Any ROC vessel of 1,000 tons and above and any non-ROC vessel of 500 tons and above navigating on any compulsory pilotage district or enters or leaves any port where compulsory pilotage is required shall hire a pilot. Any vessel not under compulsory pilotage shall also hire a pilot as the local shipping administration authority may deem necessary. Any ROC flag vessel of 1,000 gross tonnage and above and any non-ROC flag vessel of 500 gross tonnage and above navigating in any compulsory pilotage district, entering or leaving any port where compulsory pilotage is required, shall hire a pilot. Any vessel not under compulsory pilotage shall also hire a pilot as the local shipping administration authority may deem necessary.
Vessels navigating in the compulsory pilotage districts may designate or hire pilots on the long-term basis as approved by the local shipping administration authority.

Any vessel requires to call a pilot shall fly the call-pilot signal as used universally or specified by ROC government authority. The owner or master of a vessel may communicate with a pilot's local agency about the employment of pilot in advance. Any vessel requires a pilot shall fly the “require pilot signal” as or specified by ROC government authority. The owner or master of vessel may communicate with a pilot's local agency about the employment of pilot in advance.

In the case of two or more vessels hanging the call-pilot signals, the pilot shall respond to serve the first-come vessel; however, if one of these vessels is in distress, the pilot shall firstly render his service to such vessel.

If the master of vessel finds, after hiring a pilot or during piloting such vessel, that the pilot is incompetent or inappropriate for pilotage service due to poor physical condition, experience or technique, the master may, for the safety of vessel, take necessary actions; reject his service or hire any other pilot. The master shall make a statement of fact to the shipping administration authority concerned.

When a pilot is hired on board to pilot a vessel, the master shall flag down the “require pilot signal”, and replace it with a signal signifying “pilot on board”, and advise the pilot of maneuvering characteristics, tonnage, length, draft, speed, etc. of the vessel.
The master shall not reject the request of the pilot for verification of relevant certificates.