Boat hire rules in New South Wales
12 rules for hire businesses in New South Wales, from 5 official sources — on top of the rules that apply everywhere in Australia.
Rules in New South Wales
Briefing and checklist before each hire
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Give every hirer safety instructions before they go out. Depending on the vessel, Transport for NSW expects these to cover: safety equipment and how to use it, lifejacket rules, the operating controls, navigation equipment, what to do in an emergency, charts and safe navigation, pre-departure checks and planning, and passenger and load capacity.
Show the official wording
“When you hire a vessel, the hire company must give you safety instructions before you go out on the water. Depending on the size and type of vessel, this can include information about: safety equipment and how to use it lifejacket rules operating controls navigation equipment what to do in an emergency charts and safe navigation pre-departure checks and planning passenger and load capacity.”
Does the hirer need a licence?
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Your hirer needs a NSW boat licence (or an accepted equivalent) to drive a powerboat, or a sailing boat under engine, at 10 knots or more.
Show the official wording
“You must have a boat licence to drive a powerboat or a sailing boat using its engine at a speed of 10 knots or more.”
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Staff who hold an AMSA certificate of competency as a master, mate or coxswain don't need a NSW boat or PWC licence.
Show the official wording
“You do not need a boat or PWC licence if you hold a certificate of competency as a master, mate or coxswain.”
Age limits
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To hire and drive a jet ski in NSW, your hirer must hold a PWC licence and be 16 or older. The only exception is an approved supervised tour (see below).
Show the official wording
“To hire and drive a PWC you must have a PWC licence and be aged 16 or over. There are some licensing exemptions – see Personal watercraft hire and drive tours.”
Jet skis (PWC)
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Transport for NSW's applicant guide allows at most six hire jet skis per tour. You need at least one tour guide for one or two participants, and two guides for three to six participants.
Show the official wording
“For PWC tour operations – A maximum of six hire and drive PWCs per tour accompanied by a minimum of one tour guide for up to two participants (i.e. 1:2 – 2:2) and two tour guides for any number of participants exceeding this (i.e. 2:3 – 2:6).”
Survey and commercial vessel rules
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Transport for NSW says hire-and-drive vessels (powerboats and sailing boats up to 24 m, houseboats, and PWC designed to carry 2 or more people) must have an AMSA certificate of operation before they can be offered for hire.
Show the official wording
“To be available for hire, these vessels must have a certificate of operation. This makes sure they are operating at a suitable standard and the company follows appropriate and consistent procedures.”
Permits and licences for the business
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You may run supervised jet ski hire-and-drive tours for riders without a licence only if Transport for NSW Maritime approves your application. Approval is given as an exemption from the Marine Safety Regulation, with a Direction Notice you must comply with. You need TfNSW's preliminary advice on your concept and area before you apply. Nobody has a right to an exemption.
Show the official wording
“Following a successful trial of this type of business model in the Hawkesbury River, Maritime will enable businesses to conduct supervised personal watercraft (PWC) hire and drive tour operations on NSW waterways, when approved via application. Initially, approvals will be given by issuing exemptions to the Marine Safety Regulation and requiring compliance with a Direction Notice.”
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A tour application must show: your AMSA approvals and documents, landowner consent for any land base, stakeholder consultation, council consultation and support (or development consent), other relevant approvals, and evidence of appropriate business insurance.
Show the official wording
“That Australian Maritime Safety Authority approvals and documentation for the proposed operation are provided … There is evidence of appropriate business insurances.”
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Transport for NSW is trialling supervised hire-and-drive tours in Class 4E (smooth-water) boats other than jet skis, on similar terms to the PWC tours. Approval is needed.
Show the official wording
“Transport for NSW Maritime (NSW Maritime) has amended the interim hire and drive policy to enable a trial of supervised hire and drive tour operations, which are conducted from class 4E vessels other than PWCs.”
Local rules and by-laws
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Transport for NSW won't consider tours on Sydney Harbour, or in other areas closed to PWC or powered vessels. Areas with coastal bar crossings, open waters, heavy traffic, many hazards or poor emergency access (including mobile blackspots) are likely to be judged unsuitable.
Show the official wording
“Areas where tours will not be considered include: Sydney Harbour Other areas currently closed to the operation of PWC or powered vessels.”
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Jet skis must not be driven anywhere on Port Jackson (Sydney Harbour), including the Parramatta River, Middle Harbour and Lane Cove River, unless exempt. Keep your hire cruising areas outside this zone.
Show the official wording
“You must not drive a PWC anywhere on Port Jackson (Sydney Harbour). This includes its tidal bays, rivers and tributaries, Parramatta River, Middle Harbour and Lane Cove River.”
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In NSW PWC restriction zones (e.g. Botany Bay, Port Hacking, Georges River, Hawkesbury River, Broken Bay, Brisbane Water, Narrabeen Lakes, Nepean River), jet skis must travel generally in a straight line within 200 m of the shore. No circling, weaving or jumping waves or wash. Include this in your hirer briefing.
Show the official wording
“In restriction zones, PWC must not be used for 'irregular driving' within 200m of a river bank or shore. This means they must be operated generally in a straight line within 200m of the shoreline.”
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 (27 MHz channel 88 is still listed by Transport for NSW)
JRCC Australia (AMSA) 1800 641 792; Marine Rescue NSW (volunteer) on VHF channel 16
Not confirmed yet
What we looked for and could not confirm from an official source. Ask the authority before you assume anything here.
The rules above come from Transport for NSW guidance pages; we have not yet quoted the Marine Safety Regulation 2016 (NSW) itself.
Transport for NSW said a remade Marine Safety Regulation, with a new Waterway Business Licence framework for commercial water-based operations, would be introduced by September 2026. We have not confirmed whether it has commenced or what it requires of hire businesses.
The supervised PWC tour applicant guide (Dec 2022) says approvals could be given up until 31 August 2026. We have not confirmed whether new tour approvals, and the six-PWC and guide-ratio limits, still apply after that date.
We have not confirmed whether hire vessels operating under AMSA certificates also need NSW registration.
We found no NSW rule setting a minimum hirer age for boats driven under 10 knots. Hire companies set their own age, competency and medical requirements, as required by the national rules.
Official bodies
Who makes and enforces these rules.
- Transport for NSW (NSW Maritime)boat and PWC licences, NSW waterway rules and PWC zones, approvals for supervised hire-and-drive toursnsw.gov.au ↗
- Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA)certificates of operation, survey and safety management systems for hire-and-drive vessels (national file)amsa.gov.au ↗
- Marine Rescue NSWvolunteer marine rescue, radio and app log-onmarinerescuensw.com.au ↗
Questions operators ask
Does a hirer need a boat licence in New South Wales?
Your hirer needs a NSW boat licence (or an accepted equivalent) to drive a powerboat, or a sailing boat under engine, at 10 knots or more. Source: nsw.gov.au, checked 18 October 2026.
Do I have to brief hirers before a hire in New South Wales?
Give every hirer safety instructions before they go out. Depending on the vessel, Transport for NSW expects these to cover: safety equipment and how to use it, lifejacket rules, the operating controls, navigation equipment, what to do in an emergency, charts and safe navigation, pre-departure checks and planning, and passenger and load capacity. Source: nsw.gov.au, checked 18 October 2026.
What are the rules for jet ski hire in New South Wales?
Transport for NSW's applicant guide allows at most six hire jet skis per tour. You need at least one tour guide for one or two participants, and two guides for three to six participants. Source: nsw.gov.au, checked 18 October 2026.
Is a hire boat a commercial vessel in New South Wales?
Transport for NSW says hire-and-drive vessels (powerboats and sailing boats up to 24 m, houseboats, and PWC designed to carry 2 or more people) must have an AMSA certificate of operation before they can be offered for hire. Source: nsw.gov.au, checked 18 October 2026.
Do I need a permit to hire out boats in New South Wales?
You may run supervised jet ski hire-and-drive tours for riders without a licence only if Transport for NSW Maritime approves your application. Approval is given as an exemption from the Marine Safety Regulation, with a Direction Notice you must comply with. You need TfNSW's preliminary advice on your concept and area before you apply. Nobody has a right to an exemption. Source: nsw.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 New South Wales (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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