Guide · Updated August 19, 2026
Can you rent a boat without a licence in Mallorca? What changes on 1 October 2026
Until 30 September 2026 you can still rent boats up to 15 HP with no licence. Royal Decree 1188/2025 ends that. Here is the old rule, the new rule and every option you have — no fine print.
Quick answer: yes, for now — but it is ending. Until 30 September 2026 you can rent boats up to 5 metres and 15 HP with no qualification at all. From 1 October 2026, Royal Decree 1188/2025 requires at least the Licencia de Navegación to rent any motor boat in Spain. Skippered trips don’t change: they have never required a qualification from the guest.
The current rule (until 30 September 2026)
Royal Decree 875/2014, the Spanish regulation on recreational boating qualifications, contains a well-known exemption: motor boats up to 5 metres in length and 15 HP may be operated without any licence (daytime navigation). Spain’s whole “no-licence boat rental” market was built on that exemption — including two of our boats in Sant Elm.
What Royal Decree 1188/2025 changes
On 30 December 2025 the Spanish official gazette (BOE) published Royal Decree 1188/2025, of 26 December, which amends Article 10 of RD 875/2014. The key change: the licence exemption is restricted to private and sporting use — your own boat. For rentals, the renter must hold the corresponding qualification. The rule applies from 1 October 2026, and the decree itself cites the high number of incidents in no-licence rentals as the reason.
| Until 30-09-2026 | From 01-10-2026 | |
|---|---|---|
| Renting a boat ≤ 5 m and ≤ 15 HP | No licence needed | At least the Licencia de Navegación |
| Your own boat ≤ 5 m and ≤ 15 HP | No licence needed | No licence needed (exemption stays) |
| Skippered rental | No licence from the guest | No licence from the guest (unchanged) |
| Kayak, paddle surf and non-motor craft | No licence | No licence |
Your options from October 2026
1. Go out with a skipper. The zero-paperwork option: the skipper brings the qualification and the local knowledge, you bring the plan. Our Muppet (BSC 75) always sails with a skipper, and the sunset tour is unaffected.
2. Get the Licencia de Navegación. Spain’s most accessible boating qualification: a one-day course — 2 hours of theory and 4 hours at sea — at any accredited nautical school, no exam. It lets you skipper boats up to 6 metres, in daylight, up to 2 nautical miles from a port or shelter: plenty for the coves between Sant Elm and Sa Dragonera.
3. The PER, if you want more. The Patrón de Embarcaciones de Recreo (boats up to 15 metres, 12 miles offshore) does require an exam, but opens up virtually every rental fleet in the Mediterranean.
4. No motor, no licence. Paddle surf and other non-motorised craft remain licence-free.
What this means at S’Embat Boats
Nothing changes this season: the Palomera (Pegazus 460) rents with no licence until 30 September 2026, the Gabellí (QX 562) with a licence or a skipper, and the Muppet always skippered. For 2027 we will adapt the fleet and the options to the new regulation — if you are unsure what you’ll need for your booking, message us on WhatsApp and we’ll clear it up in minutes.
Official sources
- Royal Decree 1188/2025, of 26 December (BOE-A-2025-27010) — the amendment that ends no-licence rentals.
- Royal Decree 875/2014, of 10 October (BOE-A-2014-10344) — the recreational qualifications regulation, including the Licencia de Navegación.
Frequently asked questions
Can I rent a boat without a licence this summer (2026)?
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Yes. Until 30 September 2026 the exemption still applies: boats up to 5 metres in length and 15 HP can be rented with no nautical qualification. Our Palomera falls in that category.
What happens from 1 October 2026?
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Royal Decree 1188/2025 removes that exemption for rentals: from that date, renting any motor boat in Spain requires at least the Licencia de Navegación (Spain's basic boating licence). The exemption survives only for privately owned boats, not rentals.
How long does it take to get the Licencia de Navegación?
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It is Spain's quickest boating qualification: a one-day course at an accredited nautical school (2 hours of theory plus 4 hours of practice), with no exam. It lets you skipper boats up to 6 metres, in daylight, up to 2 nautical miles from a port or shelter.
Do I need a licence for a skippered trip or the sunset tour?
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No. On a skippered trip the qualification is our skipper's job, not yours. Skippered outings and the sunset tour are unaffected by the new rules.
Is my foreign boating licence valid in Spain?
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Qualifications issued abroad — such as the international ICC — can generally entitle you to rent in Spain, depending on the case. Send us a photo of your licence on WhatsApp and we will confirm before you book.