Orientation
Governing: MN 7-038-2 Appendix A; MI-118 §7; MI-290 §4.6; IRI yacht pages. Builds on: L1.1. See also Marshall Islands Yacht Code 2026 and Minimum Safe Manning.
The registration types
The RMI registers five kinds of yacht, and crew obligations follow the type:
| Type | Key limits (IRI pages) | MSMC | STCW crew with RMI paper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Private yacht | 12 m or more; no passengers for hire; owner's pleasure only | Only if 3,000 GT or more (from 1 Sept 2024) | Officers if 3,000 GT or more (MI-290) |
| PYLC | Private; 18 m LOA or more; under 500 GT; charter up to 84 days a year; up to 12 passengers | Yes | Yes, when chartering |
| YET | Private; 24 m or more; temporary COR for charter up to 84 days a year | Yes (YET MSMC) | Yes; must keep full commercial compliance |
| Commercial yacht | 24 m or more; trade or charter; up to 12 passengers | Yes | Yes |
| PAXY | Up to 36 passengers | Yes | Yes, plus crowd and crisis management for Masters and mates |
Private yachts
A private yacht under 3,000 GT is not required by the Administrator to carry an MSMC (MN 7-038-2 §A.2.17). The IRI manning page adds, pointedly, that minimum safe manning may still apply depending on size and area of operation, and that it is the owner's overriding responsibility to ensure safe manning. The owner may also apply for an MSMC voluntarily; it will be issued at commercial levels.
From 1 September 2024, private yachts of 3,000 GT or more must carry an MSMC and MI-290 says their navigational and engineering officers must hold original RMI CoCs or CoEs.
Charter guests on a private yacht
A private yacht carries social guests, invited by the owner without payment. IRI's guidance says there is no maximum number of social guests, provided berths, lifesaving equipment, sewage capacity and stability allow.
Charter guests are different. A private yacht may charter only with PYLC or YET status. For a PYLC, the IRI manning page and MI-290 say the MSMC applies when the yacht proceeds to sea with charter guests aboard. The Yacht Inspector will check the crew list and qualifications for the last charter if the yacht is not chartering on the day of the inspection. MI-290 also says PYLCs must keep STCW work and rest hours whether or not on charter.
CAUTION — The 2026 wording The 2021 Yacht Code said PYLC manning did not apply when the yacht was not chartering. The 2026 Code quietly drops that sentence. The IRI page still says charter only. Until the Administrator confirms, crew a PYLC as if the MSMC applies at sea.
YETs
A YET must maintain full commercial compliance whether or not it is chartering (MI-103 Ch. V; MI-290 §5.2). Crew holding private-yacht CoQs cannot fill MSMC billets on a YET.
Switching status
A commercial yacht or PAXY may be switched to private registration temporarily, at the Administrator's discretion. MN 7-038-2 §A.2.18 and MN 2-011-53 §4 are clear: full manning, including commercial crew certification, must be maintained. Failure leads to withdrawal of the Compliance Certificate.
TIP — Crew to the highest status If the yacht might charter this season, hire and certificate the crew for charter from day one. Re-papering a crew mid-season is expensive and slow.