Guide
Boat hire in Menorca without a licence in 2027: what changed
Updated on
What changed
Royal Decree 1188/2025 of 26 December amends article 10 of Royal Decree 875/2014, the Spanish regulation on recreational boating qualifications. Article 10 lists the cases where no qualification is needed, and the change came into force on 1 October 2026.
Under the new wording, article 10.1.a only allows you to skipper without a qualification for the private use of recreational motorboats up to 5 metres long with a maximum rated power of 15 hp.
The preamble is explicit: when these boats are rented, the person hiring them must hold the relevant qualification. The reason given is the high number of incidents and accidents in this activity.
For the private use that is still allowed, the same article keeps the limits: no more than 2 nautical miles from the port, marina or beach you left from, daylight only, and you must be 18 or over.
What it means for your holiday in Menorca
From the 2027 season, the small “no licence” boat that used to be rented by the hour or the day can no longer be hired by someone without a qualification. The rule is national, so it applies in Menorca exactly as in the rest of Spain.
You will still find “no licence” offers online. Almost everything published predates the change. Before you book, ask the rental company which qualification they will need to see for that boat.
Option 1: hire with a skipper
Without a qualification, the simplest route is to hire the boat with a skipper. The skipper is the one at the helm and holds the licence, so you do not need one.
It has a practical upside too: a skipper knows the area and can judge whether a cove works that day given the wind and the sea. On this site you can see in advance which way each cove faces and which winds it is sheltered from, on the wind and port map.
Option 2: get the navigation licence
The navigation licence (licencia de navegación) is the simplest qualification. It is set out in article 11 of Royal Decree 875/2014:
- It is issued by recreational sailing schools and by the sailing and powerboat federations.
- It covers recreational boats up to 6 metres long, with an engine suited to the boat according to the manufacturer.
- Daylight only, and no further than 2 nautical miles in any direction from a port, marina or sheltered spot.
- You must be 18, or 16 with written consent from your parents or guardians (article 13).
Training has a theory part and a practical part. According to the annexes of the decree, that is two hours of theory and at least four hours of safety and navigation practice.
If you already hold a qualification
Skipper qualifications widen what you can handle and how far you can go. These are the basic powerboat entitlements under article 8 of Royal Decree 875/2014:
| Qualification | Maximum length (motor) | How far |
|---|---|---|
| None (private use only, not hire) | 5 m and 15 hp | 2 miles from where you set off, daylight |
| Navigation licence | 6 m | 2 miles from a port, marina or sheltered spot, daylight |
| Patrón para navegación básica (PNB) | 8 m | 5 miles from a port, marina or sheltered spot |
| Patrón de embarcaciones de recreo (PER) | 15 m | 12 miles from the coast and between the Balearic Islands |
If your qualification is from another country, ask the rental company whether they accept it for the boat you want.
The 2 mile limit in practice
The navigation licence lets you go up to 2 miles from any port, marina or sheltered spot. The rule says nothing about the length of your route, and the rental company sets the area each boat may use.
That is why our cove pages do not tell you “which licence you need” to get there. We give you the distance by sea from each port and a rough time at 15 knots, so you can check with the company before you go. Start with the list of coves or the departure ports.
Sources
- Royal Decree 1188/2025 of 26 December (BOE-A-2025-27010), fourth article and preamble. In Spanish.
- Royal Decree 875/2014 of 10 October, consolidated text (BOE-A-2014-10344), articles 8, 10, 11 and 13 and annexes II and III. In Spanish.
- Checked in the BOE (Spain’s official gazette) on 23 October 2026.
For guidance only. This does not replace the regulations, the Harbour Master (Capitanía Marítima) or the instructions of your rental company. Always check the forecast before heading out.