Boat hire rules in Australian Capital Territory
10 rules for hire businesses in Australian Capital Territory, from 2 official sources — on top of the rules that apply everywhere in Australia.
Rules in Australian Capital Territory
Does the hirer need a licence?
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On lakes covered by the ACT Lakes Act, a person may drive a power boat without a licence only if it is not a jet ski, it is kept under 10 knots and any Ministerial conditions are met. Anyone going faster needs a State or Commonwealth boat licence, or a written Ministerial authorisation.
Show the official wording
“A person may operate a power boat on a lake if— (a) the power boat is not a personal watercraft; and (b) the power boat is operated at a speed of less than 10 knots; and (c) the person complies with any condition determined by the Minister.”
Jet skis (PWC)
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Jet skis cannot use the licence-free under-10-knot rule. A jet ski may only be driven by someone with a State or Commonwealth licence that covers it, or under a written Ministerial authorisation.
Show the official wording
“personal watercraft means a power boat that— (a) has a fully enclosed hull; and (b) does not retain water that is taken on if it capsizes; and (c) is designed to be operated by a person lying, standing, sitting astride, or kneeling on the boat but not seated within the boat.”
Kayaks, canoes and SUPs
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On lakes covered by the ACT Lakes Act, everyone on a boat under 4.8 metres must wear an appropriate lifejacket, and the person operating it commits an offence if anyone on board is not wearing one. For this rule s. 43 defines a 'recreational boat' as any boat under 4.8 m except kiteboards and paddleboards, so treat it as applying to your hire canoes, kayaks, rowboats and pedal boats.
Show the official wording
“A person commits an offence if— (a) the person is on a recreational boat or off-the-shore boat on a lake; and (b) the person is not wearing an appropriate lifejacket.”
Permits and licences for the business
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Hiring out boats or offering them for hire in a Lake Burley Griffin lake area is a 'commercial activity'. It is an offence unless you have a written agreement with the Minister (managed by the NCA) or a regulated activity permit.
Show the official wording
“A person commits an offence of strict liability if: (a) the person undertakes a commercial activity in a lake area; and (b) the activity is not: (i) undertaken in accordance with an agreement under section 35; or … (ii) authorised by a regulated activity permit.”
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On lakes covered by the ACT Lakes Act, 'letting, or offering to let, on hire ... boats' is a commercial activity and needs an agreement with the ACT Minister. An NCA agreement under the Ordinance also counts for Lake Burley Griffin, Kingston Harbour and Molonglo Reach.
Show the official wording
“A person commits an offence if— (a) the person undertakes a commercial activity in a lake area; and (b) the activity is not undertaken in accordance with an agreement under section 35.”
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On Lake Burley Griffin every power boat, including electric boats, needs an authorisation from the Minister. As the owner, you commit an offence if you let a hirer drive a power boat that is not authorised. Domestic commercial vessels need their own authorisation application.
Show the official wording
“A person commits an offence of strict liability if: (a) the person is the owner of a power boat; and (b) the person causes or allows someone else to operate the power boat on a lake; and (c) the person is not authorised to operate the power boat on the lake under section 27.”
Local rules and by-laws
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Towing anyone (water skiing, parasailing) and wakeboarding or wakesurfing are offences on Lake Burley Griffin unless a regulated activity permit allows it. Do not offer tow sports with hire boats.
Show the official wording
“A person commits an offence of strict liability if: (a) the person operates a boat on a lake; and (b) another person is: (i) being towed by the boat on or over the lake (including waterskiing or parasailing from the boat); or (ii) wakeboarding or wakesurfing from the boat (including doing so without a rope).”
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Using a boat as a houseboat or a place to live is banned on Canberra's lakes, so houseboat hire is not possible there.
Show the official wording
“A person must not use a boat as a houseboat or place of living in a lake area.”
Reporting accidents
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After a boating accident, the master, or you as owner if you know about it, must report it to the Minister as soon as practicable. The report must give the time, place and nature of the accident, the boats involved, the people involved and witnesses, and the injury or damage. The exemption for minor accidents covers only recreational boats, and the Ordinance defines recreational boats as excluding domestic commercial vessels.
Show the official wording
“If a boat is involved in a boating accident, a report containing the particulars of the accident listed in subsection (5) must be given to the Minister as soon as practicable after the accident by: (a) the master of the boat; or (b) the owner of the boat if the owner is aware of the accident.”
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On territory lakes the same duty applies under the Lakes Act. The master, and the owner if aware, must report a boating accident to the ACT Minister as soon as practicable.
Show the official wording
“As soon as practicable after a boating accident, the master of a boat involved in the accident (and the owner of the boat if aware of the accident) must give a report to the Minister containing particulars of the boating accident.”
The national rules still apply
Everything on the Australia page applies here too: 31 rules · checked 18 October 2026
All national rules for AustraliaIn an emergency
Triple Zero (000) or VHF channel 16. VesselSOS is not a rescue service — teach your hirers to call for help the official way.
VHF channel 16
ACT Water Police (AFP ACT Policing, Yarralumla Bay)
Not confirmed yet
What we looked for and could not confirm from an official source. Ask the authority before you assume anything here.
Which Canberra lakes besides Lake Burley Griffin, Kingston Harbour and Molonglo Reach are declared under the Lakes Act (for example Lake Ginninderra and Lake Tuggeranong), and any ACT Government conditions on licence-free power boats under 10 knots.
The National Capital Authority's current permit categories and conditions for commercial hire boats on Lake Burley Griffin.
Whether the Lake Burley Griffin Ordinance's lifejacket and safety equipment rules apply to hire craft. They are written for 'recreational boats', which the Ordinance defines as excluding domestic commercial vessels.
Minimum age for hirers on Canberra lakes. We found no ACT or NCA rule setting one.
Official bodies
Who makes and enforces these rules.
- National Capital Authority (NCA)Lake Burley Griffin on national land: commercial activity agreements, power boat authorisations, lake rulesnca.gov.au ↗
- ACT Government (Minister administering the Lakes Act 1976)territory lakes, Kingston Harbour and Molonglo Reach: commercial activity agreements, power boat ruleslegislation.act.gov.au ↗
- Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA)national regulator for domestic commercial vesselsamsa.gov.au ↗
Questions operators ask
Does a hirer need a boat licence in Australian Capital Territory?
On lakes covered by the ACT Lakes Act, a person may drive a power boat without a licence only if it is not a jet ski, it is kept under 10 knots and any Ministerial conditions are met. Anyone going faster needs a State or Commonwealth boat licence, or a written Ministerial authorisation. Source: legislation.act.gov.au, checked 18 October 2026.
What are the rules for jet ski hire in Australian Capital Territory?
Jet skis cannot use the licence-free under-10-knot rule. A jet ski may only be driven by someone with a State or Commonwealth licence that covers it, or under a written Ministerial authorisation. Source: legislation.act.gov.au, checked 18 October 2026.
Do I need a permit to hire out boats in Australian Capital Territory?
Hiring out boats or offering them for hire in a Lake Burley Griffin lake area is a 'commercial activity'. It is an offence unless you have a written agreement with the Minister (managed by the NCA) or a regulated activity permit. Source: legislation.act.gov.au, checked 18 October 2026.
For your hirers
Free safety pages on VesselSOS for the people who take your craft out — link them from your booking confirmation.
Boating rules in Australian Capital Territory (for your hirers) Boat licence rules by stateJet ski licence by stateLifejacket rules by stateHow to call for help at seaTrip planFree tools for hire operators
Print a safety briefing card, a hire agreement template or a dock poster. Free, in your browser.
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