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Australian Maritime Safety Authority
Published on Australian Maritime Safety Authority (https://www.amsa.gov.au)

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Transmission of ownership by operation of law

What do I need to do?

To transmit the ownership of your ship, you need to:

Have the legal documentation

The documentation we need to transmit ownership of a vessel is different depending on your circumstances: 

If a court order has been made 

  • Send us a copy of the court order directing the Registrar to transmit the ownership of the vessel.

If a joint owner has died: 

  • Send us a copy of the death certificate, probate, or letters of administration. 
  • Send us a statutory declaration confirming that the person named in the death certificate is the joint owner named in the register.

If the sole owner or an owner in common has died:

  • Send us a copy of the will and probate or letters of administration of the estate of the deceased.
Get the original registration certificate

The original registration certificate must be returned to the Shipping Registration Office for the transfer of ownership to be completed. 

If the original registration certificate has been lost, you can apply for a replacement certificate. The fee for a new certificate is $222. Read more about how to replace your registration certificate.

Complete the forms
  • Declaration of transmission by operation of law form 207
  • Notice of appointment of registered agent form 157
Pay the fee

The fees are all in Australian (AUD) dollars. The amount depends on the size and type of vessel: 

Type of vessel $AUD
Commercial ship 24 metres or more in tonnage length $777
Foreign owned ship on demise charter to an Australian based operator $1332
Recreational craft, fishing vessel, government ship, or ships less than 24 metres in tonnage length $444

You can pay by cheque, credit card or direct deposit.

  • Credit card payment authorisation form 114
  • Direct deposit information
Lodge your documents

Send the original completed forms with the original bill of sale and original registration certificate to:

Shipping Registration Office
PO Box 255
Coffs Harbour NSW 2450

We require original documentation and cannot accept or process documents received via fax or email.  

Wait for us to let you know

We will let you know if we need any additional information. If not, the transmission of ownership will be finalised and we will post your new registration certificate to you.