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Pleasure boat and navigator’s licence
Pleasure boat licence
You’ll need this licence if you want to:
- hire out pleasure boats for personal use
- use them for carrying up to 12 passengers on the River Arun
If you are doing any of the following you will not need a licence from us – instead your boat will need to be licensed by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA):
- you are hiring boats which use waterways other than the River Arun or are on the sea
- your boat has more than 12 passenger seats
- your boat operates south of the A259 bridge
Pleasure boats include sailboards, rowing boats, canoes, motorboats and pedalo boats.
If you’re transporting passengers you’ll also need a navigator’s qualification and certificate.
After you have applied for the licence, we will process the application, however, do not assume the licence is automatically granted if we have not responded within the stated timescales. Contact us if you have not heard within a reasonable period.
If we refuse your application or you wish to appeal a licence condition you can appeal to your local magistrates court.
You must display a copy of your licence in a visible place inside the boat.
The licence will be valid for one year.
Please note we aim to process the application within one month of submission
Apply for a pleasure boat licence
Before you apply, you’ll need the following information:
- a credit or debit card for payment
- a management plan outlining emergency arrangements
- proof of insurance to a minimum value of £5 million
- a safety certificate for each boat issued by a marine surveyor - the certificate must identify each boat by name or number
There is a fee for this service.
We aim to process the application within one month of submission
Change or surrender a boat hire licence
You should complete this application to:
- change the name of the boat
- change the number of passengers carried
- surrender your licence
You cannot carry more than 12 passengers.
After selecting the button below you’ll need to:
1. Have a debit or credit card for payment
2. Download the PDF document and complete the form
3. Follow the onscreen instructions to upload and submit the application.
There is a fee for this service.
Right to appeal
If we refuse your application, you have a right of appeal to the Licensing Sub-Committee and or a magistrate’s court.
At the time we refuse the application we will:
- inform you of the reasons for the refusal
- advise you of the appeals procedure
If you want to contact us about a refused application please include all relevant details including the boat name, boat operator and boat operator’s address.
Navigator’s licence
You will need to have a navigator’s licence if you want to oversee or navigate a pleasure boat which is:
- used for carrying passengers for hire
- let out for hire to members of the public
After you have applied for the licence, we will process the application, however, do not assume the licence is automatically granted if we have not responded within the stated timescales.
Contact us if you have not heard within a reasonable period.
If we refuse your application or you wish to appeal a licence condition you can appeal to your local magistrates court.
The licence is for a period of one year.
Please note we aim to process the application within one month of submission.
Apply for a licence
You must be at least 18 years old to apply for this licence.
As part of your application we’ll need you to:
1. Provide a recent colour passport sized photo against a plain background.
2. Provide a medical fitness certificate from any of the below:
- MCA medical certificate (ML5)
- you will need this medical for your first application and then usually every 5 years once you turn 45 years old
- when you turn 65 years of age, we will need a medical form annually
- Seafarers medical fitness certificate (ENG1) - this is valid for 2 years
- required on first application then every 2 years
- Civil Aviation Authority commercial pilots licence medical certificate
- you will need this medical for your first application and then every 12 months up to age 60
- DVLA group 2 drivers licence medical certificate
- you will need this medical for your first application and then usually every 5 years once you turn 45 years old
- when you turn 65 years of age, we will need a medical form annually
- Health and Safety Executive (HSE) diving medical certificate - this is valid for 12 months
3. Provide us with an eyesight test which is not more than 28 days old. You must include evidence of satisfactory colour vision if you have not taken a marine medical.
4. Provide evidence that you have attended the following courses:
- very high frequency (VHF) radio course (if you have VHF fitted to the vessel)
- basic sea survival course
5. Provide one of the following first aid certificates:
- elementary first aid certificate valid for 3 years
- RYA small craft first aid certificate valid for 3 years
- St John Ambulance first aid certificate valid for 3 years
- British Red Cross first aid certificate valid for 3 years
- St Andrews first aid certificate valid for 3 years
- ambulance service first aid certificate valid for 5 years
6. Have a least 12 months experience and at least one of the following boat handling qualifications:
- A/B waters (River Arun above Littlehampton marina
- MCA boat master’s licence for a local passenger vessel grade 2 or 3
- Royal Yacht Association (RYA) powerboat level 2
- RYA Inland Helmsman’s Certificate
- RYA practical sailing course (day skipper)
- waterman licence issued by a competent licensing authority
- British waterways boatmanship licence
- National Community Boat Association certificate in community boat management
- C/D waters (River Arun above Littlehampton pier to Littlehampton marina
- MCA boat master’s licence for a local passenger vessel grade 2
- RYA coastal or day skipper
- RYA power boat level 2
- RYA practical sailing course (day skipper)
- waterman licence issued by a competent licensing authority
7. Have taken a seamanship test with the local harbour master. The harbour master requires at least 7 working days’ notice before a test.
8. Have a credit or debit card for payment.
Download our application form [doc] 246KB and either return to our offices via post or by scanning and attaching the documents via email along with either a cheque or a receipt showing you have made payment online.
There is a fee for this service.
We aim to process the application within one month of submission
Appeal
If we refuse your application, you have a right of appeal to the Licensing Sub-Committee and or a magistrate’s court.
At the time we refuse the application we will:
- inform you of the reasons for the refusal
- advise you of the appeals procedure
If you want to contact us about a refused application, please include all relevant details.