Boat Licences

Pleasure Boat Licences

Pleasure Boat Licences are available from the Maritime Coastguard Agency.

www.mcga.gov.uk

Self Drive Boats

If you want to use a boat or other craft on the UK’s rivers and canals, you are required to register, buy a licence, or pay a toll to the appropriate navigation authority for that waterway.

Hire boats are licensed by the hire company, but you may want to use the boat on a water way which is not licensed.  If this is your intention you must consult the company first.  If you already know that you need to pay for a British Waterway Licence and Environment Agency Registration, or a Broads Authority toll, you can do this on line at www.waterscape.com

Boatman

Commercial operators of small vessels are regulated either by a Local Authority Licence or operate under codes of practice supervised by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency.  Local Authorities licence vessels confined to sheltered waters e.g. harbour and estuaries etc.  Contact the local authority for your coastal area and/or find more details from the Professional Boatman’s Association. 

www.pba.org.uk