How you export a boat from Panama depends on its status. A foreign yacht in transit simply clears out with an international zarpe. A boat imported and registered in Panama needs its liens cleared, its AMP registration cancelled for the new flag, any export filing done by a customs broker, and then it sails or ships out.
Which kind of export you have
A foreign yacht in transit. It was never imported, so nothing has to be exported through customs. The owner, or a buyer keeping it on a foreign flag, clears out like any visitor: exit stamps from Migración, an international zarpe from the AMP port captain, and closing the customs entry where Aduanas recorded one. That routine is in leaving Panama by boat.
A boat imported into Panama. Duty was paid, and it is probably on the Panamanian register in domestic service. Taking it abroad for good, whether you sell it to a buyer overseas or move it yourself, means dealing with the AMP registry and asking a customs broker about an export filing. The rest of this page is about that case.
A Panamanian-flagged yacht that was never imported. Some yachts in international service fly the Panama flag without ever being imported. On the customs side they leave like visitors; the registry steps below apply only if the new owner wants another flag.
Not sure which you have? See in transit vs imported.
The registry: liens, cancellation and a deletion certificate
The new owner's flag state will not register the boat while it is still on Panama's register. The AMP, under Ley 57 of 2008, holds both the registration and the record of mortgages and liens.
- Clear the liens. Pay off any registered mortgage and have it released, or agree with the lender how it is paid at closing. A buyer abroad will check. See checking for liens.
- Cancel the registration. Apply to the AMP to cancel it once the sale closes, or when you are moving the boat to another flag yourself. A Panamanian maritime lawyer normally handles it.
- Get the certificate. Ask for a cancellation or deletion certificate. The new registry will ask for it.
If the boat has to sail out before the new flag is issued, ask your lawyer how to cover the gap. For a boat moving within one registry, between owners, see transferring boat ownership.
The customs side
We could not confirm on an official source whether Aduanas requires a formal export declaration for a duty-paid pleasure boat leaving under its own power. Ask a licensed customs broker before departure. If a declaration is needed, only a broker can file it, and the broker will tell you any charges.
Two tax points to raise with your broker or accountant:
- ITBMS. The DGI says goods exported from Panama are not subject to ITBMS. Whether your sale counts as an export depends on the customs paperwork. See taxes when selling a boat.
- Duty paid on import. Do not assume you get any of it back when the boat leaves. We found no refund route for a used pleasure boat, so treat import duty as spent.
Selling to a buyer abroad
Most exports from Panama start with a sale to a buyer who will take the boat away. The order matters: cleared funds first, then signatures, then the boat leaves the dock. Escrow, payment risk, the bill of sale and the registry steps are covered in selling to a foreign buyer. Price, presentation and broker choices are in preparing a boat for sale.
Put these in the contract:
- who pays for the registry cancellation and any export filing;
- where and when delivery happens, at the dock in Panama or at a foreign port;
- who insures the boat on the way out;
- what happens if the zarpe or the new flag is delayed.
Getting the boat out
Sailing. The boat leaves on an international zarpe from an AMP port captain naming the next country, with the crew stamped out by Migración. Colón, Puerto Lindo, Balboa and Bocas del Toro are the usual exit ports. Hire a delivery skipper if the buyer will not sail it: see boat delivery captains.
Shipping. A boat can leave as cargo on a yacht transport ship or, if it is small enough, in a container or on a flat rack. The transport line or forwarder will ask for export papers. Options and ports are in shipping a boat to and from Panama.
Arriving at the other end. The destination country treats the boat as an import. For the United States, see importing a boat into the United States.
Your practical starting checklist
- Confirm whether the boat is in transit or imported.
- Pay off or arrange release of any registered mortgage.
- Close the sale with cleared funds before signing over or releasing the boat.
- Ask a customs broker whether an export declaration is needed and have them file it.
- Have a maritime lawyer cancel the AMP registration and obtain the deletion certificate.
- Clear out with Migración and an international zarpe, or load the boat for shipping.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a customs export declaration to sail my boat out of Panama?
Not for a foreign yacht in transit: it clears out like any visitor. For a boat imported into Panama, ask a licensed customs broker; we could not confirm the requirement on an official source.
Can I get the import duty back when I export my boat?
Don't count on it. We found no refund route for a used pleasure boat leaving Panama, so treat duty paid on import as spent unless your broker tells you otherwise.
Is there ITBMS when I sell my boat to a buyer abroad?
The DGI says exported goods are not subject to ITBMS, but whether your sale qualifies depends on the customs paperwork. Check with an accountant before closing.
How does the buyer register the boat in their country?
Their registry will usually ask for the bill of sale and the deletion certificate from the AMP showing the Panamanian registration has been cancelled.
¿Cómo exportar un bote desde Panamá?
Si la embarcación fue importada, se liberan las hipotecas, se cancela el registro en la AMP con un certificado de cancelación, un corredor de aduana gestiona la exportación si hace falta y la embarcación sale con zarpe internacional o por barco.
The next question to answer
The international buying and selling hub. Read Buying and selling across borders.
Payment, paperwork and the buyer sailing away. Read Selling to a foreign buyer.
Exit stamps and the international zarpe. Read Leaving Panama by boat.
Same topic in Florida: coming from the US? Compare Selling a Boat for Export.
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.
- US International Trade Administration: Panama customs regulations (secondary) ↗
- PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries: Panama other taxes, reviewed Aug 2026 (secondary) ↗
- Gaceta Oficial: Decreto Ejecutivo 4 of 11 February 2025 (nautical tourism) ↗
- DGI: ITBMS preguntas frecuentes (exports) ↗