New rules will require renters to hold a nautical qualification
Recreational boats in Ibiza and Formentera will no longer be allowed to be rented to people without a boating licence from October 1. The change represents a significant shift in the rules governing the charter sector in the Pityusic Islands and is intended to improve safety at sea.
Luis Gascón Rius, the Harbour Master for Ibiza and Formentera, says the new rules will prevent companies from continuing to rent certain recreational boats to customers with no nautical qualifications.
“This activity can no longer be carried out as a commercial business in this way,” Gascón explains, pointing to problems caused in the Pityusic Islands by boats being rented to people without the necessary qualifications.
The Harbour Master supports the measure, which has already been published in Spain’s Official State Gazette (BOE) and restricts the rental of certain recreational vessels to people who hold the required qualification.
Current recreational boating regulations considered appropriate
Gascón believes that the current regulatory framework for recreational boating in the islands is appropriate, although he acknowledges that some aspects could still be improved.
The Spanish Maritime Administration, he explains, works on these issues through measures such as annual awareness campaigns aimed primarily at recreational boat users.
For the time being, there are also no plans to introduce tougher penalties. “Currently, we have no intention of increasing sanctions,” Gascón says.
Requirements for nautical charter companies
Charter companies must meet a series of requirements before taking passengers out to sea.
According to Gascón, the vessel must comply with Spanish Maritime Administration regulations, including having its ITB inspection—the technical inspection required for vessels—up to date, as well as the relevant certificates and the charter company’s responsible declaration.
Insurance is another essential requirement. Passengers must be properly covered, while the charter company must have insurance in place whenever people are on board.
When these requirements are breached and the Harbour Master’s Office becomes aware of the situation, it acts in coordination with the other competent authorities.
Gascón says several cases have already been identified during the summer in both Ibiza and Formentera, two destinations where charter activity is particularly intense.
“When we detect breaches of the regulations, we sanction them,” he explains.
Authorities will investigate and sanction breaches
The Harbour Master also warns that authorities will continue to open proceedings against operators who breach Spanish Maritime Administration regulations or engage in other unlawful activities.
“We investigate and, if there is anything illegal, we sanction it,” Gascón says.
A definitive figure for charter-related sanctions in 2026 is not yet available because the year is still underway. However, Gascón says that between 20 and 30 infringements in the area of the Spanish Maritime Administration were recorded last year.
Why the boating licence requirement is changing
The change comes through an amendment to Royal Decree 875/2014, which regulates nautical qualifications for operating recreational vessels in Spain.
The amendment justifies the new restriction by referring to the high number of incidents and accidents involving these boats.
Under the updated rules, people may continue to operate certain small recreational motorboats without a qualification when they are used privately and for sporting purposes. However, the rules now make a clear distinction when those same vessels are rented out.
For motorboats of up to five metres in length and with a maximum rated power of 15 hp, the exemption from holding a nautical qualification will no longer apply when the vessel is being rented.
In those cases, the renter must hold the appropriate boating qualification.
The minimum requirement will be a Navigation Licence
From October 1, companies renting recreational boats to private customers will therefore have to ensure that their customers have the required qualification before taking control of the vessel.
The minimum qualification required will be the Navigation Licence (Licencia de Navegación).
In practical terms, the change means that anyone wishing to operate a rented recreational boat—even a relatively small one—will have to demonstrate basic nautical knowledge by obtaining the corresponding qualification.
The measure is expected to reduce the number of people able to operate these rental boats while also helping to cut incidents and regulatory breaches associated with recreational boating.
How the rules worked before the change
Before the latest amendment, the regulations were considerably more flexible.
The previous legislation allowed people to operate motorised recreational boats of up to 5 metres in length and 15 hp without a nautical qualification, provided they met certain conditions, including sailing during daylight hours and in areas where navigation was permitted.
The rules also covered sailing boats of up to six metres and certain floating or beach craft, with specific exceptions such as jet skis.
Until the decree was updated, the regulations did not explicitly distinguish between private users and customers renting these boats through charter companies. Both situations were therefore subject to the same basic conditions.
A major change for the Pityusic Islands’ charter sector
The new regulation puts an end to that situation by establishing a clear distinction between private use and rental activity.
From October 1, whenever a recreational boat is rented, the person operating it must hold the corresponding nautical qualification.
The change will have a direct impact on the charter industry in Ibiza and Formentera, where recreational boating is a major part of the summer activity.
By requiring renters to have accredited nautical knowledge, the new rules seek to reduce incidents, accidents and infringements involving recreational boats operated by people without formal training.