Shops and traders

A boat hire licence is required for the use of a vessel, in the course of trade or business, for the purpose of letting it for hire or carrying for reward 12 or fewer passengers, for pleasure, recreational, educational or sporting purposes.  A vessel includes dinghies, yachts, rowing and motorboats, 'pedaloes', punts, single-seat canoes, hovercraft and any other kind of related water craft.

A boat licence is not required for:

• any vessel which carries more than 12 passengers operating more than 3 miles from the shore, or carries 12 passengers or less, more than 15 miles from it's point of departure.  These types of vessel are regulated instead by the Department of Transport
• a vessel intended to be used for continuous periods of 24 hours and has overnight sleeping accommodation (this will exempt most yacht chartering businesses)
• vessels used exclusively for fishing in non-tidal waters
• vessels used in any harbour owned or managed by any other council 

Download boat hirer licence application form

Download the boat hirer licence conditions

Licence Fees

**Please note:  Licence fees are non-refundable**

**Variations to a licence only cover a change to the licence holder's home address or day-to-day manager details**