You usually need to register or licence your boat if you want to keep or use it on inland waterways, such as rivers and canals. Contact the navigation authority of the waterway you want to use to find out. A boat is: any vessel with or without a motor, for example a sailing boat, river boat, canal boat or houseboat any ‘open boat’ such as canoe, paddle board, rowing boat or dinghy To get a boat registration you may need: insurance a Boat Safety Scheme ( BSS ) certificate You must renew each year for the waterway you want to keep or use your boat on. You can buy a visitor registration or licence for shorter periods. Carry more than 12 passengers You must have a passenger-carrying certificate issued by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency if you want to carry more than 12 passengers. Commercial use You must apply for a boatmaster’s licence if you want to use your boat commercially. Use at sea You can register your boat with the UK Ship Register for use at sea.

Register or license your boat with the navigation authority responsible for the waterway you want to use. Most canals and some rivers, like the Severn, Trent and Ouse Register with the Canal & River Trust . Norfolk and Suffolk Broads, and adjacent waters Register with the Broads Authority . River Thames, River Medway, and the rivers of East Anglia Download the application form for the waterway you want to use and register with the Environment Agency: River Thames River Medway Anglian waterways (Great Ouse System, River Nene, River Stour, River Ancholme, Black Sluice, River Welland and River Glen) Rye Harbour River Thames annual registrations run from 1 January to 31 December. Other registrations run from 1 April to 31 March. The Royal Military Canal You do not need to register a boat for use between West Hythe Dam in Shorncliffe, Kent and Iden Lock in Cliffe End, East Sussex. Contact Folkestone and Hythe District Council to register a boat for use between West Hythe Dam and Seabrook. Scotland and Northern Ireland Check if you need to register your boat with Scottish Canals or NI Direct . Other areas Check with the Inland Waterways Association to find the navigation authority for other areas. Using more than one waterway You can buy a ‘gold licence’ which lets you use all Environment Agency and Canal & River Trust waterways. Canoe or rowing boat exemptions You may not need to register a canoe with the navigation authority if you’re a member of British Canoeing . Rowing clubs or associations can register a rowing boat for use on some waterways through British Rowing .

An enforcement officer may put an enforcement notice on your boat if it’s on an inland waterway and: it’s not licensed or registered it’s not licensed or registered for the waterway you’re using your licence or registration is not displayed it breaches the terms and conditions of the licence or registration Check your licence or registration for additional rules that apply to your waterway. You may be prosecuted and fined up to £1,000 or have your boat removed if you do not display an up-to-date licence or registration. Questions about a penalty notice Contact your navigation authority if you have questions about a penalty notice.

You need to register your boat with the UK Ship Register to use it at sea. Whether you can use the register depends on your citizenship status. Check the eligibility requirements for each part of the UK Ship Register . There are 4 different parts of the register. Which part you use depends on what you’re using your boat for: Part 1 - commercial or pleasure boats Part 2 - fishing boats Part 3 - small boats Part 4 - charter boats Part 1 registration - commercial or pleasure boats You can use Part 1 of the register if you have either: a commercial boat, unless you plan to use it for fishing a ‘pleasure vessel’ - this means you do not make any money from it Registering your boat on Part 1 of the register means you’ll be able to: get a marine mortgage against your boat spend more than 6 months outside the UK It costs £153 to register for 5 years. You’ll be sent a renewal notice when it’s time to renew. It costs £72 to renew your registration for another 5 years. Part 2 registration - fishing boats Use Part 2 of the register if you’re using your boat to catch and sell fish. You can choose from ‘simple’ or ‘full’ registration. If you choose full registration you can get a marine mortgage against your boat. To register for 5 years it costs: £159 for simple registration £196 for full registration Part 3 registration - small boats Use Part 3 of the register (small ships register) if: your boat is less than 24 metres long your boat is a pleasure vessel you live in the UK for at least 185 days of the year You cannot use Part 3 of the register if you’re a business. Registering on Part 3 of the register means you’ll be able to prove your boat’s nationality when sailing outside UK waters. It costs £35 for 5 years. You’ll be sent a renewal notice when it’s time to renew. Part 4 registration - charter boats Use Part 4 of the register if you plan to hire out (charter) your boat. It costs between £35 and £196 for 5 years. The amount you’ll pay depends on the type of boat you’re registering. How to register You can register your boat online. You’ll need to create an account if you do not already have one. If you own the boat with other people, all owners must have an account before you can register your boat online. Start now You can pay by debit or credit card. You can also use the online service to renew, cancel or change the details of your registration. Before you start You’ll need: the dimensions of your boat the previous registration details of the boat (if it’s been registered before) the bill of sale the radio signal detail - including your UK radio call sign, Maritime Mobile Service Identity ( MMSI ) number and International Maritime Organization ( IMO ) number the builders certificate a certificate of survey for tonnage and measurement an international tonnage certificate (ITC69) safety certificates Other ways to register You can also register by post. Download and fill in the form for the type of boat you want to register . Contact You can contact the UK Ship Register by email, phone or post. UK Ship Register (The Registry of Shipping and Seamen) UKSR@mcga.gov.uk Telephone: +44 (0)20 3908 5200 Find out about call charges UK Ship Register (The Registry of Shipping and Seamen) MCA Cardiff Anchor Court Keen Road Cardiff CF24 5JW

Register a boat

Overview

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

A boat is:

any vessel with or without a motor, for example a sailing boat, river boat, canal boat or houseboat
any ‘open boat’ such as canoe, paddle board, rowing boat or dinghy

To get a boat registration you may need:

insurance
a Boat Safety Scheme (BSS) certificate

You must renew each year for the waterway you want to keep or use your boat on. You can buy a visitor registration or licence for shorter periods.

Carry more than 12 passengers

You must have a passenger-carrying certificate issued by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency if you want to carry more than 12 passengers.

Commercial use

You must apply for a boatmaster’s licence if you want to use your boat commercially.

Use at sea

You can register your boat with the UK Ship Register for use at sea.

View a printable version of the whole guide

Register a boat

Overview

Carry more than 12 passengers

Commercial use

Use at sea

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Register a boat

Overview

Carry more than 12 passengers

Commercial use

Use at sea

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