Getting a Boating Licence

The rules of the water are not as restrictive as those of the road. Unlike in a car, there is no current rule whereby a boater must first pass the equivalent to a driving test to demonstrate their competency in a boat. In boating a greater emphasis is placed on the competency of the boat itself.

Who Needs a Licence?

Boating around the coast or further out to sea is open to all and does not require a licence. Passage down one of Britain’s many inland waterways however requires a boating licence or registration with the appropriate authority in charge of it.

Navigation Authorities

Almost all of British waterways are run by three different organisations – British Waterways, the Environment Agency and the Broads Authority. British Waterways is responsible for most of the United Kingdom’s rivers and canals and requires an appropriate licence before a boat is launched in these waters. To boat along the Thames and Medway rivers as well as those in East Anglia a registration form must be filled out for the Environment Agency. For boating on the Norfolk and Suffolk Broads a toll must be paid to the Broads Authority.

Choosing a Licence

For boating on British Waterways water there are two main types of licence to choose from – a pleasure boat licence and a business licence.

A Private Pleasure Boat Licence allows a boat to be used for pleasure or personal residential use for standard periods of three, six and twelve months. It does not permit a boat to be used for hiring, carrying goods or passengers for payment or any other commercial function - these activities require a British Waterways Business Licence. This is not only appropriate for businesses but for social clubs, local authorities, charities and time share operators.

The Environment Agency requires boaters to register separately for each of its Thames, Medway, Royal Military Canal and Anglian river zones. Within these areas there are specific registrations for annual boaters and visitors.

Licensing Costs

The registration and licensing costs are assessed by the size and class of a launch and so can vary dramatically. The class refers to whether the vessel is used for a business or pleasure function or how sophisticated its onboard facilities are. The two main navigation authorities offer special rates and reductions for unpowered or electrically propelled craft, as well as historic and particularly small vessels.

Boaters who intend to travel up and down the nation’s rivers and canals through various navigation authority zones are saved the trouble of multiple registrations by purchasing the new Gold Licence, which allows passage on a combination of British Waterways and Environment Agency waters.

Qualification Requirements

Before being issued with a licence, motorised craft need to pass a stringent MOT-like test called the Boat Safety Scheme, which assesses whether the boat meets the necessary safety standards.

A licensed craft will also need to have at least third party insurance. This is the same as a car needs to drive on public roads, although it is less of a headache on the water as the costs are much lower and so most people opt for the ‘all risks’ cover.

Licences for Yacht Charters

Sailors planning on chartering a large yacht must adhere to qualification regulations that vary from country to country. Typically the yacht owner will specify that an independent bareboat charter requires a sailor with skipper’s licence or certificate as well as one qualified crew member. These qualifications can be acquired by following an appropriate sailing course.

The relative leniency in regulations with regards to competency means that everyone can give boating a try.