Hire boat licensing

Licences must be held for each hired vessel and their operators must also be licensed under our hire boat licensing scheme.

Licences are subject to conditions and it is important applicants fully understand these conditions before applying.

In February 2023 we updated our information and licensing requirements for hire boats on the Broads, including unpowered hired craft. These new licensing conditions and other associated documents can be found below.

If you have any questions regarding Hire Boat Licensing please get in touch via our contact form and a member of staff will assist you.

Licence conditions

You must submit results of a loading and stability test for each boat you wish to licence with your application. Full details of test requirements are detailed in the Code for Design, Construction and Operation of Hire Boats 2021.

We have the right to refuse, revoke or suspend licences and in such circumstances operators have the right to appeal through the local magistrates' court or, for conditions relating to construction standards, through the Broads Authority Standards Appeals Panel.

The full conditions for each type of licence along with guidance can be found here:

• Hire boat operator licensing conditions (PDF)
• Hire boat (vessel) licence conditions (PDF)
• Non-powered craft operator conditions (PDF)
• Non-powered craft (vessel) conditions (PDF)
• Small passenger boat operator licence conditions (PDF)
• Small passenger boat (vessel) licence conditions (PDF)

Licence application forms

The following application forms can be downloaded and printed:

• Hire boat operator licence application form (PDF)
• Hire boat licence re-application form (PDF)
• Hire boat licence schedule (PDF)
• Small passenger boat operator licence application form (PDF)
• Small passenger boat schedule (PDF)

If you have any queries please contact us.