Buying a yacht in Mallorca: from shortlist to handover

Ask for the specification, ownership and service records available for each serious candidate. A well-presented listing helps with the shortlist, but documents, maintenance history and an in-person inspection are what support a decision.

Private viewings should leave enough time to inspect machinery spaces, systems and accommodation rather than concentrating only on finishes.

A buyer should appoint an independent surveyor and obtain appropriate legal and tax advice. The survey, haul-out and sea trial each answer different questions about structure, machinery, equipment and performance.

Any findings should be considered against the yacht’s age, asking price and intended use. The aim is an informed purchase, not a fault-free survey report.

Berthing, insurance, registration, servicing and immediate works are easier to coordinate while the transaction is still progressing. Agree what will be delivered with the yacht and how keys, manuals, tenders and equipment will be transferred.

A clear first-season plan turns the legal completion into a practical handover and gives the new owner a reliable local network from day one.

The asking price is not the amount required to put a yacht into dependable service. Build a transaction budget for survey, haul-out, legal and tax advice, registration, insurance and delivery, then a separate first-year budget for berthing, scheduled servicing, consumables and the defects that emerge once the yacht is used regularly. A reserve should be sized to the yacht’s age, machinery and service evidence—not chosen as a flat percentage that ignores condition.

Compare candidates on total readiness rather than price alone. A more expensive yacht with recent major services, traceable documentation and equipment suited to Mallorca may cost less in its first two seasons than a cheaper example requiring cooling-system work, navigation upgrades, new safety equipment and a berth solution. Ask the broker to distinguish clearly between included inventory, negotiable items and equipment shown in photographs that will not transfer.

Before commissioning a full survey, ask a maritime lawyer or appropriately qualified adviser to review the seller’s identity and authority to sell, the registration record, previous bills of sale, outstanding finance or liens where searchable, and the hull identification details. Names and serial numbers on the registry, builder’s plate, engines, tenders and supporting documents should agree. Gaps do not automatically end a purchase, but they should be resolved before funds become non-refundable.

The technical file matters as well. Depending on age and origin, look for the builder’s certificate, EU declaration of conformity, owner’s manuals, registration and navigation certificates, radio licence, inspection records, invoices and service history. Directive 2013/53/EU requires an owner’s manual for products within its scope, while Spanish registration procedures require specific ownership and tax evidence. The exact pack varies by flag, age, length and whether the yacht has been imported or operated commercially.

“VAT paid” is useful shorthand but not a complete legal conclusion. The European Commission’s May 2026 pleasure-craft guidance explains that the relevant customs concept is Union-goods status, with import VAT paid where applicable, and that evidence is assessed case by case. An invoice may be important without being sufficient on its own. Movements outside the EU customs territory, ownership history and the circumstances of import can all affect the analysis.

Spanish registration and taxation are separate questions. The Spanish Tax Agency states that certain new or used recreational craft over eight metres can fall within the Special Tax on Certain Means of Transport, and Spanish-resident use can create registration obligations subject to facts and exemptions. Do not choose a flag or ownership structure from a forum example. Obtain written advice that considers the buyer’s residence, the yacht’s present customs and tax position, intended private or commercial use, cruising area and planned place of permanent use.

Appoint a surveyor who is independent of the seller and broker, and agree the written scope before the inspection. A condition survey normally benefits from the yacht being hauled so the underwater body, appendages, running gear and through-hull fittings can be examined. Engines, generators, stabilisers, batteries, electronics and other specialist systems may justify separate technicians, oil analysis or diagnostic downloads; a general surveyor cannot dismantle or certify every component.

Use the sea trial to test systems under realistic load, not to take a demonstration cruise. Record cold-start behaviour where possible, operating temperatures, charging, steering, trim, vibration, smoke, noise, alarms and performance against available manufacturer data. Run domestic systems long enough to expose intermittent faults. The written report should distinguish safety or seaworthiness issues, near-term maintenance, optional improvements and items that could not be tested, so the commercial decision is based on priority rather than the raw number of observations.

The purchase agreement should state the vessel and included inventory precisely, set the deposit arrangements, define the survey and sea-trial rights, identify the documents required at completion and allocate risk until delivery. Use a client account or other payment mechanism recommended by your lawyer, verify bank details through a second channel and never let urgency replace identity and authority checks. The governing law and dispute provisions matter particularly when buyer, seller, broker, flag and yacht are in different countries.

After survey, price is only one remedy. A seller might complete a defined repair, provide a credit, replace an expiring item or accept a revised price. Any agreed work needs a specification, evidence of completion and a clear right to re-inspect. Avoid informal promises that sit outside the contract. If a material title, tax, structural or machinery issue cannot be made clear within the timetable, the disciplined decision may be to extend under written terms or withdraw rather than inherit uncertainty.

Before completion, confirm the delivery location, berth permission, insurance inception, registration or temporary navigation position and who bears movement costs. Prepare a signed inventory and handover record covering keys, access codes, manuals, certificates, service files, tools, spares, tenders, water toys and known defects. Photograph meter readings and equipment locations. If the seller’s captain or engineer has useful operating knowledge, schedule a structured systems walk-through rather than relying on conversations during the final hour.

The first thirty days should already be planned: safety-equipment checks, urgent survey items, engine and generator baselines, cleaning, communications, provisioning and a short commissioning trip near technical support. Keep the survey report as a working document and record how each item was closed. A well-managed acquisition does not end when the bill of sale is signed; it ends when ownership, documents, money, possession and the operating plan all align.