Do you need a licence to rent a boat in Spain? (2024–Sept 2026)

Until 30 September 2026, Spain still allows licence free rentals for:
Motorboats up to 5 metres
Maximum 15 HP (≈11 kW)
Daytime only
Maximum 2 nautical miles from shore
This is why you can currently rent small boats in places like Jávea, Denia, Ibiza, Mallorca, Costa Brava without any qualification.

What changes on 1 October 2026?

A new law, Real Decreto 1188/2025 modifies the exemption. The key change: the licence free rule will apply only to private use, not rentals.
Meaning:
If the boat is yours → still licence free up to 5 m / 15 HP.
If you rent a boat → you MUST have a licence.
This ends the entire “sin licencia” rental category.

Minimum licence required for rentals from Oct 2026

For small boats (up to 5 m / 15 HP), the required licence is:
Licencia de Navegación (the “titulín”)
Boats up to 6 metres
No engine power limit
Daytime navigation
Up to 2 nautical miles
6 hour course, no exam
Cost: €120–€180
For larger boats:
PNB → up to 8 m
PER → up to 15 m (most charter boats)

If you don’t want a licence, You can still rent any boat if you hire a professional skipper (patrón). This remains fully legal and unchanged.