Panama charters price in US dollars and usually take a deposit to hold the date, with the balance before boarding. Foreign guests pay by card or through a booking platform; local guests often use ACH transfers or Yappy. Every sale needs written booking terms and an ITBMS invoice, issued electronically under the DGI's e-invoicing rules.
Dollars, deposits and the balance
Panama uses the US dollar for everyday business; the balboa (B/.) is pegged at par and appears on official documents. Quote in USD and say whether the price includes 7% ITBMS.
A common structure:
- Deposit when the guest books, to hold the boat, the date and the crew.
- Balance by a stated time before departure, or at the dock for small local bookings.
- Extras such as additional hours, catering or bar, agreed and paid at the end.
Write down what happens to the deposit if the guest cancels, if the captain cancels for weather, and if the guest arrives late. That wording belongs in your cancellation and weather policy.
Payment methods in Panama
| Method | Who uses it | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Card (in person or by link) | Foreign guests, corporate clients | Through a local bank's merchant service or an online payment gateway. Fees per transaction; check payout timing and chargeback rules. |
| ACH transfer | Local residents and companies | Interbank transfers through Telered's ACH network. La Prensa reported in 2025 that standard ACH is free but can take hours or until the next day, while ACH Xpress is instant and was reported to cost US$0.50. |
| Yappy | Local residents | Banco General's mobile payments platform, with a Yappy Comercial option for businesses. La Estrella reported in 2025 that customers of Caja de Ahorros, Banisi, Credicorp Bank, Davivienda and St. Georges Bank could also use it. |
| International wire | Large or corporate bookings | Slow and costly for small amounts; confirm fees on both ends. |
| Platform payout | OTA bookings | The platform collects from the guest and pays you later. |
| Cash | Walk-ups, extras | Record it and invoice it like any other sale. |
Whatever you accept, the payment must match an invoice and a booking record.
Platform bookings and payouts
OTAs and booking platforms take payment from the guest, keep their commission and pay you on their own schedule. Read three things in each agreement:
- What you are paid on. Viator's August 2026 supplier agreement, for example, ties payouts to the net rate you set rather than the retail price the guest sees.
- Who handles refunds and on what cancellation terms.
- What documents they require. The same Viator agreement makes valid public liability insurance mandatory and freezes new sales if documents lapse.
Record platform sales in your books at the gross amount with the commission as an expense, and ask your accountant how ITBMS applies to them. Channels are covered in marketing a charter in Panama.
Chargebacks and disputes
A card chargeback reverses a payment after the guest disputes it with their bank, often weeks later. For a charter the usual claims are "service not provided" after a weather cancellation, or "not as described". Your defence is paperwork:
- Signed booking terms, including the weather and cancellation policy.
- The confirmation with date, time, pier, boat, inclusions and price.
- The passenger list or check-in record showing the guest boarded.
- Messages offering a reschedule or credit after a weather call.
Keep these with the booking until the dispute window of your card processor has passed. Records are covered in passenger manifests and records.
ITBMS and electronic invoicing
Charter services carry 7% ITBMS, and the DGI page lists 10% on alcoholic drinks. Panama has been moving taxpayers to electronic invoicing under Ley 256 of 2021: according to a summary by the e-invoicing provider EDICOM, new RUC holders and service providers have been brought in over several years. The same summary says that from 1 January 2026 the DGI's free invoicing tool is limited to taxpayers with up to B/.36,000 a year in income and no more than 100 documents a month, and others must use an authorised provider (PAC). Confirm your obligations with the DGI or your accountant.
Issue an invoice for every sale, platform or direct, with ITBMS shown.
Written booking terms
A draft tourism quality standard for land and maritime transport published by the commerce ministry in 2026 lists what a booking confirmation should state. It is a good checklist even before it is final:
- Price, dates and number of passengers.
- Special services included.
- Payment method and whether taxes are included.
- How long the reservation is held, and the cancellation or change procedure, with penalties and deadlines, stated before the guest commits.
- Insurance cover and any optional insurance.
Add the pier and meeting time, the certified passenger limit, alcohol rules, what guests must bring (ID), and that the captain decides on weather and safety. The US version is in charter booking and payments.
Your practical starting checklist
- Set a deposit and balance rule and write it into your booking terms.
- Open a business account that can take cards, ACH and Yappy Comercial.
- Send every guest a confirmation with price, inclusions, ITBMS, pier, time and the cancellation policy.
- Issue an electronic invoice for every sale, including platform bookings.
- Keep terms, confirmation and boarding record together for every booking.
- Read each platform's payout, refund and insurance-document terms before listing.
Frequently asked questions
What currency do Panama charters charge in?
US dollars. The balboa is pegged at par and appears on official documents, but prices, cards and transfers run in USD.
Can I take Yappy for charter bookings?
Yes, with a Yappy Comercial account linked to a business account. It suits local guests; foreign visitors usually pay by card or through a platform.
Do I have to issue an electronic invoice for every charter?
Panama is phasing in mandatory electronic invoicing, and new taxpayers are generally included. Confirm with the DGI or your accountant which method applies to you.
How do I protect myself against chargebacks?
Have signed terms, a detailed confirmation, a boarding record and written reschedule offers for weather cancellations. Keep them until the dispute window closes.
¿Cómo cobro el depósito de un chárter en Panamá?
Con tarjeta, transferencia ACH o Yappy Comercial, contra una confirmación escrita que indique precio, ITBMS, fecha y política de cancelación. Emita factura electrónica por cada venta.
The next question to answer
The full startup chain. Read How to start a boat charter business in Panama.
What happens to the deposit. Read Cancellation and weather policies.
RUC and ITBMS registration. Read Setting up the company.
Same topic in Florida: coming from the US? Compare Booking, Payment and Reconciliation Procedures.
Official resources
Use the relevant Panamanian authority for current requirements and fees. These resources are the next place to check; a practical recommendation is not an agency determination.
- La Prensa: Banco General activa ACH Express (May 2025, secondary, press) ↗
- La Estrella de Panamá: Caja de Ahorros se une a Yappy (May 2025, secondary, press) ↗
- DGI (MEF): ITBMS generalidades, tarifas ↗
- EDICOM: factura electrónica en Panamá, normativa y calendario (secondary, e-invoicing provider) ↗
- MICI / DGNTI: draft technical norm on tourism quality, land and maritime transport (2026) ↗
- Viator: updated Global Supplier Agreement, August 2026 ↗