Guide
What licence do you need to hire a boat in Spain (and when you need none)
In Spain you can take out a motorboat up to 5 metres long and 15 hp, or a sailing boat up to 6 metres, with no qualification at all, in daylight and close to the coast. That is the "no-licence boat" almost every company in this directory offers. Anything bigger and you will be asked for a licence (a Spanish one or your own country's, ideally with an ICC) or you hire with a skipper.
1. No licence: which boats and on what terms
Royal Decree 875/2014, the Spanish regulation on leisure-boat qualifications, exempts two kinds of craft from any licence:
- Motorboats up to 5 metres in length and 11.26 kW (15 hp).
- Sailing boats up to 6 metres.
In both cases, daylight only and inside the zone set by the local Harbour Master, which in practice means within 2 miles of a harbour, beach or shelter. The rental company marks that zone on a chart when you collect the boat.
That is why the "no-licence" fleet looks the same along the whole coast: 4- to 5-metre motorboats with a 15 hp outboard, seats for 4 or 6 and a cruising speed of 8 to 10 knots. They will get you to a nearby cove, let you anchor and swim, and bring you back. They will not get you across to an island or through a strong breeze.
What you will still be asked for, even with no licence:
- To be an adult (a few companies accept 16-year-olds with parental consent and an adult on board).
- Passport or ID card.
- A deposit, between €150 and €500 for this kind of boat.
- A 15- to 30-minute briefing: starting the engine, steering, anchoring, the permitted zone, the radio channel or phone number, and what to do if the wind gets up.
In the directory, 272 of the 2,586 rental companies say explicitly in their Google listing that they have no-licence boats; there are certainly more, since many do not advertise it. Where they cluster: Sant Antoni de Portmany (28 of 89 companies), Fuengirola (10 of 27), Benalmádena (9 of 37), Roses (9 of 30) and L'Estartit (8 of 18). They are marked on every destination page.
2. The navigation licence: a one-day Spanish permit
If you want something more than the 15 hp boat but do not want to sit an exam, the licencia de navegación is the next step. It is issued by an approved sailing school after a course of 2 hours' theory and 4 hours' practice. No exam. It costs €100–200 and takes a morning; several schools teach it in English.
It lets you drive boats up to 6 metres and jet skis, in daylight, up to 2 miles from a harbour or shelter. In practice it adds little length, but it opens the door to boats with 40, 60 or 80 hp engines, which are a different thing in speed and comfort.
Many rental companies are also schools and run the course the day before your hire. If you are spending a week in one place and want to hire several days, it pays.
3. PNB and PER: how far each Spanish licence goes
The two Spanish licences with an exam that you will hear about most:
| Licence | Max length | Distance from shore | What it requires |
|---|---|---|---|
| PNB (Patrón de Navegación Básica) | 8 m | 5 miles from a shelter | Theory exam plus safety and handling practice |
| PER (Patrón de Embarcaciones de Recreo) | 15 m | 12 miles; inter-island sailing in the Balearics and Canaries | Theory exam plus practice. With extra practice: up to 24 m and the mainland–Balearics crossing |
With a PER you can hire most of what is in this directory: 7- or 8-metre RIBs, 9- or 10-metre motorboats, 10- to 14-metre sailing boats if you have done the sailing practice. Above 15 metres (or 24 with the extension) come the Patrón de Yate (24 m, 150 miles) and the Capitán de Yate (no limit), which are another level.
One detail that surprises people: the PER qualifies you for a length, not a type of boat. If you hold a motor PER and want a sailing boat, the company will ask about your sailing practice and, failing that, your real experience. It can refuse or insist on a skipper. It is within its rights: the boat is theirs and the insurance has conditions.
4. If your licence is foreign
Visitors can hire with their own country's licence as long as it is recognised. The most practical document is the ICC (International Certificate of Competence), which almost every company accepts without argument. RYA certificates (Day Skipper, Coastal Skipper) are usually accepted alongside an ICC; the RYA issues the ICC to holders on request. German (SBF See) and French (permis côtier) licences are also common on the coast, and US boaters should bring a state boating card plus an ICC or equivalent where they can get one.
The practical rule: email the company before you book with a photo of your licence and ask whether they accept it for that boat. It avoids arguments on the pontoon.
5. Hiring with a skipper: when it pays
If you have no licence, or you have one but do not want the responsibility, the alternative is to hire skippered. The skipper is a professional employed by the company who drives the boat; you and your group are passengers. You need nothing.
It pays in three cases:
- Big boats (yachts, catamarans), where a skipper would be required anyway.
- Long passages: Dénia–Ibiza, Mallorca–Cabrera, Cádiz–Tangier. Local knowledge is worth more than a licence.
- When you are a group and nobody wants to be the one who stays sober and watches the anchor.
The skipper is usually charged separately, per day, and their meals are on the group. We cover it in Skippered or bareboat.
6. What the company will ask for on the day
With or without a licence, the sequence is similar everywhere:
- Documents: passport or ID card and, if it applies, the original licence (a photo will not do).
- Contract and deposit: sign the contract, read the insurance excess, and have the deposit held on your card.
- Check-in: go over the boat with the company, photograph existing marks, check the inventory (anchor, lifejackets, flares, extinguisher, radio).
- Briefing: sailing zone, the day's forecast, return time, fuel level.
- Off you go. And on return, a check-out along the same lines.
If any of this is missing, be wary. A company that hands you the keys without going over the boat with you is a company that may charge you on return for a scrape you did not make.
Frequently asked questions
Can I hire a boat with no licence if I am 17? It depends on the company. The regulation sets no age for exempt boats, but the contract is signed by an adult and most companies require the person in charge on board to be one too.
Does the navigation licence cover jet skis? Yes. It covers jet skis as well as boats up to 6 metres. Without it, jet skis can only be used in closed circuits with an instructor.
Do I need a PER to hire an 8-metre sailing boat? A PNB covers up to 8 metres, but only for sail if you have done the sailing practice. Without it, the company will ask for a PER with sailing practice or a skipper.
Is my UK, US or Australian licence accepted? An ICC is accepted almost everywhere. RYA certificates are usually fine with an ICC. Other national licences depend on the company: send a photo before booking. If in doubt, hire with a skipper.
What if I sail outside the permitted zone without a licence? It is an administrative offence with a fine for the person in charge, and the boat's insurance may not cover an accident. The company will charge you. It is not worth it.
Sources: Royal Decree 875/2014 of 10 October, regulating qualifications for leisure boating in Spain. Company figures: tubarcodealquiler.es directory, Google Maps data captured 15 September 2026.