Necessary documentation
Useful information for sailors
When entering the internal sea waters and the territorial sea of the Republic of Croatia, the master of the vessel is obliged to enter the nearest port open to international traffic by the shortest route in order to perform border control and obtain a vignette from the harbor master’s office or branch office.
In addition, you need a confirmation of the flat-rate payment of the residence tax, the usual ship documents (technical inspection certificate/registration sheet) and an insurance policy. You also need a license to manage a boat/yacht and a VHF license.
Ports open for international traffic in the Republic of Croatia are: Umag, Poreč, Rovinj, Pula, Raša-Bršica, Rijeka, Mali Lošinj, Zadar, Šibenik, Split, Korčula, Vela Luka, Ubli (Lastovo), Ploče, Metković and Dubrovnik. Seasonally (from April 1st to October 31st), these ports are also open for international traffic: ACI marina Umag, Novigrad (Istria), Sali, Božava, Primošten-Kremik, Stari Grad (island of Hvar), Hvar (port), Vis (port), Komiža, Cavtat.
Vignetta
The vignette is a mark that proves the registration of arrival, the fulfillment of the conditions for sailing in the Republic of Croatia and the payment of the fee for navigation safety, light duty, maritime information map and administrative fee. The vignette is valid from the date of issue until the end of the current year. Vessels with a length of 3 meters or more must have a vignette, as well as vessels with a length of less than 3 meters and the total power of the propulsion machinery 5 kW or more. Rowing vessels do not have to have a vignette, regardless of their length.
The harbor master’s office or branch office issues a vignette based on the documentation that the master of the vessel is required to attach:
- List of crew and passengers
- Evidence that the vessel is seaworthy
- Evidence that the person in command of the vessel is capable of operating the vessel
- Evidence of insurance
- Evidence of vessel ownership or power of attorney
Tourist tax
The tourist tax for vessel owners or vessel users is paid exclusively online through the portal nautika.evisitor.hr. The portal is available in Croatian, English, German and Italian and supports payments via all the world’s most famous card brands. Sailors can pay the tourist tax according to the length of the boat or according to the number of people, that is, the number of nights if it is more favorable for them, which is usually the case during a shorter stay in the destination.
Before leaving Croatian territorial waters, the captain of the vessel must:
- pass border control at one of the ports of entry for international traffic in the Republic of Croatia
- verify the Crew list and the Guest list
The Nautical Information Service (nIS) application is intended for yacht captains, vessel managers, fishermen, divers, bathers and other people who spend time along the coast and at sea. The application was created in a multilingual version in Croatian, Slovenian, English, German, Italian, French, Czech, Slovak, Polish, Hungarian, Spanish and Russian.