If we carry a Personal Locator Beacon on board, there is a quick bit of admin we need to get sorted.

From 15 April 2026, all current and new 406 MHz PLBs carried on board UK-registered ships and hovercraft, and on watercraft, must be registered with the UK 406 MHz Beacon Registry.

For most of us, that means if we carry a PLB on a UK-flagged sailing boat, motor boat, or mechanically propelled watercraft, we need to make sure it is registered.

It is free, it takes around 15 minutes, and it could make a real difference if something goes wrong.

What has changed?

EPIRBs have had to be registered for years. PLBs were a bit different. Lots of sailors carry them, especially clipped to a lifejacket or tucked into grab bags, but registration was not previously a legal requirement in the same way.

That gap has now been closed.

The Merchant Shipping (EPIRB and PLB Registration and Radiocommunications) (Amendment) Regulations 2026 bring 406 MHz PLBs into the same registration system as EPIRBs.

So, basically, if we carry a 406 MHz PLB on an applicable UK vessel or watercraft, it needs to be registered.

That does not mean every boat suddenly has to carry a PLB. It means that if we do carry one, we need to make sure the details are on the registry and kept up to date.

Why registration is worth doing properly

A PLB is there for the kind of day we hope never happens.

When activated, a 406 MHz beacon sends an alert through the satellite search and rescue system. That alert eventually gets to the rescue coordination centre, where real people need to make fast decisions.

They need to know what they are dealing with.

Is this a yacht offshore with someone in the water? Is it a false alarm from a beacon accidentally switched on in a locker? Is it a beacon that has been sold second-hand and is still registered to someone who no longer owns it?

That information changes the response.

The MCA has said that 92% of UK distress alerts received via 406 MHz beacons in 2024 were false alerts. That is a pretty incredible figure, and it explains why registration is so useful.

If our PLB goes off by mistake, the Coastguard can use the registry details to contact the right person quickly, work out what has happened, and avoid sending rescue teams into poor conditions for no reason.

And if it is a real emergency, those same details help them build the picture faster.

Who owns the beacon?
Who are the emergency contacts?
What vessel might it be on?
Where was it likely being used?

That is the kind of information that can save time when time is not something we have much of.

Who needs to register it?

The requirement applies to 406 MHz PLBs carried on board UK-registered ships and hovercraft, and on watercraft.

In normal boating terms, that includes many UK-flagged pleasure vessels and mechanically propelled watercraft.

The responsibility may sit with the ship owner, master, or PLB owner, depending on the situation. For a PLB, the practical point is pretty simple: if we own the PLB, we should make sure it is registered to us.

This is worth thinking about with crew.

If a crew member brings their own PLB aboard, clipped to their own lifejacket, that PLB should be registered by them. As skipper, we do not need to take over everyone’s personal kit admin, but it is a good thing to mention before a passage.

Something as simple as, “If you’re bringing your own PLB, make sure it’s registered and your emergency contact knows where you’re going,” could save a lot of confusion later.

What about kayaks, paddleboards, and other unpowered craft?

The MCA guidance says the requirement does not apply to certain craft that are not mechanically propelled, such as kayaks and paddleboards.

But, and this is the important bit, the MCA still encourages people using those craft to register their 406 MHz PLBs.

That makes sense. If we are carrying a beacon because we might need rescue, we want the rescue services to have the best information available.

So even where registration is not legally required, it is still a good idea.

How do we register a PLB?

Registration is done online through the UK 406 MHz Beacon Registry.

You will need details such as:

• the beacon’s HEX ID or Unique Identifying Number,
• the make, model, and serial number,
• an emergency contact,
• and, if relevant, vessel details such as the boat name, call sign, MMSI, and radio equipment.

It is free and should take around 15 minutes.

Once registered, keep the details up to date. That means updating the registry if the PLB changes ownership, if emergency contacts change, or if the beacon is normally used on a different vessel.

One extra thing to check

An EPIRB or PLB should be included on the Ship Radio Licence, or Ship Portable Radio Licence where applicable.

So while we are doing the registry admin, it is worth checking the radio licence as well.

I know, admin. Lovely stuff.

But this is one of those small jobs that is much easier to do now, with a cup of tea and the beacon in front of us, than to wish we had done later.

What if the PLB was bought abroad?

This is one to slow down on.

The UK only accepts EPIRBs and PLBs coded with certain UK country codes, known as MID codes. These are 232, 233, 234, and 235.

If we bought a PLB abroad, bought one second-hand, or are unsure how it is coded, we should check with the UK Beacon Registry, the manufacturer, or the supplier before relying on it.

A beacon is only useful if the alert gets to the right people with the right information attached.

What should we do now?

There are three simple checks.

First, check whether any PLB we carry is already registered.

Second, if it is registered, check the details are still right. Emergency contacts are the big one here. There is no point having a beacon registered to someone who has changed number, moved house, or has no idea where we are sailing.

Third, if it is not registered, get it done through the UK 406 MHz Beacon Registry.

That is us sorted.

Where this fits into good skippering

This is one of those jobs that sits quietly in the background until the day it really counts.

The PLB itself is the bit of kit we can see. The registration is the invisible bit that helps the Coastguard understand the alert and respond properly.

So, before the next passage, let’s add it to the normal safety kit check.

Lifejackets checked.
PLB battery in date.
PLB registered.
Emergency contact up to date.
Radio licence checked.

Good seamanship is often made up of small, slightly boring jobs done before we leave the dock. This is one of them.

If we have got all that sorted, we are in a much better place.

Related Ardent courses and resources

Our Day Skipper Theory, Essential Navigation and Seamanship, and Coastal Skipper/Yachtmaster Theory courses all cover safety equipment, distress procedures, and passage preparation.

If you are working through one of those courses with us, this is a good real-world update to connect with the theory. The kit is only part of the story. Understanding how it works, why it is registered, and how the rescue services use that information is what makes us better prepared skippers.

Studying for your Day Skipper or Yachtmaster theory? Our online courses cover safety equipment, distress procedures, and the practical decisions that help us prepare properly before going to sea.