

   If you live in Spain, use the boat there and it is longer than 8 m, Spain’s registration tax (IEDMT) is due under any foreign flag In force. In that case, Spanish registration may be the most consistent choice. A draft Royal Decree on Maritime Registers would simplify the registration of boats coming from the EEA Proposed. Compare the three flags in Polish, French or Spanish flag.