MCA Charter Licence and Alternatives

British MCA coding, Spanish Lista 7, the Maltese commercial flag — three routes to commercial yacht hire on Mallorca, compared honestly.

The MCA charter licence often surfaces in yacht conversations as a bogeyman — an allegedly expensive and complex compulsory certification without which nothing is possible. That picture is only half right. The MCA licence is relevant for British yachts and for yachts that charter internationally. For most UK and DACH owners with a Mallorca focus there is a simpler and cheaper route: Spanish charter activity under Lista 7.

This page explains the three charter structures that genuinely work for Mallorca yachts — MCA coding, Spanish Lista 7, the Maltese commercial flag. What they cost, when they pay off, and which one fits your profile.

MCA is not the default answer. It is one of three — and for owners with a Mallorca focus, rarely the right one.

Julian Hoeke

MCA categories at a glance

The MCA classifies charter yachts into five categories by operating area and technical requirement. The ones relevant for Mallorca:

Category	Operating Area	Yacht Size	Initial Certification
Cat 6	inshore, day cruising	under 24 m	€5,000 – €8,000
Cat 4	inshore, multi-day	under 24 m	€7,500 – €11,000
Cat 2	ocean-capable, Mediterranean	24 – 40 m	€12,000 – €18,000
Cat 0	unrestricted, global	over 40 m	€20,000 – €35,000

Plus annual re-inspections (20–30% of the initial certification) and, where applicable, technical modifications if category standards are not met.

Cat 6 is the simplest variant — inshore day-cruising charter under 24 metres. It covers roughly 60% of all Mallorca charter yachts. Cat 4 extends to multi-day cruising with overnight stays, still inshore; it makes sense for yachts of 18–24 m with a weekly charter profile. Cat 2 is the full Mediterranean category, allowing charter between Mallorca, Italy, France and Croatia without further licences; relevant for superyachts of 24–40 m. Cat 0 is the unrestricted category for global charter routes, with requirements for stability, safety and crew that go well beyond the smaller categories.

Important: the category is a property of the yacht, not of the owner. If the yacht meets the Cat 2 standards, it is Cat 2 coded — and can be both chartered commercially and used privately. The MCA licence does not restrict owner use.

Three charter structures for Mallorca

Structure 1 — Spanish Lista 7 (the standard for DACH owners). The yacht is entered in the Spanish ship register under Lista 7, with charter activity declared to the tax authority via Modelo 036/037. Advantages: no matriculación (see the separate guide), low set-up cost (typically €2,000–€4,000 one-off plus €1,500–€3,000 a year in bookkeeping), and Spanish yards and administration handle it as routine. Disadvantages: valid only in Spain (no charter in Italy, France or Greece), VAT due on charter revenue, and a plausibility check by the tax authority. Suited to: owners with a Mallorca focus, yachts of 12–30 m, 8–20 charter weeks per season.

Structure 2 — MCA Cat 2 under the Red Ensign flag. The yacht is British-flagged, MCA Cat 2 coded, with EU VAT-paid status or Temporary Admission. Advantages: charter-capable across the Mediterranean without further licences, no Spain-specific bookkeeping requirement, internationally recognised. Disadvantages: higher initial and ongoing certification cost (see table), the British flag brings a Brexit-driven Temporary Admission arrangement, and technical requirements are often higher than under the Spanish Lista 7. Suited to: UK owners, owners with an international charter strategy, yachts of 24–40 m with multi-country routing.

Structure 3 — the Maltese commercial flag. The yacht is flagged in Malta with commercial registration, EU taxation handled via the Malta leasing model (an effective tax burden of 5.4–6.5% instead of 12% matriculación). Advantages: the lowest effective tax burden, charter-capable across the EU, an established standard for Mediterranean superyacht owners. Disadvantages: the highest set-up complexity (€12,000–€25,000 one-off), ongoing administration through a Malta agent, and added complexity at later sale. Suited to: yachts from €2.5M in value, owners with complex tax positions, and charter ambition across multi-country routes.

The right charter structure decides five-figure sums every year. It is the second most important decision after the yacht itself.

Julian Hoeke

Decision matrix — which structure when

Three questions decide the choice. First: charter region. If you visit only Mallorca, Lista 7 honestly serves you well. If you want to add Italy, France or Croatia, you need MCA or Malta. Second: yacht value. Below €1.5M the complexity of MCA or Malta rarely pays off — Lista 7 delivers 80% of the benefit at 20% of the cost. From €2M the ratios shift. Third: owner residence and tax set-up. UK owners usually go the MCA route because the Red Ensign flag is practical in any case. DACH owners go via Lista 7 or Malta, depending on their appetite for complexity.

My typical client mix in 2026: around 65% of charter yacht buyers run Lista 7, 25% MCA (predominantly UK buyers), 10% Malta (the superyacht segment). The right solution is almost never 'the cheapest' or 'the simplest' — it is the one that fits charter strategy, owner residence and yacht value.

Continue reading

Spanish Yacht Tax — the 12-percent question — the tax that the Lista 7 charter structure avoids.
Yacht Insurance Spain — hull, P&I and the charter rider for commercial hire.
Yacht Charter Mallorca — the charter market, seasons and what to expect.
Charter fleet — the yachts available to charter on Mallorca.

— Julian Hoeke

Frequently asked

MCA charter licence — six specific answers

What is the MCA charter licence?

The MCA charter licence is a competence and safety certification from the UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency for yachts under a Red Ensign flag, or under British administrative authority, that are chartered commercially. It is not a licence held by the owner but a classification of the yacht itself — the yacht meets defined technical standards (safety, fire protection, stability, crew quarters, life-saving equipment) that vary by yacht size and operating area. There are five categories (Cat 1 to Cat 6), with Cat 6 the inshore day-cruising category and Cat 2 the ocean-capable charter category. For Mallorca charter in the Mediterranean, Cat 2 or Cat 0 is usually required, depending on yacht size and charter profile.

Do I need an MCA licence for commercial charter on Mallorca?

Not necessarily — the MCA licence is only relevant for British-flagged yachts. For owners with a German, Austrian or Swiss flag there are two alternative routes: first, Spanish charter activity under Lista 7 with a charter activity licence from the Spanish port authority (Capitanía Marítima); second, switching to a more charter-friendly flag such as Malta or the Bahamas with their respective charter certifications. For yachts that are to charter on Mallorca and remain under a German or Austrian flag, Spanish charter activity is the most practical route. MCA becomes relevant when the yacht is flagged under the Red Ensign anyway (common with UK buyers) and is intended to charter internationally, not only in Spain.

What does MCA certification cost?

MCA Cat 6 (inshore day cruising, yachts under 24 m): typically €5,000–€8,000 one-off for initial certification, plus €1,200–€2,000 annually for follow-up inspections. MCA Cat 2 (ocean-capable, yachts 24–40 m): typically €12,000–€18,000 one-off, €3,500–€5,500 annual re-certification. MCA Cat 0 (unrestricted, yachts from 40 m with full qualification): €20,000–€35,000 one-off, €6,000–€10,000 annually. The cost covers the survey by accredited MCA inspectors, documentation preparation and authority fees. Additional outlay can arise for technical modifications — if the yacht does not meet category standards for life-saving equipment or fire protection, for instance, follow-up investment of €8,000–€25,000 is often necessary.

What is the difference between MCA and the Spanish Lista 7?

Both enable commercial charter, but via different legal routes. MCA is a British certification of the yacht's safety and competence; it is transferable to other countries that recognise MCA (this covers Mediterranean charter areas, but not all Caribbean destinations). The Spanish Lista 7 is an entry in the Spanish ship register as a charter yacht with a charter activity licence and a VAT obligation — it is effective only within Spain and the EU. The practical difference: an MCA Cat 2 yacht can charter in Mallorca as well as in Italy, France and Croatia without further certification. A Lista 7 yacht must obtain separate charter activity recognitions in every additional country. For pure Mallorca charter, Lista 7 is enough. For multi-country charter, MCA is more efficient.

Which flag structure is ideal for Mallorca charter?

Three structures work in practice. First: Spanish flag under Lista 7. The yacht is registered in Spain, charter activity is declared to the tax authority, exempt from matriculación, with VAT on charter revenue. Suited to owners with pure Mallorca charter and a willingness to handle Spanish bookkeeping. Second: Maltese flag with commercial registration. The yacht is flagged in Malta with commercial status, charter runs through a Malta vehicle, and EU taxation is handled via the Malta leasing model. Suited to yachts from €2M in value with multi-country charter ambition. Third: British Red Ensign flag with MCA certification. Cat 2 or Cat 0 depending on yacht size, allowing charter across the Mediterranean without further local certifications. Suited to UK owners, or owners with an active international charter strategy.

Who carries out the MCA inspection on Mallorca?

The MCA inspection is carried out by accredited MCA surveyors — independent yacht surveyors with MCA accreditation, not directly by the UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency. On Mallorca there are 4–6 accredited surveyors based in Palma, Puerto Portals or Port Adriano. The inspection covers safety equipment (life-saving gear, fire-fighting systems, emergency radio), stability calculation, crew quarters and provisioning, engine-room safety, fire-protection classes, sanitary installations and navigation equipment. An initial inspection takes 2–3 days; re-inspections typically one day. I introduce two surveyors from my network who specialise in UK and DACH owner yachts and are able to produce their reports in English and German.

A specific charter structure question?

Yacht class, planned charter volume, region — describe your plan in a few lines. A personal recommendation on the right structure within 24 hours.