Module 9 - GMDSS & Safety Equipment
EPIRB and PLB Registration
What you will learn
Separate the current UK registration duty from carriage rules and keep beacon records useful to rescuers.
For in-scope UK-registered craft, carried EPIRBs and 406 MHz PLBs must be registered. Registration is operational rescue data, not proof that carriage is required or that the beacon is serviceable.
MCA MGN 665 Amendment 1 requires EPIRBs and 406 MHz PLBs fitted or carried on UK-registered ships, hovercraft and in-scope watercraft to be registered with the UK 406 MHz Beacon Registry. The registration requirement is separate from any rule that determines whether a particular vessel must carry a beacon.
Registration links the beacon identity to vessel or owner details, emergency contacts and useful voyage information. When a satellite alert arrives, current records help rescue authorities identify the casualty, plan an appropriate response and distinguish a real emergency from an accidental activation.
Update the record when the vessel, owner, contacts or beacon allocation changes. Confirm the hexadecimal identity on the beacon agrees with the registration and equipment documents. A registration certificate does not replace battery, bracket, hydrostatic release, self-test or physical-condition checks.
| Question | What it establishes | What it does not establish |
|---|---|---|
| Must this craft carry a beacon? | Applicable carriage rule and voyage assessment | Whether an existing beacon is registered |
| Must this carried beacon be registered? | Current registration duty for the craft and device | That the beacon is serviceable |
| Are the details current? | Useful rescue identity and contacts | That the crew can deploy it |
Treat a second-hand beacon as an identity transfer
A newly purchased yacht carries an EPIRB with the previous owner's contact details and an unreadable bracket label.
1. Verify the identity
Match the beacon's hexadecimal ID to its documents and current registry record.
2. Update ownership data
Register accurate vessel, owner and emergency-contact information before relying on the beacon.
3. Inspect the equipment
Check service dates, bracket, release, lanyard, battery and approved self-test separately.
Sense check: If responders would first call the former owner or search for the wrong vessel, the beacon data is not operationally ready.
Common mistake or limitation
- Assuming registration creates or removes a carriage requirement.
- Leaving former-owner or former-vessel details attached to the beacon identity.
- Treating current registry data as evidence that the battery and release are serviceable.
Recap
- Registration and carriage are separate legal and operational questions.
- Current identity and contact details materially support rescue decisions.
- Registration, physical checks and crew deployment practice all remain necessary.
Optional quick check
Section 5 of 10
What does current UK beacon registration prove?
Sources and factual review
Reviewed 20 August 2026 - Compass Revision editorial review.
Continue studying GMDSS & Safety Equipment
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