Legal frame Pravilnik NN 42/17 (charter); MMPI charter instruction v1.3 (8 Jul 2026) and document list (27 Jul 2026); cabotage decision KLASA 342-09/26-02/1 (16 Jul 2026); Pravilnik NN 116/16 and NN 14/20 (vignette); Pravilnik NN 73/20 (tourist tax); VAT Act NN 73/13 as amended and Pravilnik o PDV-u (NN 41/17); Euro Act NN 57/22. Kuna amounts converted at 7.53450.
Who may charter
| Flag | Rule (NN 42/17 art. 3) |
|---|---|
| Croatian | Allowed |
| EEA | Allowed |
| Third country | Only with an odobrenje za kabotažu (cabotage approval), issued by the minister for a calendar year |
The 2026 instruction says third-country vessels of 24 m and over may charter with prior approval. On 16 July 2026 the minister limited approvals for all third-country yachts and boats up to 24 m, including gulets, for three months. By 2 September 2026 the Ministry had approved 68 yachts (24.40–99.95 m); 36 were Cayman-flagged. Without approval a third-country yacht may only transit to a port of entry, a marina or a yard, by the shortest route and with professional crew only (art. 27).
Conditions on every charter vessel
- commercial registration in the flag state, minimum crew under flag rules and flag documents;
- technical inspection matching the Croatian interval: annual for yachts, every two years for boats;
- third-party liability insurance covering Croatia: €464,520;
- third-country flags: temporary admission with partial relief from customs duty.
The charter company registers for eCrew and files the crew and passenger list by departure at the latest whenever it provides accommodation. Only one charter company may use a vessel at a time. Companies based outside the EU need a Croatian OIB, VAT ID and tax representative.
The fees
Vignette (naknada za sigurnost plovidbe i zaštitu mora od onečišćenja): annual and indivisible. The amounts are still in kuna, read as euro at 7.53450 (Euro Act art. 13(2)).
| Craft | Formula (kn) | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Croatian flag, over 12 m | 25 × L | 20 m: 500 kn ≈ €66.36 |
| Foreign, over 12 m, under 40 m and 3,000 kW | 2 × kW + 45 × L | 30 m, 1,500 kW: 4,350 kn ≈ €577.34 |
| Foreign, 40 m+ or 3,000 kW+ | 7,500 + 25 × L | 45 m, 2,400 kW: 8,625 kn ≈ €1,144.73 |
The first payment is made at a harbour master's office; renewals go online through eNautika.
Tourist tax: 10 kn (≈ €1.33) per guest-night, collected by the charter company. Children under 12 and professional crew are exempt. Eight guests for seven nights come to 560 kn, about €74.32.
VAT: a short-term charter (up to 90 days) is taxed where the yacht is placed at the charterer's disposal. The rate is 13 % with accommodation and 25 % otherwise. Since 1 May 2017 effective use applies: a charter starting outside the EU is taxed on its Croatian days, counting arrival and departure. A €60,000 charter with 6 of 15 days in Croatia gives a Croatian base of €24,000.
CAUTION — The cabotage limit is temporary The July 2026 decision runs three months, to about mid-October 2026. Check the Ministry's Nautika page before quoting a season.
For the guest side, see Bareboat Chartering in Croatia. For a comparison, see Chartering in Italian Waters.