Put in your own trip numbers to see what a month of charters leaves after fuel, crew, commissions and fixed costs, with ITBMS taken out of the revenue. Use a cautious trip count: rainy-season weather cancels days.
What the calculation means
The planner works per trip, then per month:
- Net price (ex-ITBMS) = price ÷ 1.07 if your price includes ITBMS, or the price itself if you add ITBMS on top.
- Commission = commission % × the amount the guest pays, including ITBMS. Most platforms take their cut from the booking total; check your platform's terms.
- Contribution per trip = net price − commission − fuel − crew.
- Fixed costs a month = marina + insurance ÷ 12 + maintenance ÷ 12.
- Monthly result = contribution per trip × trips − fixed costs.
- Break-even trips = fixed costs ÷ contribution per trip, rounded up.
The one official figure in the tool is the 7% ITBMS general rate. The DGI's ITBMS page, opened on 7 November 2026, gives 7% from 1 July 2010. It gives 10% for alcoholic drinks and for lodging. If your charter sells an open bar or overnight stays, ask your accountant how to split the invoice. The ITBMS you collect belongs to the DGI. The planner does not deduct ITBMS you pay on fuel or supplies, which your accountant may be able to credit.
What the planner leaves out: the boat's purchase or finance payments, company and licence fees, the aviso de operación tax, income tax, and card-processing fees. If your crew are employees, put the employer's CSS contribution and the décimo tercer mes into the crew figure. The cost categories and current rates are in charter costs and pricing in Panama. The model you choose changes which costs you carry; see charter operating models.
Results are estimates for planning, not tax or accounting advice.
Connected guides
Charter costs and pricing in Panama City
What a Panama charter costs to run: boat, AMP and ATP fees, insurance, marina, regulated fuel, crew with CSS and décimo, commissions and ITBMS.
Charter operating models in Panama compared
Day charter, scheduled tours, overnight, bareboat, management programme or booking agent: what each model means in Panama and which licences it needs.
Marketing a yacht charter in Panama
Marketing a Panama charter: Google profile, Viator, GetYourGuide, Airbnb, hotel concierges, cruise passengers at Amador and Colón, bilingual listings.
Charter cancellation and weather policies in Panama
A Panama charter weather policy: rainy-season lightning, dry-season northerlies, Caribbean swell, tides, AMP departure limits, refund or reschedule.
Charter startup checklist (Panama)
Printable Panama charter startup checklist in licence order: company, aviso de operación, AMP boat and operating licence, ATP, captain, insurance, ITBMS.
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.