1
Send the yacht and route details
Provide the arrival or departure plan, yacht status and crew information.
Funchal yacht clearance - Madeira arrival and departure planning
Funchal Yacht Clearance Agent
Funchal is Madeira's capital port, its principal cruise terminal and the archipelago's main clearance point, with a long-established Customs presence at the Alfandega do Funchal. Send the yacht, crew, route and timing details so Madeira Yacht Clearance can review the request and may introduce a suitable local agent.
FunchalMadeira's principal APRAM-administered port, with a historic Customs presence; location identified as able to handle formalities for yachts arriving from outside Schengen. Confirm current attendance before arrival.
Madeira ArchipelagoFunchal and Madeira island
Manual reviewEach request is assessed before an agent introduction.
Clearance checklist
Documents normally prepared for Funchal yacht clearance
Prepare the applicable records before arrival or departure.
✓Passports or accepted identity documents for everyone aboard, and any required visas
✓Crew and passenger list with nationalities and travel-document details
✓Vessel registration certificate and vessel particulars
✓Proof of ownership or written authority to use the yacht
✓Valid insurance certificate appropriate to the vessel and voyage
✓Skipper licence or certificate of competence appropriate to the flag and voyage
✓Previous port clearance or arrival/departure record, where one was issued
✓Evidence of EU status, VAT position or temporary-admission position, where relevant
Local assistance
How our Funchal yacht-clearance service works
Madeira Yacht Clearance reviews your request and may introduce a suitable yacht-clearance agent serving Funchal. The agent can confirm the correct official location, current procedure, documents, attendance and expected costs.
2
We review the request
We identify the likely support and appropriate official reporting point for Funchal.
3
A local agent contacts you
A suitable agent can confirm the procedure, documents, timing and fees directly.
Local process
How to plan yacht clearance in or out around Funchal
Madeira yacht formalities depend on the international route, yacht customs status and use, crew nationalities and whether the request involves an external Schengen border.
Before arrival or departure
Send the yacht name, flag, registration, use, last port, next port, ETA and crew details.
Confirm the official location
Confirm that Funchal can handle the planned yacht movement and authority attendance, working with APRAM's port administration.
Passport and crew formalities
Complete applicable external-Schengen checks and provide the list of persons aboard when required.
Customs review
Confirm EU status, VAT or temporary-admission treatment and any declarable goods with the Alfandega do Funchal or the appointed agent.
Maritime requirements
Confirm any Capitania do Porto do Funchal or vessel-dispatch steps applicable to the yacht's flag, use and crew status.
Final document check
Confirm completion of all required entry or exit actions before cruising onward.
Route planner
Funchal yacht-clearance route planner
Funchal serves Madeira island and is the archipelago's capital port, principal cruise terminal and main Customs clearance point, administered by APRAM. Common approaches include Canary Islands to Funchal, mainland Portugal to Funchal, and transatlantic crossings from the Caribbean or Bermuda arriving via Funchal. Onward routes include Funchal to Porto Santo, Funchal to the Canary Islands, and Funchal south toward the Canary Islands feeder route.
Confirm the international route
State the last port, next port and whether Funchal is the first or last Madeira location.
Prepare yacht and crew records
Gather passports, registration, ownership or authority, insurance, crew list, skipper qualification and previous clearance.
Confirm Funchal reporting
Ask the local agent to confirm the border, Customs and maritime-authority location and attendance sequence.
Retain completed records
Keep completed crew, border, customs and vessel papers available aboard.
Nearby locations
Ports and marinas served around Funchal.
Yachts visiting Marina do Funchal, Camara de Lobos, Machico, Quinta do Lorde or Porto Santo may need to use Funchal or another designated location for international formalities. Include the actual berth and full route so the correct location can be confirmed.
Marina do Funchal
Include Marina do Funchal in the route details so the agent can confirm the appropriate clearance location and practical arrangements.
Camara de Lobos
Include Camara de Lobos in the route details so the agent can confirm the appropriate clearance location and practical arrangements.
Machico
Include Machico in the route details so the agent can confirm the appropriate clearance location and practical arrangements.
Quinta do Lorde
Include Quinta do Lorde in the route details so the agent can confirm the appropriate clearance location and practical arrangements.
Porto Santo
Include Porto Santo in the route details so the agent can confirm the appropriate clearance location and practical arrangements.
Route-specific guidance
Funchal arrival and departure routes.
Last port, next port, yacht status and crew nationality can change the formalities required.
Canary Islands to Funchal yacht arrival
If Funchal is the first Madeira location, provide the previous clearance, yacht papers, crew details and customs status before arrival.
Request Funchal arrival assistance →Funchal to Porto Santo departure planning
Before leaving Funchal, confirm Madeira exit requirements and the rules at the next jurisdiction.
Request Funchal departure assistance →Funchal and Schengen route planning
Pleasure-yacht movements between Member State ports generally do not face routine border checks, but risk-based checks remain possible. A third-country route, including a transatlantic crossing, requires external-border planning.
Review the international route →Funchal customs and yacht-status review
Provide EU-status, VAT or temporary-admission evidence and identify private, charter or commercial use so the customs position can be reviewed.
Request customs-status assistance →Madeira requirements
Border, Customs, yacht-status, insurance and maritime requirements.
Schengen movements and external arrivals
A yacht moving between Madeira and another Schengen or EU port is not making an external border crossing and routine checks generally do not apply. A yacht arriving from outside Schengen, including a transatlantic or Canary Islands passage, should report at a location able to handle the formalities.
Customs, VAT and temporary admission
Madeira is part of the EU customs territory and the EU VAT area. A qualifying privately used non-EU yacht can generally use EU temporary admission for up to 18 months, subject to residence, ownership and use conditions.
Madeira's regional VAT rate
Madeira sets its own regionally reduced VAT rate under fiscal autonomy, distinct from mainland Portugal's rate. The rate has changed as recently as October 2024, so confirm the current figure before relying on a specific percentage.
National lighting and buoying tax
Portugal's national lighting and buoying tax (taxa de farolagem e balizagem) applies in Madeira on the same basis as the rest of the country, processed through the maritime authority at the port. No fixed current amount is published here; confirm it locally.
Maritime administration
APRAM administers Funchal's and Porto Santo's ports and marina concessions, working alongside the Capitania do Porto do Funchal, the Capitania do Porto de Porto Santo, the GNR and the Autoridade Tributaria e Aduaneira. Quinta do Lorde and Calheta are privately or municipally operated marinas without confirmed independent Customs attendance.
Insurance and skipper qualification
Carry valid insurance and the skipper qualification required for the flag, vessel and voyage. Charter and professional operation may involve additional requirements and should be checked in advance.
Skipper preparation
Practical points before contacting the agent.
✓
Arrange the request before reaching Funchal, especially for a weekend, public holiday or late arrival.
✓
Funchal is APRAM's principal concession on Madeira island and carries the archipelago's longest-established Customs presence. Confirm current berthing, authority attendance and timing before arrival.
✓
Do not rely on an old fee, office time, authority sequence or radio channel without current confirmation.
✓
Carry clear digital copies and, where practical, printed copies of yacht, insurance, passport and crew records.
✓
State the yacht's flag, ownership, private or commercial use and customs position accurately.
FAQ
Funchal yacht-clearance questions
Is Funchal a yacht port of entry in Madeira?
Funchal is Madeira's principal APRAM-administered port and carries the archipelago's longest-established Customs presence. Confirm current yacht berthing and authority attendance before relying on it.
Which nearby locations can be served from Funchal?
Route planning around Funchal commonly includes Marina do Funchal, Camara de Lobos, Machico, Quinta do Lorde and Porto Santo. A local agent can confirm the correct official location for the formalities.
What routes commonly use Funchal?
Relevant routes include Canary Islands to Funchal, mainland Portugal to Funchal, and transatlantic crossings from the Caribbean or Bermuda. The process depends on the previous and next jurisdictions, yacht status and crew nationalities.
Do yachts need to clear into Madeira?
A yacht arriving from outside Schengen should report at a location able to handle the formalities before cruising onward. Movements between Madeira and another Schengen or EU port generally involve less border formality, although checks remain possible.
Can a yacht arrive at a marina that is not a designated port of entry?
Coordinate first entry through a designated location such as Funchal. Quinta do Lorde and Calheta are genuine yacht destinations but their independent clearance capability is not confirmed.
How long can a qualifying non-EU yacht use temporary admission?
A privately used non-EU yacht can generally use EU temporary admission for up to 18 months when all conditions are met. The period applies across the EU customs territory and does not restart on entering Madeira.
What documents should be prepared?
Prepare passports, crew list, vessel registration, ownership or authority documents, insurance, skipper qualification, previous clearance and applicable EU-status, VAT or temporary-admission evidence.
What does Madeira Yacht Clearance do?
Madeira Yacht Clearance collects the request, reviews the voyage details and may introduce the skipper to a suitable local yacht-clearance agent. It is not a government authority and does not make official decisions.
Personal clearance support
Send the voyage details once. We help route the request.
Use this page for Funchal arrival, departure and Madeira yacht-paperwork assistance.