How boat owners in Spain can now rent out their vessels to tourists

The Spanish government is set to deregulate the country's boat rental industry by allowing people to rent out their private boats to others for recreational use.

The new rule has already been published on July 23rd 2025, but it will be on August 15th when it comes into effect.

It will now allow private boat owners to temporarily let to a charter management companies rent it out for them, for commercial use for up to three consecutive months per year.

This means that holidaymakers can now rent private vessels, just like they can private homes, not only ones owned by tourism companies.

In order to be rented out, the boat must be managed by a company whose specific purpose is chartering activities with a proper contract. It cannot just be rented out between the owner and a private client. During this time, boats may not be used for any purpose other than renting out.

Boats must have all necessary technical certificates and must undergo a special inspection regime.

Owners will also need additional accident insurance as it will be mandatory to cover all persons on board against injury or similar.

Once officially registered and in the hands of the management company, the vessel must have the letters "CT" before its registration, visible on both sides, as a sign of its temporary rental status.

Neither the owner nor any person associated with the vessel may perform any duties on board during the lease period, except for professional crew.

The request for change of use from private to rented out must be processed by the management company through the Ministry of Transport's website and will be valid for a maximum of five years, provided the conditions do not change and the management contract is not terminated.

According to the Ministry of Transport, the measure seeks to ensure that private boat rentals are carried out with guarantees for maritime safety and marine pollution prevention.

Although this provides a way for boat owners to earn more money, not everyone is happy about the new law. The regional government of the Balearic Islands is firmly against the move saying that it "threatens coexistence" between tourists and residents and undermines efforts to achieve a sustainable tourism model.

They believe it increases pressure on an already saturated coastline and goes against the nautical sustainability model it wants to implement on the archipelago.

"This represents a setback in the measures being implemented and directly affects the islands' carrying capacity," said Tourism Minister José Marcial Rodríguez.

As a result of the backlash, Madrid has decided to exclude the Balearics from the new legislation.

Small boat rental businesses have also voiced their fears that there will be a wave of unfair competition from "pirates" who won't need to meet the same requirements or assume the same costs as professional charter companies.

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