Argentina (AR) — civil law.
Nothing on this page describes United States practice. There is no certificate sold to an investor, no administrative sale of land for unpaid tax, and no redemption window after a
subasta judicialin Argentina. If you arrived carrying US assumptions, read falsos-amigos first.
Prefectura Naval Argentina — Registro Nacional de Buques
Vessel title in Argentina is national, not provincial. The Registro Nacional de
Buques (RNB) is “dependiente del Comandante en Jefe de la Armada (Prefectura Naval
Argentina)” (Ley 19.170, art. 1). It keeps the Matrícula Nacional, made up of the
Matrícula Mercante Nacional and the Registro Especial de Yates (REY) (art.
1(a)). It records title, real rights, embargos, interdicciones and owner inhibiciones
— for foreign vessels too as far as attachments go (art. 1(b)–(d), art. 7). Court and
administrative resolutions are registrable titles (art. 3). For an auction buyer the RNB is
two things. First, it is the source of the report the court must obtain before selling
a ship (Ley 20.094 art. 553). Second, it is the office that registers the purchase, on
a digitally signed oficio that transcribes the sale, the approval, payment of the price,
delivery of possession, and the lifting of every precautionary measure. Its published
standard is 30 business days, at 1 per thousand of the price (minimum ARS 6,550)
plus search fees. The Prefectura is also the maritime authority. It enforces
interdicción de navegar orders (art. 539). It can declare wrecks and inactive hulls
abandoned to the State and sell them (arts. 17 bis, 19, 23). And it applies the
REGINAVE, the seaworthiness and navigation regulations, now approved by Decreto 37/2025.
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