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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:

• on inland waterways
• at sea
• for private or commercial purposes

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’ve met the relevant safety and insurance requirements.

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 ‘open boat’ with no motor, for example a canoe, paddleboard or rowboat.

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

You’re 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’s 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’ll need to get a BSS certificate after 4 years and renew it every 4 years after that, unless you’re exempt.

Penalty for not having a certificate

You’ll 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’re using.

If you own a commercial boat

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

You’ll need a Passenger Certificate issued by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) if you’re carrying more than 12 passengers.

You should also check whether you need:

• any statutory certificates
• to meet any other requirements

You must follow if you’re 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

Read the Maritime and Coastguard Agency’s ‘Life saving signals’ 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 ‘Alpha’ flag
• be alert to other boats around you at all times

Read ‘The Merchant Shipping (Distress Signals and Prevention of Collisions) Regulations 1996’ 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’re travelling away from the coast.

See the regulations applicable to ‘pleasure vessels’.

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’s 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’s not a disposal service near you, contact any of the following:

• the place you bought them, if they offer a ‘take back’ scheme
• some marinas - a small charge may apply
• some life raft service stations 
• 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:

• meet certain operational standards
• have the boat surveyed

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

If you’re using inland waterways

You’ll usually need to have ‘third party’ insurance for at least £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.

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

If you’re using a boat at sea

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