The basic documents of the IHO compose a constitutional framework, consisting of a set of general regulations for the operations of the organs of the organization, namely the Assembly, the Council and the Finance Committee. Together with agreements made with the Government of H.S.H. the Prince of Monaco and diplomatic notes exchanged between France and Monaco concerning the privileges and immunities of the IHO, all these documents are consolidated in the IHO Publication M-1.

This set of basic documents is supplemented by the compilation of all IHO Resolutions in force as IHO Publication M-3 and can be downloaded from the "Publications" section, category "Miscellaneous Publications".