Rules and regulations · Spain · 2026-09-23
Spain: rental boats will need a licensed skipper from 1 October
From 1 October 2026 anyone taking out a rental recreational motorboat in Spain must hold a navigation licence or a full qualification. Real Decreto 1188/2025 rewrites article 10 of Real Decreto 875/2014 and ends the exemption that allowed boats up to 5 metres with no more than 15 hp to be hired with no certificate at all.
The exemption survives only for private and sporting use: the helm must be at least 18, sail in daylight and stay within two nautical miles of the port, marina or beach of departure. Sailing boats up to 6 metres and beach craft are unaffected.
Rental firms in Spain will have to check customers' papers, and anyone who counted on a licence-free boat should plan a course or hire a skipper.
Source: El Estrecho Digital