BoatStays

For owners

Not licensed yet? Start here.

Every boat hosted on BoatStays must be properly licensed for the waters it sails. We've pulled together everything you need (the right authority, the paperwork, the costs and the timelines) so you can get rental-ready without the rabbit holes.

Why it matters

A valid licence is a legal requirement on every UK inland waterway and a baseline for safety, insurance and water quality.

What we check

Before approving a listing we verify your licence, hire boat Boat Safety Scheme certificate and insurance.

We'll help

Templates, checklists and links to every UK authority. All in one place and free to use.

Pick your waterway

Different stretches of British water are managed by different authorities. Find yours below - each card links straight to the official application.

Canal & River Trust

CRT

The largest network, 2,000 miles of canals and navigable rivers across England and Wales.

Where it covers
Most of the historic canal network - Grand Union, Kennet & Avon, Leeds & Liverpool, Trent & Mersey, Oxford, Llangollen and more, plus several navigable rivers.
Indicative cost
From ~£600/year for a 30ft boat to ~£1,400+/year for a 70ft narrowboat
Processing time
Issued within ~10 working days once paperwork is verified
Apply for a licence

Environment Agency

EA

Manages the non-tidal Thames, the Anglian waterways, the River Medway and other major rivers.

Where it covers
Non-tidal River Thames, River Medway, the Anglian network (Great Ouse, Nene, Stour, Welland, Ancholme) and several smaller rivers.
Indicative cost
From ~£100 for a short visitor licence to ~£900/year for a 12m powered boat on the Thames
Processing time
Online registration usually completed within 10 working days
Apply for a licence

Broads Authority

Broads

Britain's largest protected wetland: 125 miles of lock-free rivers and broads in Norfolk and Suffolk.

Where it covers
The Norfolk and Suffolk Broads: Rivers Bure, Yare, Waveney, Ant, Thurne, Chet and the connected broads.
Indicative cost
From ~£60/year for small craft to ~£500+/year for hire-fleet sized cruisers
Processing time
Toll certificates typically issued within 7-14 days
Apply for a licence

Scottish Canals

Scottish Canals

Manages the Caledonian, Crinan, Forth & Clyde, Union and Monkland canals across Scotland.

Where it covers
Caledonian Canal (Loch Ness), Crinan Canal, Forth & Clyde Canal, Union Canal and the Monkland Canal.
Indicative cost
From ~£10/day visitor licences to ~£500+/year annual licences depending on canal and boat size
Processing time
Usually issued within 5-10 working days
Apply for a licence

Cruising range

One licence, one waterway network.

Each boat is licensed with a single navigation authority (CRT, EA, Broads or Scottish Canals) and can only be hired on the waters that licence covers. To keep owners and guests protected:

  • Every listing shows its cruising range up front - guests see exactly which canals and rivers are in scope before they book.
  • Guests agree, in the booking terms, to stay within that range for the whole trip.
  • If a guest strays onto unlicensed water, any fines or recovery costs sit with the guest - not the owner - under the BoatStays booking agreement.

For owners who want to host on more than one network (e.g. CRT and EA waters), you'll need a separate licence with each authority.

Hire boat BSS

Hire boats need a hire boat Boat Safety Scheme certificate, required by the Canal & River Trust for all hire boats since 1 April 2018 whatever the boat's age. It is a stricter examination and a standard private certificate is not enough.

Covered in your owner dashboard →

Insurance

Paying guests need commercial hire and reward cover, with third party and public liability of at least £2m for each claim, from an insurer authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Premiums vary by boat and cruising area, so get written quotes from a specialist marine broker.

Covered in your owner dashboard →

Hiring out commercially

If you're renting your boat, you may need a hire boat licence and MCA coding. We'll walk you through it.

Covered in your owner dashboard →

Two requirements owners often miss

Both are Canal & River Trust conditions for self-drive hire. They are requirements, not optional extras.

  • A written handover procedure, used on every hire, covering navigation rules, waterway structures, and the safe operation of the boat and its equipment.
  • A 24 hour emergency call-out service, available to guests for the whole of their hire.

Both sit with you as the owner. We provide handover and pre-departure templates you can adapt, and we will talk through your call-out arrangements with you before your listing goes live.

The Hire Boat Code

The Canal & River Trust requires self-drive day hire and holiday hire boats to comply with the Hire Boat Code (revised May 2021). It sits alongside your licence, hire boat BSS certificate and insurance. Read the Hire Boat Code.

Get the full owner toolkit

Application checklists, downloadable handover templates, guest waivers and a progress tracker. Free for every BoatStays owner.
Create an owner accountHow BoatStays works