In Panama, each lost boat document is replaced by the part of the Autoridad Marítima de Panamá (AMP) that issued it. The Dirección General de Marina Mercante handles the patente, radio licence and registration certificate. The Registro Público de Naves issues certified copies of title. Gente de Mar replaces captain's licences. For theft, file a complaint with the authorities first.
Which office replaces what
| Document | Who issues it | How to get a replacement |
|---|---|---|
| Patente or licencia de navegación, radio licence | AMP, Dirección General de Marina Mercante (DGMM) | Ask the DGMM for a reissue; bring ID, a copy if you have one, and an explanatory letter |
| Registration certificate | DGMM | An updated certificate can be issued on request (Ley 57, Art. 39, for new owners) |
| Title deed and recorded documents | Registro Público de Propiedad de Naves | Authenticated copy or notarial copy (form F-131); certificate of ownership and encumbrances (F-258) |
| Safety or inspection certificate | DGMM or a recognised organisation | Ask the issuer; a new inspection may be needed if the record cannot be traced |
| Captain's or operator's licence | AMP, Dirección General de Gente de Mar | Duplicate on application (see below) |
Ley 57 of 2008 has no article on duplicates of lost navigation documents. The AMP's service pages we opened do not publish a replacement procedure or fee either. Expect the DGMM to handle it as a reissue, and confirm the current fee with the AMP.
Lost, stolen or damaged: what to bring
The AMP's Gente de Mar requirements sheets set out its approach to duplicates, and it is a good guide for vessel documents too:
- Theft or loss: a letter stating what happened, plus the complaint (denuncia) filed with the competent authority.
- Damage or wear: a letter explaining the reason, with a copy of the damaged document or the document itself.
For vessel documents, add your cédula or passport and, for a company owner, a recent Registro Público certificate and a power of attorney. Bring any copy or scan of the lost document. Interior-service owners can file in person at Diablo Heights without a lawyer; international-service yachts go through their Panamanian lawyer or resident agent.
Title papers: the registry keeps the record
Losing your copy of the title deed is less serious than it sounds, because ownership lives in the Registro Público de Naves, not in the paper in your drawer. The AMP's registry page offers:
- an authenticated copy (copia autenticada) of a recorded public deed or preliminary document;
- a notarial copy (sello de copia) of a public deed, on notarial paper and stamped with the registration data;
- a certificate of ownership and encumbrances, in Spanish or English, after payment of the fees.
Requests use form F-131 for copies and F-258 for certificates. The AMP also offers online searches of registry images and information. If a document contains an error rather than being lost, form F-411 is for corrections.
Can you use the boat meanwhile?
Plan on staying at the dock. SENAN and AMP inspectors ask for the patente and radio licence at boardings, and a port captain issuing a zarpe will want the boat's documents; see zarpes in Panama. Ask the DGMM whether it can give you proof that the documents are in process or a provisional document. Keep it aboard with the denuncia and your copies until the originals arrive. If the loss happened while cruising far from Panama City, ask whether a regional AMP office or port captain can start the request.
Foreign-flagged boats
If your boat is US-flagged, the AMP cannot replace its papers. A lost USCG Certificate of Documentation or state registration is replaced by the issuing US agency; see replacing a boat title or registration. What Panama issues to a visiting boat, the cruising permit and zarpes, is replaced by the office that issued it. See the Panama cruising permit.
Make the next loss painless
- Scan every document on the day it is issued, front and back, and keep the scans off the boat.
- Keep originals aboard in a waterproof bag, away from the bilge and the sun.
- Note the patente number, radio call sign, MMSI and registry entry details in one place.
- Diarise expiry dates; a replacement is a good moment to renew if the document is close to expiring. See renewing registration.
Your practical starting checklist
- Work out which document is missing and which AMP office issued it.
- For theft or loss, file a denuncia with the authorities and keep the receipt.
- Write a short letter to the issuing office explaining what happened.
- Bring ID, company documents if relevant, and any copy or scan of the lost document.
- Pay the reissue fee confirmed at the window and ask for proof the request is in process.
- Keep the boat at the dock until the new document, or a provisional one, is aboard.
Frequently asked questions
I lost my patente de navegación. What do I do?
Ask the AMP's Dirección General de Marina Mercante to reissue it. Bring ID, a copy if you have one, and a letter; if it was stolen, bring the denuncia too.
Is my boat still mine if I lose the title deed?
Yes. Ownership is recorded at the Registro Público de Naves, which can issue authenticated copies and ownership certificates.
How much does a replacement cost?
The AMP's pages do not publish a fee for reissuing navigation documents. Confirm the current fee with the AMP before you go.
My patente got wet and is unreadable. Is that a loss?
Treat it as damage. Bring the damaged document and a letter explaining what happened to the DGMM, and ask for a reissue. Keep the damaged original until the new one is in your hands.
The details on my patente are wrong. Do I replace it?
Ask for a correction instead. If the boat's particulars changed, Article 30 of Ley 57 requires a new patente showing them. If the registry entry itself is wrong, the Registro Público de Naves uses form F-411 for corrections.
¿Cómo reponer una licencia de capitán extraviada?
Gente de Mar emite duplicados. Por robo o pérdida, presente una carta con el motivo y la denuncia ante la autoridad competente; por deterioro, una carta y copia de la licencia.
The next question to answer
The registration pillar for Panama. Read Registering a boat with the AMP.
Terms, paz y salvo and annual fees. Read Renewing registration.
Where the DGMM, Registro Público de Naves and Gente de Mar sit. Read Marine offices in Panama City.
Same topic in Florida: coming from the US? Compare Replacing Lost Boat Documents.
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.
- AMP: Registro Público de Naves, tipos de inscripción ↗
- AMP: consulta en línea del Registro Público de Naves ↗
- AMP Gente de Mar: requisitos para licencias de aguas nacionales, incl. duplicados (form TIT-F-19) ↗
- Ley 57 de 2008, General de Marina Mercante (Justia copy) ↗