What must a rental craft carry in Denmark?
The required safety equipment for a rental SUP, kayak, jet ski, motorboat and sailboat — every line with the section of the act and a link to it. Then what to tell customers at check-out.
Law BEK nr. 765 af 20. juni 2024 (fritidsfartøjer), BEK nr. 766 af 20. juni 2024 (redningsveste), BEK nr. 1083 af 20. november 2009 (søvejsregler)
Authority: Søfartsstyrelsen
Covers every recreational craft under 24 m, and — for lifejackets — jet skis, windsurfers, surf and paddle boards too. Apart from lifejackets there is no itemised list: the skipper must carry what the trip needs (§ 4). In competition and water sports the skipper may follow the sports federation’s equivalent safety rules instead (§ 5 stk. 3).
Read the official text ↗ · Rules checked 15 October 2026
What our research found about rentals and commercial use:
- The recreational-craft order covers craft used for sport or leisure, not commercially. The lifejacket order covers every other craft not already required to carry lifejackets — including jet skis, windsurfers, surf and paddle boards. BEK 765 § 1, § 2 nr. 1; BEK 766 §§ 1–2 · source · Rules checked 15 October 2026
General guidance: the lists below are the equipment rules for recreational craft. Hiring craft out is a business, and some countries add rules for rental or commercial craft, or ask for a permit. Before the season, check with Søfartsstyrelsen or the local harbour master which rules apply to your fleet.
SUP board rental
Worked out for One paddler on a SUP board, no engine, by day.
Required 1
- Buoyancy aid, 50 N (CE)per person
A lifejacket or buoyancy aid of the right size for everyone aboard whenever you are not moored in harbour, SOLAS or EU type-approved and marked with the wheel mark or CE mark. A buoyancy aid (svømmevest) is enough; divers carried aboard may use the buoyancy vest that goes with their diving gear.
BEK 765 § 5, BEK 766 §§ 2–3 · source
Also required if…
Lines that join the list when your rental differs from the one above.
A child aboard1
- Child lifejacket, sized by weight
Children need a vest of the right size; the skipper must make sure each vest’s weight limits and instructions are followed.
BEK 765 § 5 stk. 2 og 6 · source
Tell the customer at check-out
GENERAL GUIDANCE- Fit the buoyancy aid and say whether wearing it is required here (see “Licence, lifejacket and charter rules”).
- Show the leash: coiled ankle leash on flat water, quick-release waist leash on rivers and in current.
- Point out the area they may use, the swimming zones and the boat traffic, on a map.
- Offshore wind: kneel or lie on the board, paddle across the wind towards the nearest shore — not back to base.
- Agree the return time and how you will contact them.
- How to call for help: phone in a waterproof pouch, the rescue number below, stay with the board.
Not a legal requirement — a starting point for your own briefing. Your insurer or local rules may ask for more.
Make a printable briefing card for your dock →Recommended — not required
- Quick-release waist leashMoving water demands a quick-release waist leash — an ankle leash in current is a hazard, not a safety device.
- Coiled ankle leashFlatwater. Your board is your biggest flotation device; stay attached to it.
- Floating waterproof phone pouchFloating, on you, not strapped to the board.
- Drysuit or thick wetsuitCold shock off a paddleboard is the classic early-season incident.
- Whistle on the vestCosts nothing, carries far.
- Personal strobe / vest lightOffshore wind takes you out faster than you can paddle back; dusk arrives sooner than expected.
Good practice for this craft, from the Kit Finder. Kit Finder ↗
Kayak / canoe rental
Worked out for One paddler in a kayak or canoe, no engine, by day.
Required 1
- Buoyancy aid, 50 N (CE)per person
A lifejacket or buoyancy aid of the right size for everyone aboard whenever you are not moored in harbour, SOLAS or EU type-approved and marked with the wheel mark or CE mark. A buoyancy aid (svømmevest) is enough; divers carried aboard may use the buoyancy vest that goes with their diving gear.
BEK 765 § 5, BEK 766 §§ 2–3 · source
Also required if…
Lines that join the list when your rental differs from the one above.
A child aboard1
- Child lifejacket, sized by weight
Children need a vest of the right size; the skipper must make sure each vest’s weight limits and instructions are followed.
BEK 765 § 5 stk. 2 og 6 · source
Tell the customer at check-out
GENERAL GUIDANCE- Fit the buoyancy aid; check the spraydeck release loop is outside and they can pull it.
- Capsize: stay with the kayak, hold on, swim it to shore or wait for help; show the paddle float if you supply one.
- Point out the area, the weirs, current or shipping lanes, and where they may land.
- Groups stay together; the strongest paddler last.
- Agree the return time and how you will contact them.
- How to call for help: phone in a waterproof pouch, the rescue number below.
Not a legal requirement — a starting point for your own briefing. Your insurer or local rules may ask for more.
Make a printable briefing card for your dock →Recommended — not required
- Paddle float + hand pumpWith a hand pump, this is the actual self-rescue kit — practise before you need it.
- SpraydeckA swamped cockpit ends the trip.
- Buoyancy bagsKeeps the boat recoverable after a capsize.
- Handheld VHF, floatingSea kayaking: waterproof handheld, on your person.
- Personal strobe / vest lightYou sit very low. Being seen is the whole problem.
- Drysuit or thick wetsuitYou will be in the water at some point.
Good practice for this craft, from the Kit Finder. Kit Finder ↗
Jet ski / PWC rental
Worked out for A jet ski with a rider and a passenger, by day. Jet skis count as faster than 20 knots.
Required 3
- Buoyancy aid, 50 N (CE)per person
A lifejacket or buoyancy aid of the right size for everyone aboard whenever you are not moored in harbour, SOLAS or EU type-approved and marked with the wheel mark or CE mark. A buoyancy aid (svømmevest) is enough; divers carried aboard may use the buoyancy vest that goes with their diving gear.
BEK 765 § 5, BEK 766 §§ 2–3 · source - Safety equipment suited to the trip (general duty)
Every recreational craft must carry the safety equipment the trip needs, given the season’s weather, the boat’s type, size and use, and the length of the trip. There is no fixed list: you decide.
BEK 765 § 4 · source - Sound signal (horn or other)
Under 12 m: some means of making an efficient sound signal.
BEK 1083/2009, regel 33 (b) · source
Also required if…
Lines that join the list when your rental differs from the one above.
Out after sunset or in poor visibility1
- Navigation lights
Navigation lights from sunset to sunrise and in poor visibility (COLREG). Sailing boats under 7 m and rowing boats may instead have a white torch ready.
BEK 1083/2009, regel 20–25 · source
A child aboard1
- Child lifejacket, sized by weight
Children need a vest of the right size; the skipper must make sure each vest’s weight limits and instructions are followed.
BEK 765 § 5 stk. 2 og 6 · source
Tell the customer at check-out
GENERAL GUIDANCE- Kill cord on the wrist or the vest, every time the engine runs.
- Lifejackets on the rider and the passenger, fastened — check the wearing rule below.
- Show the area, the no-go zones, swimmers and the speed limits near the shore and in harbours (local rules).
- Licence and age: check the renter is allowed to drive it here (see below) before handing over the key.
- Capsize: how to right it (sticker on the hull) and climb back on from the stern.
- Fuel, return time, and how to call for help.
Not a legal requirement — a starting point for your own briefing. Your insurer or local rules may ask for more.
Make a printable briefing card for your dock →Recommended — not required
- Impact / buoyancy vestImpact protection as well as buoyancy — you hit the water hard.
- Kill cord / wireless kill switchWrist lanyard, every single time.
- Floating waterproof phone pouchOn you, not in the hull.
- Whistle on the vestEngine off, voice gone — a whistle carries.
- Drysuit or thick wetsuitImmersion is a matter of when, not if.
Good practice for this craft, from the Kit Finder. Kit Finder ↗
Motorboat rental
Worked out for An open motorboat, 5 m, outboard up to 25 kW (34 hp), CE-marked, up to four adults, by day, no cooker aboard.
Required 3
- Buoyancy aid, 50 N (CE)per person
A lifejacket or buoyancy aid of the right size for everyone aboard whenever you are not moored in harbour, SOLAS or EU type-approved and marked with the wheel mark or CE mark. A buoyancy aid (svømmevest) is enough; divers carried aboard may use the buoyancy vest that goes with their diving gear.
BEK 765 § 5, BEK 766 §§ 2–3 · source - Safety equipment suited to the trip (general duty)
Every recreational craft must carry the safety equipment the trip needs, given the season’s weather, the boat’s type, size and use, and the length of the trip. There is no fixed list: you decide.
BEK 765 § 4 · source - Sound signal (horn or other)
Under 12 m: some means of making an efficient sound signal.
BEK 1083/2009, regel 33 (b) · source
Also required if…
Lines that join the list when your rental differs from the one above.
Out after sunset or in poor visibility1
- Navigation lights
Navigation lights from sunset to sunrise and in poor visibility (COLREG). Sailing boats under 7 m and rowing boats may instead have a white torch ready.
BEK 1083/2009, regel 20–25 · source
A child aboard1
- Child lifejacket, sized by weight
Children need a vest of the right size; the skipper must make sure each vest’s weight limits and instructions are followed.
BEK 765 § 5 stk. 2 og 6 · source
Tell the customer at check-out
GENERAL GUIDANCE- Kill cord on the driver, every time the engine runs.
- Where the lifejackets are, how to put them on — children’s sizes by weight.
- Engine start and stop, fuel, the anchor, and how to come alongside.
- Show the area, the shallows, channels and no-go zones on a chart; propeller near swimmers.
- Weather limits and the return time; lights if they could be out after sunset.
- How to call for help: VHF channel 16 if fitted, the rescue number below.
Not a legal requirement — a starting point for your own briefing. Your insurer or local rules may ask for more.
Make a printable briefing card for your dock →Recommended — not required
- Kill cord / wireless kill switchA planing boat that loses its driver circles back over them. The single highest-value item on a motorboat.
- Lifejacket, 150 N auto-inflateAuto-inflate, so it works whether or not you were conscious when you hit the water.
- Boarding ladder reachable from the waterGetting back aboard alone, from the water, over a high topside — plan for it before you need it.
- Fixed VHF with DSCDSC distress with position, monitored by everyone around you.
- PLB, 406 MHz, registeredFor when you’re beyond VHF range or the set has drowned.
- CO alarmPetrol engines and an enclosed cabin.
Good practice for this craft, from the Kit Finder. Kit Finder ↗
Sailboat rental
Worked out for A sailing yacht, 9 m, with a cabin, an inboard engine and a gas cooker, CE-marked, up to six adults, by day.
Required 3
- Buoyancy aid, 50 N (CE)per person
A lifejacket or buoyancy aid of the right size for everyone aboard whenever you are not moored in harbour, SOLAS or EU type-approved and marked with the wheel mark or CE mark. A buoyancy aid (svømmevest) is enough; divers carried aboard may use the buoyancy vest that goes with their diving gear.
BEK 765 § 5, BEK 766 §§ 2–3 · source - Safety equipment suited to the trip (general duty)
Every recreational craft must carry the safety equipment the trip needs, given the season’s weather, the boat’s type, size and use, and the length of the trip. There is no fixed list: you decide.
BEK 765 § 4 · source - Sound signal (horn or other)
Under 12 m: some means of making an efficient sound signal.
BEK 1083/2009, regel 33 (b) · source
Also required if…
Lines that join the list when your rental differs from the one above.
Out after sunset or in poor visibility1
- Navigation lights
Navigation lights from sunset to sunrise and in poor visibility (COLREG). Sailing boats under 7 m and rowing boats may instead have a white torch ready.
BEK 1083/2009, regel 20–25 · source
A child aboard1
- Child lifejacket, sized by weight
Children need a vest of the right size; the skipper must make sure each vest’s weight limits and instructions are followed.
BEK 765 § 5 stk. 2 og 6 · source
Yacht of 12 m or longer1
- Whistle / fog horn (12 m+)
From 12 m: a whistle meeting COLREG Annex III.
BEK 1083/2009, regel 33 (a) · source
Not CE-marked2
- Fire extinguisher, 2 kg
Only boats outside the EU Recreational Craft Directive with a gas installation fitted from 2017: a hand extinguisher of at least 2 kg in each space with a gas appliance.
BEK 765 § 6, bilag 2 regel 1 og regel 2 nr. 6 · source - Fire blanket
Same boats (installation from 2017, outside the Recreational Craft Directive): a fire blanket at the gas, spirit or paraffin cooker.
BEK 765 § 6, bilag 2 regel 2 nr. 6 og regel 3 nr. 5 · source
Tell the customer at check-out
GENERAL GUIDANCE- Lifejackets and harnesses: where they are, when to wear them, how to clip on.
- Man overboard: who throws the lifebuoy, who points, how to come back under engine.
- Gas cooker: valve shut after use, ventilation; the fire extinguisher and blanket.
- Reefing, the engine, the bilge pump and the anchor.
- Weather limits, the area and the charts; return time and check-in.
- VHF: channel 16, the DSC distress button, and the rescue number below.
Not a legal requirement — a starting point for your own briefing. Your insurer or local rules may ask for more.
Make a printable briefing card for your dock →Recommended — not required
- Lifejacket, 150 N auto-inflateOffshore, a 150 N auto jacket with sprayhood, light, harness point and crotch strap — a 100 N jacket won’t turn an unconscious person in a seaway.
- Jackstays + tethersClipping on is what stops a man-overboard from happening at all.
- AIS-MOB beacon, on the lifejacketOne per crew, on the jacket. It puts a mark on your own plotter — a flare only helps if someone is already looking.
- Fixed VHF with DSCDSC distress at the press of a button, with your position attached.
- EPIRB, 406 MHz, registeredThe alert that doesn’t depend on anyone being within VHF range.
- Radar reflectorBusy shipping lanes — the Gulf of Finland, the Channel, the Strait of Gibraltar — are heavy and fast.
Good practice for this craft, from the Kit Finder. Kit Finder ↗
Licence, lifejacket and charter rules
For renters and skippers, from the authorities’ own texts. Checked 14 October 2026.
Foreign boating certificates are generally accepted only on a boat registered in a country that recognises them. Denmark does not take part in the ICC or RYA schemes. A planing power boat of 4–15 m may need a Danish power boat certificate, depending on engine power.
Danish Maritime Authority (Søfartsstyrelsen) · Danish Maritime Authority (Søfartsstyrelsen) · Danish Maritime Authority (Søfartsstyrelsen)Under the 2024 life-jacket order (BEK 766/2024), every craft not moored in harbour (boats, dinghies, jet skis, windsurfers, surf and paddle boards) must carry a correctly sized life jacket or buoyancy aid for every person on board.
Bekendtgørelse nr. 766 af 20/06/2024 om redningsveste i mindre fartøjer (Retsinformation) · Bekendtgørelse nr. 766 af 20/06/2024 om redningsveste i mindre fartøjer (Retsinformation)A foreign certificate cannot be used to rent a Danish boat that requires a certificate; you need a Danish certificate, for example after assessment by an approved provider.
Danish Maritime Authority (Søfartsstyrelsen)If a rental needs rescue
The maritime rescue centre for Denmark’s waters — put it on your briefing card and in your staff phones.
Where Fleet helps
Fleet doesn’t replace a single item above. It helps your staff keep an eye on every rental once it is out — we are building it with pilot operators for the 2027 season.
Printable checklist for Denmark
A sheet per craft for the waters you rent in: the required kit with the section of the act, what to tell the customer, and a sign-off line for your staff. Print it or save it as a PDF.
Questions operators ask
What safety equipment must a rental SUP board carry in Denmark?
Under BEK nr. 765 af 20. juni 2024 (fritidsfartøjer), BEK nr. 766 af 20. juni 2024 (redningsveste), BEK nr. 1083 af 20. november 2009 (søvejsregler), for the rental we assume (One paddler on a SUP board, no engine, by day): Buoyancy aid, 50 N (CE). Some lines apply only in certain waters, and paid or commercial use can add more — see the page.
What safety equipment must a rental kayak / canoe carry in Denmark?
Under BEK nr. 765 af 20. juni 2024 (fritidsfartøjer), BEK nr. 766 af 20. juni 2024 (redningsveste), BEK nr. 1083 af 20. november 2009 (søvejsregler), for the rental we assume (One paddler in a kayak or canoe, no engine, by day): Buoyancy aid, 50 N (CE). Some lines apply only in certain waters, and paid or commercial use can add more — see the page.
What safety equipment must a rental jet ski / PWC carry in Denmark?
Under BEK nr. 765 af 20. juni 2024 (fritidsfartøjer), BEK nr. 766 af 20. juni 2024 (redningsveste), BEK nr. 1083 af 20. november 2009 (søvejsregler), for the rental we assume (A jet ski with a rider and a passenger, by day. Jet skis count as faster than 20 knots): Buoyancy aid, 50 N (CE), Safety equipment suited to the trip (general duty), and Sound signal (horn or other). Some lines apply only in certain waters, and paid or commercial use can add more — see the page.
What safety equipment must a rental motorboat carry in Denmark?
Under BEK nr. 765 af 20. juni 2024 (fritidsfartøjer), BEK nr. 766 af 20. juni 2024 (redningsveste), BEK nr. 1083 af 20. november 2009 (søvejsregler), for the rental we assume (An open motorboat, 5 m, outboard up to 25 kW (34 hp), CE-marked, up to four adults, by day, no cooker aboard): Buoyancy aid, 50 N (CE), Safety equipment suited to the trip (general duty), and Sound signal (horn or other). Some lines apply only in certain waters, and paid or commercial use can add more — see the page.
What safety equipment must a rental sailboat carry in Denmark?
Under BEK nr. 765 af 20. juni 2024 (fritidsfartøjer), BEK nr. 766 af 20. juni 2024 (redningsveste), BEK nr. 1083 af 20. november 2009 (søvejsregler), for the rental we assume (A sailing yacht, 9 m, with a cabin, an inboard engine and a gas cooker, CE-marked, up to six adults, by day): Buoyancy aid, 50 N (CE), Safety equipment suited to the trip (general duty), and Sound signal (horn or other). Some lines apply only in certain waters, and paid or commercial use can add more — see the page.
Do renters need a licence in Denmark?
Foreign boating certificates are generally accepted only on a boat registered in a country that recognises them. Denmark does not take part in the ICC or RYA schemes. A planing power boat of 4–15 m may need a Danish power boat certificate, depending on engine power.
Is this legal advice?
No. It is a summary of the official texts, with a link to each one, to help you prepare. The operator and the skipper stay responsible for the equipment; when in doubt, the cited act and the national authority win.
A summary to help you prepare, not legal advice. The operator and the skipper stay responsible for the equipment and its condition. Rules change — when in doubt, the cited act wins, and local bylaws, permits or your insurer may ask for more.
Other countries
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