You must register or license your boat if you want to keep or use it on inland waterways, eg rivers and canals.

A boat is:

• any vessel with or without a motor, eg sailing boat, river boat, canal boat or houseboat
• any ‘open boat’ eg canoe, paddle board, rowing boat or dinghy

To get a boat registration you must have:

• insurance
• a Boat Safety Scheme (BSS) certificate

You must renew each year for the waterway you want to keep or use your boat on. You can buy a visitor registration or licence for shorter periods.

Carry more than 12 passengers

You must have a passenger-carrying certificate issued by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency if you want to carry more than 12 passengers.

Commercial use

You must apply for a boatmaster’s licence if you want to use your boat commercially.

Use at sea

You can register your boat with the UK Ship Register for use at sea.

Register or license your boat with the navigation authority responsible for the waterway you want to use.

Most canals and some rivers, eg Severn, Trent and Ouse

Register with the Canal & River Trust.

Norfolk and Suffolk Broads, and adjacent waters

Register with the Broads Authority.

River Thames, River Medway, and the rivers of East Anglia

Download the application form for the waterway you want to use and register with the Environment Agency:

• River Thames
• River Medway
• Royal Military Canal
• Anglian waterways (Great Ouse System, River Nene, River Stour, River Ancholme, Black Sluice, River Welland and River Glen)
• Rye Harbour

River Thames annual registrations run from 1 January to 31 December. Other registrations run from 1 April to 31 March. The fees are on the forms.

You can contact the Environment Agency boat registration team by phone or email.

Environment Agency boat registration team
boatreg@environment-agency.gov.uk
Telephone: 03708 506 506
Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm
Find out about call charges

Scotland and Northern Ireland

Check if you need to register your boat with Scottish Canals or NI Direct.

Other areas

Contact the Association of Inland Navigation Authorities to find the navigation authority for other areas.

Using more than 1 waterway

You can buy a ‘gold licence’ which lets you use all Environment Agency and Canal & River Trust waterways.

Canoe or rowing boat exemptions

You may not need to register a canoe with the navigation authority if you’re a member of the British Canoe Union.

Rowing clubs or associations can register a rowing boat for use on some waterways through British Rowing.

An enforcement officer may put an enforcement notice on your boat if it’s on an inland waterway and:

• isn't licensed or registered
• isn’t licensed or registered for the waterway you’re using
• your licence or registration isn't displayed
• it breaches the terms and conditions of the licence or registration

Check your licence or registration for additional rules that apply to your waterway.

You may be prosecuted and fined up to £1,000 or have your boat removed if you don't display an up-to-date licence or registration.

Questions about a penalty notice

Contact your navigation authority if you have questions about a penalty notice.

You can register your boat with the UK Ship Register for use at sea.

Part III registration

Register your boat on the Part III (Small Ships Register) if you want to prove the boat's nationality when sailing outside UK waters.

It costs £25 for 5 years.

To be eligible:

• your boat must be less than 24 metres long
• you must be a private individual (not a company)
• you must live in the UK for at least 185 days of the year
• your boat must have a name

For more information, read the full guidance notes.

You can make changes to an existing registration online, eg change of ownership, address or boat details.

You’ll be sent a renewal notice when it’s time to renew.

Part I registration

Register your boat on the Part I register if you want to:

• prove you own the boat
• prove your boat's nationality
• use the boat as security for a marine mortgage
• get 'transcripts of registry', which show the boat's previous owners and whether there are any outstanding mortgages

Your boat must have a unique name to be registered.

It costs £124 for 5 years.

How to apply

Download and complete the following forms to register:

• application to register a British ship (MSF 4740)
• declaration of eligibility (MSF 4727)
• bill of sale (MSF 4705)
• builder’s certificate (MSF 4743)
• the mortage form if you want to register a mortgage

Send the following supporting documents:

• certificate of survey for tonnage and measurement
• international tonnage certificate if the boat is over 24 metres
• certificate of incorporation if you’re registering on behalf of a company
• deletion certificate if your boat was previously on another register
• confirmation of radio call sign if you have one

To pay the registration fee you can:

• send a cheque (payable to MCA)
• fill in the request to pay by credit card
• call the Part I registration number below to pay by bank transfer

You’ll be sent a renewal notice when it’s time to renew.

Contact

Part III registration (Small Ships Register)
ssr_registry@mcga.gov.uk
Telephone: +44 (0)29 2044 8813
Fax: +44 (0)29 2044 8850
Find out about call charges

Part I registration
part1_registry@mcga.gov.uk
Telephone: +44 (0)29 2044 8866
Fax: +44 (0)29 2044 8820
Find out about call charges

UK Ship Register (The Registry of Shipping and Seamen)
Telephone: +44 (0)29 2044 8800
Find out about call charges

UK Ship Register (The Registry of Shipping and Seamen)
MCA Cardiff
Anchor Court
Keen Road
Cardiff
CF24 5JW