A closing checklist for a boat sale in Panama, for buyer and seller to fill in together. It covers the notarised sale contract (contrato de compraventa), payment and the AMP transfer (traspaso). Have the AMP registration, the Registro Público no-liens certificate, the import papers and your lawyer's contact ready.
Fill in the fields below, then print the worksheet or download your entries as a text file. Entries stay on this page until you leave unless you download them. Don’t enter passport, card or medical details; keep copies of those separately.
How to fill it in
Fill in lines 1 to 4 before anyone books a notary. Fill in lines 5 to 8 on closing day. Fill in the rest in the week after, because the sale is not finished until the AMP shows the new owner.
Which office each part relates to
- Registro Público. Under Ley 57 de 2008, title and mortgages on registered vessels are recorded here. A transfer needs a certificate showing no liens, or the mortgagee's consent. A local maritime lawyer can get it, usually within a day. Date it close to closing. See the lien check guide.
- Notary. The sale contract is signed before a Panamanian notary. For a registered vessel, this signed contract is what the AMP and Registro Público record.
- AMP. The traspaso is filed with the AMP at Diablo Heights. For a small domestic boat the owner can file directly without a lawyer. For a flagged yacht a resident agent is required. Fees are set by the AMP's Junta Directiva and change, so ask for the current amount (+507 501-5000) and keep the receipt.
- Aduanas. If the boat is foreign-flagged and in transit, selling it to someone who keeps it in Panama usually means a definitive import first. Get a customs broker's figure for duty and 7% ITBMS and write into the contract who pays. See boat sale taxes.
Tips
- Money. Payment by US dollar bank transfer is normal. Ask for escrow through a lawyer's client account if you do not know the other side.
- Same-day handover. Collect keys, manuals, spares and the marina's written position on the slip on the day you pay.
- Insurance gap. The buyer's cover should start the moment risk passes, not when the AMP paperwork arrives.
- Foreign buyer taking the boat away. Ownership changes under the flag state's rules and the buyer clears out as a visitor. See selling to a foreign buyer.
This sheet is a checklist, not legal advice. Have a Panamanian lawyer review the contract.
Read the companion guide
Before using this resource, read Closing a boat sale in Panama: AMP traspaso and notary.
Use it alongside these guides
Closing a boat sale in Panama: AMP traspaso and notary
Close a Panama boat sale: clear liens, sign the compraventa before a notary, pay against cleared funds, record title and file the AMP traspaso.
How to sell a boat in Panama: the whole process
Selling a boat in Panama: confirm its tax status, gather AMP and Registro Público papers, price it, sign before a notary, then file the AMP traspaso.
Registering a boat in Panama with the AMP
Boats in Panama are registered with the AMP: choose interior or international service, file the documents and get a patente and radio licence. Steps here.
Boat buying checklist (Panama)
Printable Panama boat-buying checklist: AMP registration, Registro Público lien check, Aduanas import papers, ITBMS, survey, sea trial and insurance.