The Swiss Maritime Navigation Office (SMNO) is responsible for the registration of yachts and small boats sailing under the Swiss flag.  

High sea yachts  
The SMNO has been keeping a register of sea-going yachts since 1971. It is the registration authority for high sea yachts. It checks the legal and technical conditions for registration and issues flag certificates to applicants. Private Swiss individuals who, or associations which sail for sport or pleasure are entitled to register. Currently, about 1,370 high sea yachts are sailing under the Swiss flag. These boats may only be used for sport or pleasure. The commercial transportation of people or goods is not allowed. 

The SMNO supervises both instances, which have obtained a permit from the SMNO to issue Swiss licences to sail yachts on the high seas (High Sea Licence). In 2007 the examining boards started issuing standard, internationally recognised Swiss mariners’ certificates (in credit-card format).

Small boats  
The SMNO issues flag confirmations for small boats which sail on inland waterways and coastal waters abroad in cases where the cantonal licence is not recognised by the foreign country in question. These boats are not subject to the same technical regulations as yachts but they are entered in the same register. Boats which may be registered in the Swiss Yacht Register are not registered as small boats.

Swiss Maritime Navigation Office SMNO
Elisabethenstrasse 33 
P.O. Box
CH-4010 Basel

Tel.: +41 (0)61 270 91 20, field yachts +41 (0)61 270 91 26
Fax: +41 (0)61 270 91 29
E-mail:  dv-ssa@eda.admin.ch
Internet:  www.smno.ch