01/10/2026
News from ILoveToSail Club
Planning to charter a yacht in Spain? From October 1, the rules are getting stricter — and this is definitely something you want to know before arriving at the marina with your bags packed and a surprised look on your face.
From October 1, 2026, amendments under RD 1188/2025 take effect across Spain, including the Balearic and Canary Islands. One of the main changes concerns small rental boats. Until now, it was possible to rent a sailing boat up to 6 metres long, or a motorboat up to 5 metres with an engine of up to 15 hp, without a licence. For charter boats, that option is now disappearing.
The exemption remains only for owners operating their own boats — and even then with restrictions: the skipper must be at least 18, navigation is permitted only during daylight hours and no more than two miles from the coast. Jet skis are not covered by the exemption.
For charter yachts, the requirement is straightforward: the renter must hold a valid skipper’s licence and present the actual document — a photo on your phone is not enough. The charter company must also include the licence details in the rental contract.
Foreign licences are where things become more complicated. The decree itself does not provide a complete list of qualifications recognised by Spain. According to current practice, the Spanish maritime authorities do not recognise the private ISSA certificate. An IYT Bareboat Skipper qualification alone is also insufficient; STCW Basic Safety Training is required. Accepted qualifications include the ICC, Spain’s PER and RYA certificates, although RYA comes with an important condition: the skipper must hold a British passport or UK residence permit.
So the practical rule is simple: if you are planning a charter in Spain, send your skipper’s licence to the charter company in advance and get confirmation that it will be accepted. The marina check-in desk is a very bad place to discover that it won’t.
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ILoveToSail Club
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