Yachts in Spain: licences, charter, buying and taxes in 2026

To skipper a boat in Spain you need a Spanish licence or a licence from a country Spain recognises. Russian licences are not on that list. From 1 October 2026 the rules get stricter: a small motorboat without a licence may only be used privately, so renting one will require at least the basic Licencia de navegación. This guide covers how to charter a yacht and what to check in the contract, which licence fits which boat, how to get one, which taxes apply when you buy, own and sell, and whether you can move to Spain with your own yacht.

Chartering a yacht in Spain

There are two ways to charter. With crew, a company skipper is in command and you need no licence. Without crew, you skipper yourself and need a licence matching the boat and the route, either Spanish or recognised by Spain. The table below shows which licence covers which boat. A Russian citizen without a Spanish licence can only charter with a skipper.

From 1 October 2026 a licence is also required to rent the small boats that used to be rented without one: at least the Licencia de navegación.

The most searched charter destinations are Barcelona, Mallorca, Ibiza, Alicante, Valencia, Torrevieja, Benidorm and Marbella. The rules are the same everywhere, only the routes differ: from Mallorca and Ibiza people sail between the islands, which a PER covers, while the crossing from the mainland to the Balearics needs a PER with extra training or a Patrón de yate.

What to check in a charter contract:

• The boat is registered for commercial use (list 6) or temporarily switched to charter by the owner of a private yacht.
• Which licence the boat and route require and whether the company accepts yours.
• Third-party liability insurance and personal accident cover for everyone on board.
• Who pays for fuel, berths in other ports and the deposit.
• The sailing area in the contract matches what your licence allows.

Do you need a boat licence in Spain

Almost always. Spanish recreational boating licences are set by Royal Decree 875/2014. There are five of them, and each limits the length of the boat and the distance from the coast. The licencia, PNB and PER can be obtained directly. Patrón de yate is available only to PER holders, and Capitán de yate only to Patrón de yate holders.

These are the basic motorboat entitlements. Sailing is added through extra practical training on the same terms. With extra training, the PER covers motor and sail boats up to 24 m within 12 miles and the crossing from the mainland to the Balearic Islands.

When you can go without a licence and what changes on 1 October 2026

Until 30 September 2026 you may operate without a licence a motorboat up to 5 m with up to 11.26 kW, a sailing boat up to 6 m, and inflatable or beach craft other than jet skis. Conditions: daytime only, within 2 miles of the coast, from age 18. The old wording did not restrict rentals, so beaches rented such boats to tourists with no licence.

From 1 October 2026 Royal Decree 1188/2025 applies. A motorboat up to 5 m and 15 hp may be used without a licence only privately, and a sailing boat up to 6 m only for sport. The preamble states plainly that a person renting such a boat now needs a licence, citing the number of accidents. To rent a small boat you will need at least the Licencia de navegación.

Are foreign licences valid in Spain

Spain recognises licences from your country of nationality or residence if that country is in the European Economic Area or in Annex IX of Decree 875/2014. Annex IX lists eight countries: Andorra, Argentina, Canada, Chile, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Uruguay and Venezuela. British RYA qualifications, including the International Certificate of Competence, are covered. Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Ukraine are not on the list. If the licence was issued by your country of residence, you must prove you lived there when it was issued.

This rule applies when you skipper a Spanish-flagged boat or charter a Spanish boat without crew. A foreign-flagged boat works differently. You need a licence under the law of your nationality if it matches the flag. If it does not, the law of your country of residence applies. For a Spanish resident on a foreign-flagged boat, that means a Spanish licence.

A professional seafarer’s certificate under the STCW Convention also allows you to skipper a recreational boat. Everyone else who lives in Spain or sails here often will find a Spanish PER the simplest option.

How to get a boat licence in Spain

The path is the same for all licences: a medical check, a theory exam, compulsory practical training and a radio course at an accredited nautical school.

1. Medical check. Done at a driver assessment centre (Centro de Reconocimiento de Conductores, CRC), as for a driving licence. The certificate is valid for two years.
2. Theory exam. Held by the Directorate General of the Merchant Navy or by the autonomous community if the power has been transferred to it.
3. Practical training at a school. Minimum hours under Annex III: licencia 4 hours, PNB 8 hours, PER 16 hours, Patrón de yate and Capitán de yate 48 hours each, of which 36 on a passage.
4. Radio. PNB course 4 hours, short-range radio operator 12 hours, long-range 16 hours.
5. The licence is issued after the exam and confirmation of the training.

Licences are issued from age 18. The licencia and the PNB can be obtained from 16 with written parental consent. The licencia has no state exam: a nautical school or a sailing and motorboating federation issues it after theory, practical training and the medical check.

Can you charter out your own yacht

A private yacht is registered on list 7, a commercial one on list 6. From 1 October 2026 the owner of a private yacht may switch it to charter temporarily without re-registration, for no more than three consecutive months per calendar year and with a separate sailing authorisation. Conditions:

• the yacht is on list 7 and all certificates are valid;
• for the charter period it passes the same inspections as list 6;
• in addition to compulsory liability insurance there is personal accident cover for everyone on board;
• the charter is managed by a nautical charter company, which files the application; if there is no company, the charterer hires the crew;
• the owner and related persons do not work on board during that period, except permanent professional crew;
• jet skis cannot be chartered this way.

A foreign-flagged yacht chartered in Spain needs express authorisation for its first departure.

Buying a yacht in Spain: taxes and registration

When you buy, you pay a transaction tax, and when a boat longer than 8 m is first registered, the special registration tax (IEDMT) as well. Length is measured as defined in Royal Decree 544/2007 as worded on 30 June 2007.

How the registration tax is calculated

• New boat: on the same amount used as the VAT base on purchase.
• Used boat: on market value at the date of registration. You can use the average prices approved by the Ministry of Finance, and then the tax agency will not reassess the value by other methods.
• Procedure: the owner calculates and pays the tax, and the tax agency stamps the return before registration. A boat cannot be registered without proof of payment or exemption.

Who is exempt from the registration tax

• Boats used exclusively for charter, of any length. The exemption does not apply if the owner or a related person gets the right to use that boat or another boat of the charter operator.
• Boats of nautical schools recognised by the Directorate General of the Merchant Navy, used only for teaching.
• Rowing boats and Olympic-class sailing boats.
• Boats brought in when moving your residence, subject to the conditions in the section below.

Registering in the Canary Islands, Ceuta or Melilla

Rates there are lower, but if the boat is later moved permanently to the mainland or the Balearics, extra tax is due:

• From the Canaries: if moved within the first year after registration, you pay the difference between the Canary rate and the rate of the destination region on the boat’s value at the time of the move.
• From Ceuta and Melilla: if imported in the first year, the regional rate applies in full; in the second year with a coefficient of 0.67; in the third and fourth years with 0.42, on the boat’s customs value.
• No extra tax is due if the owner moves their permanent residence there and meets the legal conditions.

After purchase the boat is registered: a private one on list 7, a commercial one on list 6. CE-marked boats up to 12 m follow a simplified procedure. You receive a registration certificate and a navigation permit.

Third-party liability insurance is compulsory for the owner and for anyone skippering the boat with the owner’s permission in Spanish waters. Minimum limits under Decree 607/1999:

• personal injury: €120,202.42 per victim and up to €240,404.84 per incident;
• property damage: €96,161.94 per incident.

Boat prices, marina berths and maintenance vary widely by port and season, and there are no official statistics on them. Compare offers from several marinas and brokers before you buy.

Taxes on owning, selling and inheriting a yacht

• Wealth tax. A yacht is included in taxable wealth at market value on 31 December; Ministry of Finance tables can be used for valuation. The tax is due if net wealth exceeds the exempt minimum: €700,000 under state law or the regional minimum. More on wealth tax and the tax on large fortunes in our guide to luxury property in Spain.
• Selling. If a private individual sells the yacht, the buyer pays transfer tax on market value, or on the contract price if it is higher. A resident seller’s profit is taxed under income tax as a capital gain.
• Inheritance and gifts. A yacht is subject to inheritance and gift tax together with other assets, and for children, spouses and parents most regions grant reliefs of 99–100%. More in our guide to inheritance and gift tax in Spain.

Moving to Spain with your own yacht

A boat longer than 8 m used in Spain without Spanish registration becomes liable to registration tax if registration is not requested within 30 days of starting to use it. When you move your residence to Spain the deadline is 60 days, and you may avoid the tax altogether. The exemption applies only if all conditions are met:

• before moving you lived outside Spain for at least 12 consecutive months;
• the boat was bought or imported with normal taxes paid in your previous country, with no refund on export;
• you used it there for at least 6 months before leaving;
• you requested registration within 60 days;
• you do not sell the boat for 12 months after registration.

The exemption is claimed by application to the tax agency. If you are also choosing an island or coast to live on, see our guides to moving to Mallorca, moving to Ibiza, moving to Tenerife, moving to Marbella and moving to Malaga.

EU sanctions and Russian citizens

EU Regulation 833/2014 (Article 3h) prohibits selling, supplying or transferring luxury goods listed in Annex XVIII to any person in Russia or for use in Russia. The annex includes vessels for the transport of persons worth more than €50,000 each. The ban applies within the EU and to EU nationals and companies anywhere, and taking part in circumvention is also prohibited.

Article 3h does not restrict a person who lives in Spain from buying a yacht and using it in Spain. Sellers and banks do, however, check where the boat is going and who is behind the purchase, and may refuse the deal. Prepare proof of residence and source of funds in advance.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a licence to charter a yacht in Spain?

Not if a company skipper is in command. If you skipper yourself, you need a Spanish licence or a licence from an EEA country or a country in Annex IX of Decree 875/2014 that matches the boat length and route.

Are Russian boat licences valid in Spain?

No. Russia is neither in the EEA nor in Annex IX. A Russian citizen can charter with a skipper or obtain a Spanish licence.

Can I rent a boat without a licence from 1 October 2026?

No. From that date a motorboat up to 5 m and 15 hp may be used without a licence only privately. Renting one requires at least the Licencia de navegación.

Which licence do I need to sail to the Balearic Islands?

The PER allows sailing between the islands of the archipelago. To cross from the mainland to the Balearics, the PER needs extra practical training; otherwise a Patrón de yate is required.

How many hours of practical training does the PER require?

At least 16 hours of practical training at a nautical school plus a radio course. You also need a medical check at a driver assessment centre and a theory exam.

What tax do I pay when buying a yacht in Spain?

From a dealer, 21% VAT; from a private seller, transfer tax at the regional rate, 4% by default. On first registration of a boat longer than 8 m, registration tax of 12% applies, 11% in the Canaries.

Can I avoid registration tax when moving to Spain with my yacht?

Yes, if you lived outside Spain for 12 months, paid normal taxes in your previous country, used the boat there for at least 6 months, requested registration within 60 days and do not sell the boat for 12 months.

From what length does a yacht pay registration tax?

Boats longer than 8 m, on first registration in Spain, new or used. Jet skis are taxed at any length. Boats used only for charter, nautical school boats, rowing boats and Olympic-class sailing boats are exempt.

Is it worth registering a yacht in the Canary Islands?

The rate there is 11% instead of 12%, but if the boat is moved permanently to the mainland or the Balearics within the first year after registration, the difference must be paid. It is not due if the owner moves their permanent residence there and meets the legal conditions.

How many months a year can a private yacht be chartered out?

From 1 October 2026, no more than three consecutive months per calendar year, through a nautical charter company, with personal accident cover for everyone on board and without the owner working on board.

Sources

• Royal Decree 875/2014 on recreational boating licences
• Royal Decree 1188/2025: changes from 1 October 2026
• Law 38/1992 on excise duties, registration tax
• Law 19/1991 on wealth tax, Article 18
• Royal Legislative Decree 1/1993, transfer tax
• Royal Decree 607/1999 on compulsory insurance
• Royal Decree 1435/2010 on registration of recreational boats
• EU Regulation 833/2014, Article 3h and Annex XVIII