Owning a boat

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1. Overview

You must follow safety regulations and check whether you need insurance if you own a boat.

You usually need to register your boat to use it on inland waterways, such as rivers and canals. Contact the navigation authority of the waterway you want to use.

Boat safety requirements

There are different safety requirements depending on whether you use your boat:

Insurance

You may need to get insurance before you can register and use your boat.

Register your boat

You can apply for a boat licence or registration once you鈥檝e met the relevant safety and insurance requirements.

2. Safety on inland waterways

You may need to get a before you can register or buy a licence to use inland waterways, such as rivers and canals.

You do not need a certificate if you have a privately owned 鈥榦pen boat鈥� with no motor, for example a canoe, paddleboard or rowboat.

Some other types of boat (for example privately owned 鈥榦pen boats鈥� with outboard motors and no electrical systems) may also be exempt - check with the navigation authority that manages your chosen waterway.

All boats requiring a BSS certificate have to be tested every 4 years.

You鈥檙e responsible for maintaining your boat to BSS certificate standards between tests.

Find the latest .

Rules of the waterways

You must drive on the right and pass other boats port to port on all waterways.

On rivers, the boat coming downstream has right of way.

Under bridges, the boat closest to the bridge has right of way. Keep right until the boat has passed.

The maximum speed on narrow canals is 4 miles per hour (mph).

The Boater鈥檚 Handbook gives more information on waterway rules.

New boats

New boats should already meet the standards, so you will not need to have them checked.

You may be asked for the certificate proving that your new boat meets the required standards when you register it.

You鈥檒l need to get a BSS certificate after 4 years and renew it every 4 years after that, unless you鈥檙e exempt.

Penalty for not having a certificate

You鈥檒l be penalised if you do not have a certificate for your boat and are not exempt.

The penalty depends on which navigation authority manages the waterway you鈥檙e using.

If you own a commercial boat

You may need a BSS certificate if your boat carries 12 passengers or fewer - check the .

You鈥檒l need a Passenger Certificate issued by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) if you鈥檙e carrying more than 12 passengers.

You should also check whether you need:

3. Safety at sea

You must follow if you鈥檙e using a boat at sea.

This means you must:

  • plan your voyage
  • carry a radar reflector
  • carry an illustrated table of the recognised life-saving signals
  • help other craft, if needed
  • use distress signals properly

You could be prosecuted if you鈥檙e involved in a boating accident and you have not followed the regulations.

Read the Maritime and Coastguard Agency鈥檚 鈥楲ife saving signals鈥� leaflet for more information.

Preventing collisions

The regulations on preventing collisions say that you must:

  • fit navigation lights, shapes and sound-signalling devices on your boat
  • stay a safe distance away from other boats, and diving boats flying the blue-and-white 鈥楢lpha鈥� flag
  • be alert to other boats around you at all times

Read 鈥楾he Merchant Shipping (Distress Signals and Prevention of Collisions) Regulations 1996鈥� for more information.

Safety equipment

If your boat is more than 13.7 metres long, you must carry:

  • lifejackets
  • liferafts
  • flares
  • fire extinguishers

The specific details of what you need to carry depends on the size of your boat and how far you鈥檙e travelling away from the coast.

See the regulations applicable to 鈥榩leasure vessels鈥�.

Preventing pollution

You must not drop oil or rubbish into the sea. If your boat is more than 12 metres long you must also display a notice on board explaining how to get rid of rubbish properly.

For more information, read the regulations for preventing pollution from ships.

Getting rid of old or damaged flares

You must follow the rules for getting rid of out-of-date or damaged flares.

It鈥檚 an offence to:

  • put them in household rubbish, garden waste or public litter bins
  • dump them at sea
  • leave them anywhere a member of the public could find them
  • set them off

You can .

If there鈥檚 not a disposal service near you, contact any of the following:

  • the place you bought them, if they offer a 鈥榯ake back鈥� scheme
  • some marinas - a small charge may apply
  • some life raft service stations聽
  • some council recycling centres

You can get more information on getting rid of flares.

If you own a commercial boat

If you own a small commercial boat you may also have to:

4. Insurance

You should check what kind of insurance you need - it depends on how and where you use your boat.

If you鈥檙e using inland waterways

You鈥檒l usually need to have 鈥榯hird party鈥� insurance for at least 拢1 million if you have a powered boat or a houseboat.

You may also need insurance for some types of unpowered boat, for example a houseboat - check with the navigation authority that manages the waterway you want to use.

You could be prosecuted or fined if you do not have the right insurance - the kind of penalty depends on your navigation authority.

The has a list of insurance companies that provide boat insurance.

If you鈥檙e using a boat at sea

Check the MCA guidance if you own a small commercial boat - you may need statutory certificates.