To run yacht charters or boat tours legally from Panama City you need a Panamanian company with an aviso de operación, registration with the tourism authority (ATP) as marine tourist transport, a boat registered and inspected by the maritime authority (AMP) for commercial passenger service, a licensed captain, liability insurance, a pickup agreement with a marina on the Amador causeway, and, if you operate in Canal waters, the Canal authority's commercial small-craft permit. You charge 7% ITBMS on your services and file passenger manifests with SENAN. This guide is the local layer on top of the general charter-business hub.
The paperwork chain, in order
- Company. A sociedad anónima (S.A.) or an S. de R.L., formed through a Panamanian lawyer and registered at the Registro Público. Foreigners can own 100 per cent. Then the aviso de operación, the business operating notice, obtained online through Panamá Emprende, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MICI) platform that the ministry describes as the only authorised system for it. The MICI says the notice takes minutes and involves a sworn declaration that you comply with the rules of your activity; the annual tax on it is separate.
- Vessel. Register the boat with the AMP's Registro Público de Naves for commercial service and pass the AMP's inspection for passenger carriage. The certificate states the passenger capacity. Imported boats also clear Aduanas.
- Tourism registration. File with the ATP as a marine tourist transport service under Executive Decree 82 of 2008, and in the Registro Nacional de Turismo. The ATP will ask for the aviso de operación and the AMP registration, which is why they come first.
- Captain and crew. AMP seafarer licence (Gente de Mar) appropriate to the vessel; crew employment under Panamanian labour law or properly structured contracts.
- Insurance. A civil liability policy, required by the ATP and by the ACP for Canal waters. Hull cover is your decision.
- Marina. A written pickup or berthing agreement with Flamenco Marina, La Playita or another concession holder.
- Canal waters. If any route touches ACP operational areas, annual registration with the ACP's Office of Maritime Safety, route approval and operator certification under notice N-11.
- Tax and manifests. Register with the DGI, charge 7% ITBMS, and file passenger manifests with SENAN for every departure.
The general principles are in the charter startup sub-hub; the Florida comparison is starting a charter business in Miami and in Florida.
Company setup and the aviso de operación
The sociedad anónima is Panama's standard operating company: three directors (they can be the same people as the shareholders, and foreigners are fine), a resident agent who must be a Panamanian lawyer, and registration at the Registro Público. Budget a few weeks and lawyer's fees; confirm the current cost with a lawyer, since the state fees and the agent's fees both change.
The aviso de operación replaced the old commercial licence. You create an account on Panamá Emprende, describe the activity (marine tourist transport, boat rental, sport fishing charters), make the sworn declaration and receive the notice electronically; the MICI says the process takes minutes and adds no cost beyond the annual aviso de operación tax paid to the DGI. Certain activities on the platform flag that other agencies' approvals are required, and marine tourism is one of them: the notice does not substitute for ATP or AMP paperwork, and the ATP's minimum requirements explicitly list it alongside the AMP registration.
ATP: Registro Nacional de Turismo and marine tourist transport
The Autoridad de Turismo de Panamá runs the Registro Nacional de Turismo under Law 80 of 2012 (as amended in 2019). Within it, marinas and marine tourist transport services register under Executive Decree 82 of 23 December 2008. The ATP's published minimum requirements for the service are short and worth quoting in substance:
- Boats and engines in good mechanical condition.
- Navigation equipment: compass, radio, nautical chart.
- A life jacket for every passenger and an awning against the weather.
- Registration with the Autoridad Marítima de Panamá.
- Aviso de operación from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
- Qualified personnel.
- A civil liability insurance policy.
- An administrative office open to the public for ticket sales.
AMP: commercial vessel registration, inspection and the captain's licence
The AMP's Dirección General de Registro Público de Propiedad de Naves at Diablo Heights registers the boat; title documents must be notarised and the registry charges fees per certificate without publishing a tariff online, so ask at the window. A boat in commercial passenger service is inspected by the AMP, and the certificate fixes the passenger capacity you may sell. If the boat is foreign-flagged, you have a choice between reflagging to Panama and operating under a temporary import permit; commercial operation on a foreign flag is a conversation with the AMP and Aduanas, not an assumption.
Captains and crew hold licences from the AMP's Gente de Mar directorate. A US Coast Guard licence is a foundation, not a Panamanian licence; the AMP decides what it recognises. See captain jobs in Panama City and hiring crew in Panama City.
Canal waters, SENAN manifests and the marina
ACP. If your boat operates in Canal waters (the Balboa anchorage, the approaches, anything near the fairway), the ACP's notice N-11 treats it as commercial small craft: annual registration with the Office of Maritime Safety, a vessel ID sticker, proof of third-party liability insurance, required safety and communications equipment, and prior approval of routes from the Transit Operations Division. The operator needs a valid AMP licence plus swimming certification, eye and hearing exams, first aid and CPR, and the ACP's written and practical exams; the certificate lasts as long as the AMP licence. Charters that leave Flamenco to the east and never approach the channel still share water with the anchorage; ask the Transit Operations Division (272-4218) whether your routes fall under the notice rather than finding out from a launch. The Balboa canal entrance guide explains the geography.
SENAN. The Servicio Nacional Aeronaval expects a passenger manifest from commercial operators before departure and may board you at sea. The causeway station handles Amador operators; your marina will tell you the current procedure. Keep copies of every manifest.
Marina. Flamenco, La Playita and Ocean Reef hold AMP seabed concessions; commercial pickup from their docks is by agreement, not by right. Expect a contract, a fee per passenger or per month, and rules on where guests gather. See Panama City marinas and boat storage.
Taxes, insurance and the numbers
ITBMS. Panama's VAT, the Impuesto a la Transferencia de Bienes Corporales Muebles y la Prestación de Servicios, is 7 per cent on goods and services under Law 8 of 2010, and charter and tour services are taxable. You collect it on every invoice and file with the DGI. Quote prices to clients as either including or excluding it, and say which.
Income tax is on Panamanian-source income; a Panama City charter company pays it. Get an accountant who knows tourism businesses and the Law 80 incentives. Payroll for employed crew carries social security contributions; many operators use licensed freelance captains for peak days, which has its own labour-law conditions.
Insurance: a civil liability policy is mandatory for the ATP and the ACP. Confirm the limits each requires at the time you apply; the pages do not state amounts. Hull, crew and passenger accident cover are the next layers; see costs and insurance in Panama.
Your practical starting checklist
- Form the S.A. with a Panamanian lawyer, get the RUC and open the bank account; start the bank early.
- Obtain the aviso de operación through Panamá Emprende for marine tourist transport or boat rental.
- Register and inspect the boat with the AMP for commercial passenger service; note the certified capacity.
- Confirm the captain's AMP licence (or the route to one) before the first paying trip.
- Buy civil liability insurance at the limits the ATP and ACP require.
- File with the ATP as marine tourist transport and in the Registro Nacional de Turismo.
- Sign a pickup or berthing agreement with Flamenco, La Playita or Ocean Reef, register with the ACP if routes touch Canal waters, and set up SENAN manifests and 7% ITBMS invoicing.
Frequently asked questions
Can a foreigner own a yacht charter company in Panama?
Yes. A sociedad anónima can be 100 per cent foreign-owned; you need a Panamanian lawyer as resident agent. Operating the boat and holding the captain's licence are AMP matters, and crew employment follows Panamanian labour law.
Do I need an ATP licence to charter a yacht in Panama City?
You register with the Autoridad de Turismo de Panamá as a marine tourist transport service under Executive Decree 82 of 2008 and in the Registro Nacional de Turismo. The ATP's minimum requirements include AMP registration, an aviso de operación, liability insurance, qualified staff and a life jacket per passenger.
Is my US Coast Guard licence valid for commercial work in Panama?
Not by itself. The AMP's Gente de Mar directorate licenses seafarers in Panama and decides what it recognises. Ask the AMP what your USCG credential converts to before you plan to captain paying trips.
What tax do I charge on charters?
ITBMS at 7 per cent on the service, under Law 8 of 2010, filed with the DGI. Income tax and payroll contributions apply on top; get a local accountant.
Do I need an ACP permit if I only go to Taboga and Las Perlas?
You leave from Canal-adjacent water either way. Notice N-11 covers commercial small craft in Canal waters, so ask the ACP Transit Operations Division whether your routes fall under it and register with the Office of Maritime Safety if they do.
The next question to answer
The general sub-hub this local guide sits under. Read Charter business startup in Panama.
ATP, AMP and ACP requirements in detail. Read Charter licensing in Panama.
What your clients will be asking you to show them. Read Boat tours from Panama City.
Same topic in Florida: coming from the US? Compare Starting a Charter Business in Miami.
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.
- ATP: Requisitos mínimos para transporte turístico marítimo (Decreto Ejecutivo 82 de 2008) ↗
- ATP: Registro Nacional de Turismo (Ley 80 de 2012; office address and hours) ↗
- ATP: Registro de marinas y servicios de transportes turísticos marítimos ↗
- AMP: Registro Público de Naves, tipos de inscripción ↗
- ACP: OP Notice N-11-2026, commercial small craft requirements ↗
- DGI (MEF): ITBMS generalidades, tarifa 7% (Ley 8 de 2010) ↗
- La Estrella de Panamá: MICI, Panamá Emprende y el aviso de operación (May 2024) — secondary ↗
- Secretaría Nacional de Energía: actualización de precios de combustibles (14-day cycle) ↗