Boat License France: Do You Need One as a Tourist?
In France you need a boat licence (the permis plaisance) to drive a motorboat with more than 4.5 kW (6 hp). Sailing boats need no licence at sea, whatever their size. Visitors can use a valid licence from their home country within its limits. For bareboat charter, the company will still ask for proof of experience. With a skipper, you need no licence at all.
Rules last checked: 25 September 2026. Rules can change, so confirm with the French authorities or your charter company before you sail.
When do you need a boat license in France?
French law ties the licence to engine power, not boat length. Under Décret 2007-1167, you need a licence to drive a pleasure motorboat when the engine delivers more than 4.5 kilowatts, which the French ministry for the sea rounds to 6 horsepower. The official explanation is on the French ministry's permis plaisance page.
- Motorboat up to 4.5 kW (6 hp): no licence needed. This covers small tenders and the small "bateau sans permis" rental boats you see on the Côte d'Azur or in Brittany.
- Motorboat over 4.5 kW (6 hp): licence needed. That is almost every RIB, day cruiser and motorboat for rent.
- Sailing boat at sea: no licence needed, even with an auxiliary engine.
The French licence comes in levels. The "côtière" option lets you go up to 6 nautical miles from a shelter; the "hauturière" extension is needed beyond that. Rivers and canals have a separate "eaux intérieures" option.
Do you need a licence to charter a sailboat or catamaran in France?
Legally, no. The ministry states plainly that sailing a boat at sea in France does not require a licence, regardless of the size of the boat or its sail area. That applies to sailboats for charter and to sailing catamarans for charter in Corsica, on the Riviera or along the Atlantic coast.
Two caveats:
- Motorsailers can count as motorboats. French law treats a sailing boat as a motorboat if its sail area is small compared with its weight. If the boat you want is more motor than sail, ask the charter company which category it falls under.
- The charter company decides who gets the keys. No law obliges them to hand a 45-foot yacht to someone without experience. For bareboat charter, companies usually ask for a sailing CV (the trips and boats you have skippered) and often a licence or ICC. If they are not convinced, they can require you to take a skipper.
Do you need a licence for a motor yacht in France?
Yes, if the engines exceed 4.5 kW (6 hp), which every motor yacht does. You need either a French permis plaisance or a valid licence from your own country. Your licence must also cover the trip you plan: a French coastal licence only allows 6 nautical miles from a shelter, and a foreign licence is accepted only within its own limits. Browse motor yachts for charter with that in mind, and check the skipper requirement in each listing.
Which foreign boat licences are accepted in France?
France does not ask visitors to take the French exam. An order of 6 July 2011 (Arrêté du 6 juillet 2011 on Légifrance) sets the rules for French-registered motorboats:
- Citizens of an EU or EEA country (which includes Norway) with a valid licence issued in the EU or EEA may drive a French motorboat within the limits of that licence.
- Citizens of other countries with a valid licence issued in their own country may do the same, within its limits.
- Carry the original. You must be able to show the original licence at any check, with a sworn French translation if needed.
What this means in practice:
- UK visitors: British skippers usually show an ICC issued by the RYA, or RYA certificates. Confirm with the charter company that it accepts yours.
- If your home country requires no licence, you may have no paper at all. For a motorboat over 6 hp in France, get a recognised licence or ICC before you travel.
- Foreign-registered boats follow a different logic. The RYA notes that France expects skippers of visiting foreign-flagged boats to hold what their flag state requires.
Is the ICC valid in France?
The International Certificate of Competence (ICC) is widely used, but France has not adopted UNECE Resolution 40, the agreement behind the ICC. So legally, what counts is a valid licence from your country. In practice, charter companies in France often ask for an ICC because it is a standard format they can check at the base. If you already have one, bring it. Our ICC guide explains who can get one and how.
Can you rent a boat in France without a licence?
Yes, in four situations:
- With a skipper or crew. On a skippered or crewed charter, the hired skipper holds the licence and is responsible for the boat. You need no licence or experience.
- A small motorboat up to 6 hp. No licence, but ask the rental company where you are allowed to go.
- A sailing boat at sea. No licence by law, but see the bareboat caveats above.
- Canal and river hire boats. On designated waterways, the rental company can let you drive a cabin boat of 5 to 15 metres without a licence, with a written authorisation it issues. Brittany's canals and rivers are inland waters, so these rules apply there rather than the sea rules.
On Ship O'Hoi you can book charter boats bareboat, with a skipper or fully crewed, where the listing offers it. Start with all boats for rent and filter by type.
What is the fine for driving without a licence in France?
Driving a motorboat that requires a licence without one is a fifth-class offence under article 15 of Décret 2007-1167. The French penal code caps the fine for this class at €1,500, and €3,000 for repeat offences where the rules provide for it. Also read what your charter contract and insurance say about the skipper's qualifications.
| Situation | Licence needed in France? | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Motorboat up to 4.5 kW (6 hp) | No | Ask where you may go |
| Motorboat over 4.5 kW (6 hp) | Yes | French permis or valid home licence |
| Sailboat or sailing catamaran at sea | No | Bareboat: sailing CV, often ICC |
| Skippered or crewed charter | No | Skipper holds the licence |
| Canal hire boat 5 to 15 m | No | Written authorisation from the company |
FAQ
Does the 6 hp limit apply to jet skis too?
The licence rule is based on engine power, and jet skis are far above 4.5 kW. Jet skis also have their own rules on where they may be used, so ask the rental company before you ride.
Can I use my licence on a boat longer than it covers?
No. French rules accept a foreign licence only within its own limits. If your licence covers boats up to a certain length or distance from shore, those limits apply in France too.
Does the 6 hp limit also apply to electric boats?
Yes. The French rule refers to the power of the propulsion system, whatever drives it: above 4.5 kW you need a licence. Rental boats sold as licence-free in France stay at or below that limit.
Is chartering in France different from Spain or Italy?
Each country sets its own licence thresholds. Compare our guides to boat licences in Spain and boat licences in Italy if you are choosing between destinations.
Looking for a boat in France? Browse yacht charter in France, or go straight to Corsica or the French Riviera.
This article is general information, not legal advice. The skipper is responsible for holding the right papers for the boat and the trip, and the charter company has the final word on who may take its boat out.
Where to sail once the paperwork is sorted: see our guide to sailing in France, and before a week in the Mediterranean read the mistral and the local sailing rules.
