Boat registration: arrangements for refunding your registration
Updated 19 April 2022
Applies to England
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/boat-registration-refunding-or-transferring-your-registration/boat-registration-arrangements-for-refunding-your-registration
This guidance explains our terms for refunding your boat registration for our waterways. You can find out if you qualify and, if so, what you need to do.
Refunds
We will offer a refund of the annual registration for:
- permanent removal of a boat from the waterway
- completion of the sale of a boat
- moving a boat onto ‘trade exemption’ for sale or repair where the boat remains afloat*
- a boat that is stolen or destroyed by fire
- an upgrade of a registration to a Gold Licence - in most cases we can refund your waterway registration fee in full
- administrative errors - we will offer a full refund as appropriate
*repair does not include winter storage or general maintenance.
“Permanently removed boat” means an annually registered boat that is removed from the waterway and will not return to the waterway during the current annual registration period and the next annual registration period.
“Trade exemption” means an exemption that has been granted by the Environment Agency, to a business operating on the waterways undertaking a boat sales, brokerage or repair business. The exemption is for boats under the business’s sole control which are moored afloat as demonstrator models, as stock for sale, on brokerage or being restored, refitted or repaired;
How a refund is calculated
We make pro rata refunds for whole months only, and calculate the number of unexpired months from the date declared on the change of ownership form.
A refund will be calculated as follows:
Refund = annual charge paid x (remaining full months)/(months registered for) - administration charge
We include in the calculation of the refund an administration charge to reflect the additional cost to process the refund. The current charge is listed in the charge scheme.
If the refund is below the minimum charge as listed in the charge scheme then no refund would be made.
If you are paying by Direct Debit, please leave the Direct Debit in place. We will return any refund due to the account you are paying the Direct Debit from. If you cancel the Direct Debit, further payment may be due.
Documents you need to send us
If you qualify for a refund, you will need to email or write to us with your refund request.
We have set out the refund circumstances and what documents you need to send us so we can process your refund request:
- permanent removal of a boat from the waterway – completed ‘change of ownership form’
- boat sold - completed change of ownership form
- a boat is moved onto ‘trade exemption’ for sale or repair - completed change of ownership form
- boat stolen - Police incident report URN or insurance claim reference number
- boat destroyed by fire - Police/Fire and Rescue Service URN or insurance claim reference number
- upgrade to Gold Licence - Completed change of ownership/details form and evidence of gold licence purchase
We will not offer refunds if:
- you do not use your boat
- you are unable to use a short period registration*
- your boat is off the waterway for a period of time but not permanently removed (for example lifted out for winter storage or general maintenance)
- there are waterway closures or restrictions
- there are adverse river conditions (for example strong stream or flood)
- We may be able to offer you an alternative short period registration for no charge.
Boats returning to our waterways after a refund
Where a ‘permanently removed boat’ returns to the waterway with the same owner during the same annual registration period, then the full annual charge is payable taking into account any charge already paid.
Where a ‘permanently removed boat’ returns to the waterway with the same owner in the following annual registration period after it was permanently removed, then the full annual charge is payable for the previous annual registration period when the boat was permanently removed, and the current annual registration period that the boat returns to the waterway, taking into account any charge already paid.
Where a boat has been on ‘trade exemption’ for repair and returns to the waterway with the same owner during the same registration period or the following annual registration period, ‘new part year registration’ charges will apply.
Our waterways are:
Non-tidal River Thames, Upper Medway (below Tonbridge), Great Ouse system, River Nene (below Northampton), Suffolk Stour (below Brundon, Sudbury), River Ancholme, River Welland and Glen, Black Sluice.
Further information
If you have any questions or would like further advice, please contact our boat registration team.
Environment Agency boat registration team
PO Box 544
Rotherham
S60 1BY
Email boatreg@environment-agency.gov.uk
Telephone 03708 506 506
Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm