# The Merchant Shipping (Light Dues) Regulations 2025, Regulation 6: Payment of light dues

Extent: E+W+S+N.I.

(1) Any light dues payable under these Regulations must be tendered at the port where the liability arises except as the general lighthouse authority otherwise allows.
Common provisions
(2) A general lighthouse authority or its authorised collector may serve the invoice for any light dues by post, and the invoice is duly served—
(a) if it is served on any one of the registered owners who, at the commencement of the period to which the invoice relates, appears in the register; or
(b) if it is served on a consignee or agent within the meaning of section 207(1) of the Merchant Shipping Act 1995.
(3) For the purposes of section 7 of the Interpretation Act 1978 (service of documents by post) an invoice is deemed to be properly addressed to a registered owner if it is addressed to that owner at the address for the time being recorded in relation to that owner in the register.
(4) Any arrears of light dues payable under these Regulations may be recovered in accordance with sections 207 (recovery of general light dues) or 208 (distress on ship for general light dues) of the Merchant Shipping Act 1995.
Tugs, fishing or pleasure vessels
(5) Unless paragraphs (7) or (8) of this regulation or paragraphs (3)(b) or (8)(b) of regulation 4 (periodical payments) apply, periodical payments must be paid not later than 28 days after service of an invoice for the amount of the payment by a general lighthouse authority or its authorised collector.
(6) If regulation 4(3)(b) applies and—
(a) the first instalment is paid not later than 28 days after the service of the invoice, the remaining payment must be paid before 29 October, or
(b) the first invoice has not been paid 28 days after the service of the invoice, a general lighthouse authority or its authorised collector may require the annual amount payable under regulation 4(3)(a) to be paid.
(7) Any payment under regulation 4(3)(a) or (b) in respect of a tug or fishing vessel which a general lighthouse authority is satisfied is ordinarily registered and kept outside the United Kingdom must be paid at the commencement of the first visit in the period to which the payment relates by that vessel to a port in the United Kingdom.
(8) Any payment in respect of a pleasure vessel in accordance with regulation 4(8)(b) must be paid at the commencement of the period to which it relates.
Other vessels
(9) Except where paragraphs (5) to (8) apply, light dues must be paid within 28 days after service of an invoice by a general lighthouse authority or its authorised collector showing the amount to be paid.

---
Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2025/278/regulation/6 (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/merchant-shipping-light-dues-regulations-2025/regulation-6
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.