Renting a boat without a licence in Ibiza: the rule changed, so check before you book
Updated October 18, 2026 · 6 min read
Until the end of September 2026 you could hire a small motorboat in Ibiza and drive it yourself without any papers. That is no longer the case, and several listings still carry “no licence” in their titles. The snorkelling trip on your own boat from San Antonio costs €275 per group of up to 5, with 5 stars from 29 reviews. Whether it still works the way the title says is a question for the booking page, not for the summary.
What changed on 1 October 2026
Spain’s Royal Decree 1188/2025 changed article 10 of the rules on recreational boating qualifications. Until 30 September, a motorboat up to 5 metres long with an engine up to 15 hp could be driven without a qualification, in daylight and within two nautical miles of the coast. The old rule did not distinguish between your own boat and a rented one. The new wording keeps the exemption for private use and drops it for rentals: whoever steers a rented boat now needs the matching qualification. Press reports from Ibiza add that rental companies must check and record their customers’ qualifications, and that the authorities may inspect at any time.
We found this in the Ibiza press (La Voz de Ibiza) and in a German boating magazine (yacht.de), not in the decree itself, so treat the details as a summary and confirm them with the operator.
What the “no licence” listings say
Three listings from the island use the wording:
| Tour | Duration | Price | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snorkelling on your own boat from San Antonio, no licence | 4.5 to 8.5 hours | €275, group of up to 5 | 5 ★ · 29 |
| Hidden coves, no-licence boat rental | 4 to 8 hours | €250, group of up to 4 | 4.4 ★ · 38 |
| Captain your own boat to the secret coves | 8 hours | €400, group of up to 3 | 1 ★ · 1 |
None of the summaries mentions the new rule. They may have been written before 1 October, or the operator may have changed the product, for example by putting a skipper on board. We cannot tell which from the listing. Ask before you pay: who is at the helm, what qualification the operator wants to see, and what happens to your booking if you cannot show it.
What still works
- A boat with a skipper. The reports agree that a rented boat with a professional skipper is fine, and a guest who does not steer needs no papers. The private boat along the San Antonio coast is listed at €240 for up to 4 people and 4 hours, 5 stars from 14 reviews. Its title says “licence required”, so read what the operator expects of you.
- A qualification you already hold. Operators decide whether they accept a certificate from your country, so ask before you book. One report mentions a basic navigation licence, up to 6 metres, daylight only, within two nautical miles, and a short course to get it; ask the operator whether they offer it.
- A guided boat trip. Nobody at the helm but the crew. The Es Vedrà boat trip from San Antonio is €25 per person for 3 hours with drinks and snacks, 4.6 stars from 385 reviews.
- A jet ski tour. The one-hour jet ski tour without a licence is €72 per person, 4.6 stars from 303 reviews, and up to two people can share a jet ski. The reports we found describe rented motorboats; a jet ski is a different product, but confirm on the booking page that “no licence” still holds.
What it costs per person
A boat for four at €250 is about €62 each, a boat for five at €275 is €55 each. A guided boat trip to Es Vedrà is €25 each. The own-boat days are longer and give you your own coves, but the listings do not say whether fuel, deposit or the excess are included. Those are the lines to read on the booking page.
When the own-boat idea is a poor one
Skip it if you plan to drink during the day, if you have never steered a boat, or if the wind is up on the west coast. Skip it too if nobody in the group wants the job: the driver spends the day watching the water, not swimming. For a day without that responsibility, the boat trips page lists guided trips from €14, and the private charter page lists boats with a crew. Jet ski tours are on the jet ski page. If Es Vedrà is what you want to see, the article on Es Vedrà at sunset compares the ways of getting there.
Our choice
For most people: the Es Vedrà boat trip from San Antonio at €25, because it needs no qualification, costs the least and has 385 reviews. If you want to be the captain, book only after the operator has confirmed in writing what you need to show at the pier.
