Raja Ampat Yacht Broker
How to buy a yacht in Indonesia as a foreigner
A foreigner buys a yacht in Indonesia through one of three routes: ownership via an Indonesian company such as a PT PMA, acquisition of the company that already owns the vessel, or keeping the yacht foreign-flagged under the cruising permit regime. The route is chosen before the offer, because it determines flag, tax and whether the vessel can legally carry paying guests.
Step 1 — Decide what the boat is for
Private cruising, commercial charter, or a mix. This single answer drives everything downstream: which vessels qualify, which permits you need, which ownership structure works, and how the vessel must be surveyed and certified. Buyers who postpone this decision usually end up owning a boat that cannot legally do the thing they bought it for.
Step 2 — Choose the ownership route
| Route | Fits | Watch |
|---|---|---|
| Indonesian company (PT PMA) owns the vessel | Long-term ownership, commercial operation, local flag | Company set-up, capital and reporting obligations; the activity must be within what the company is licensed to do. |
| Buy the shares of the company that owns the vessel | Acquiring a working operation with permits and bookings | You inherit the company’s full history, so corporate diligence is as important as the survey. |
| Keep the yacht foreign-flagged | Cruising through, not staying | Cruising permit regime, temporary import position, and hard limits on earning from the vessel locally. |
Nominee arrangements — putting the vessel in an individual’s name on an informal understanding — are the one route the desk will not help arrange. They are unenforceable when they matter.
Step 3 — Search and shortlist
Stock in Papua trades quietly. Start from the for-sale desk, then narrow by class: dive liveaboards, phinisi or catamarans and sailing yachts. Ask on every candidate: who owns it, what does it hold, and can it legally do what I want on day one?
Step 4 — Survey and due diligence
Never skip this and never let the seller pick the surveyor. Commission an independent inspection, get the report in writing, and treat the findings as a negotiating instrument rather than a formality. The full standard is in the due diligence brief.
Step 5 — Offer, deposit and conditions
A workable offer is conditional on a satisfactory survey, confirmation of the certificate and permit position, and clean title. Deposits belong in a properly documented arrangement with agreed release conditions, not in an informal transfer to a seller you met last week.
Step 6 — Transfer, registration and handover
Closing means transfer of title, registration under the agreed flag, insurance in force from the moment risk passes, an inventory signed by both parties, and — for a working vessel — a crew plan. Handover in the archipelago is usually cleared through Sorong.
Costs buyers routinely underestimate
- Independent survey, haul-out and any yard time it triggers.
- Corporate formation, legal review and registration.
- Insurance for a vessel operating in a remote cruising ground.
- Delivery from where the boat lies to where you want it.
- Immediate post-survey works and a first-year maintenance reserve.
- Crew recruitment, training and the first months of payroll.
If the plan is to earn from the vessel, model the operation properly before you buy — see charter businesses for sale and, once you own it, management.
Talk to the broker desk. Tell us the vessel type, the cruising ground and the budget band in USD, and we will come back with what is genuinely available and what it will take to close.
Frequently asked questions
Can a foreigner own a yacht in Indonesia?
A foreign individual cannot simply register an Indonesian-flagged vessel in their own name. The practical routes are ownership through an Indonesian company such as a PT PMA, acquisition of a company that already owns the vessel, or keeping the yacht foreign-flagged under the cruising permit regime.
What is a CAIT and do I still need one?
The clearance approval for an Indonesian territory cruise is the permission framework under which a foreign-flagged yacht cruises Indonesian waters. Requirements are administered by the authorities and change over time, so confirm the current process for your flag and itinerary before you sail rather than after.
How much should I budget beyond the purchase price?
Plan for survey and haul-out, legal and corporate set-up, transfer and registration, insurance, delivery to your cruising ground, and an immediate works allowance from the survey findings. Buyers who budget only the asking price are the ones who run short in month two.
Should I use a broker at all?
For a straightforward tender, no. For a vessel where permits, class status and company structure determine whether you can legally earn from it, representation pays for itself in the errors it prevents.