Since 1 October it is no longer possible to rent a boat without a licence in Spain. Anyone skippering a rented leisure boat must hold a navigation licence or the corresponding qualification, whatever the boat's length. The rule also covers motorboats of up to 5 metres and 15 hp, which until now could be rented without any qualification.
In practice, a customer who rents a boat and skippers it themselves must show their licence or qualification to the rental company. The change only affects commercial use of the boat and leaves private use unchanged.
For private or recreational use, motorboats under 5 metres, sailboats up to 6 metres and beach craft can therefore still be skippered without a qualification, provided they stay within 2 miles of the coast and only in daylight. Jet skis are also unchanged: they still require a qualification, except for hourly rentals with an instructor, group excursions or circuits.
Rental companies can keep working with customers who hold a licence or, for those who don't, offer the boat with a professional skipper. For anyone who wants to keep renting on their own, the alternative is to get a navigation licence at a boating school.
Sources: Spain's Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility (DGMM press release, 23/09/2026), BOE (Royal Decree 1188/2025) and ANEN.