Buying a second-hand boat in France is 'harder than buying a house'

Legally owning a French second-hand boat as a UK resident is proving an administratively complex task, reports a reader with a home in the Camargue area.

Tony Poulson said he had a second home last year and it is next to a marina with a mooring to the back of the property. 

“It seemed we should look at getting a boat – and I assumed it wouldn’t be complicated, but it turns out that post-Brexit, it is. You wouldn’t think buying a boat would cause more complications than buying a house.”

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They are looking at a small boat, under 10m long, to use on their visits to France, potentially taking it to sea, but also to use in the Rhône-Sète canals or Canal du Midi.

He said they have had discussions with officials at the nearby boat registration department in Sète, and with local Douanes customs officers.

They have found that if a UK-resident buys from a French resident they must de-register it, remove the French flag and register it in the UK.

Mr Poulson said he has started discussions with UK registration authorities, who say they will accept this. However, they are now looking into whether there may also be UK VAT implications, despite the fact the boat would be staying in France. (The French Douanes reassured him there should be no issue with potential levying of French VAT, since they would assume it to have been paid on the original sale.)

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He said he and his wife are also investigating insurance options for a UK resident and a boat located in France. “Our house insurer in France wouldn’t insure it as we are UK residents, so now I’m speaking to insurers in the UK, but haven’t had a firm answer yet.”

We note that formalities for boat registration in France also vary depending on whether owners may wish to take it to sea or only use it on inland waterways. Registration for sea allows both, but inland registration does not allow use at sea.

According to French government information on pleasure boats that can take to the sea to register one in France it must belong to a French or EU/EEA citizen or a British Brexit Withdrawal Agreement beneficiary who either lives in France or has elected France as the boat’s ‘domicile’ (a French address must be provided where paperwork can be sent).

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Have any readers bought and operated a pleasure boat to keep in France as UK residents? If you would like to share advice or experiences, let us know at feedback@connexionfrance.com.