An owner can close or remove a vessel from the UK Ship Register at any time.

Closing a vessel registration is free of charge. Once the registration is closed, the recorded registered owner will be sent a closed transcript to confirm the vessel is no longer registered with the UK Ship Register.

The recorded owner can close a vessel registration using the UK Ship Register online service.

Before you can close the registration and if you have not already claimed your vessel, you will need to create an account with the UK Ship Register's online service. Find out more about how to claim your vessel on our Managing your Registration page.

By using the UK Ship Register online service there is no requirement to sign or return any documents, and any supporting documents can be uploaded online. 

Part 3 Small Ships Register only:

We can close the registration by email. Email confirmation is required from all recorded owners and the email must come from email addresses recorded in the UK Ship Register.

Part 1, Part 2, or Part 4 registered vessels:

If you are the current owner of a UK registered vessel and wish to close the UK registration by post or email, please submit the following:

• An application to remove, signed by all owners MSF 4744
• A Continuous Synopsis Record (CSR) form 2 (if required), reflecting the date of the vessel’s closure off the register (MSF 5623 C)

Please note, all owners must sign the application to remove MSF 4744 and we cannot accept digital signatures. 

If you are a new owner of a UK registered vessel and wish to close the UK registration, please submit:

• An application to remove, to be signed by all owners MSF 4744
• A Bill of Sale, confirming the new owner/s of the vessel  
• A CSR form 2, reflecting the date of the vessel’s closure off the register (MSF 5623 C)