What must a rental craft carry in Netherlands?
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 Binnenvaartpolitiereglement (BWBR0003628); Besluit toepassingverklaring COLREG (BWBR0004644); Scheepvaartreglement territoriale zee (BWBR0007914)
Authority: Ministerie van Infrastructuur en Waterstaat / Rijkswaterstaat
The Netherlands has no general equipment list for recreational craft. Only a fast motorboat — a craft under 20 m that can go faster than 20 km/h under power, jet skis included — must be registered and carry a lifejacket for everyone, an extinguisher and a kill switch on waters under the Inland Navigation Police Regulations (BPR). Otherwise mainly lights and sound signals (the BPR inland, COLREG at sea), plus a name on the hull and, on some busy waterways, a radar reflector in poor visibility. The Rhine, Waal and Lek, the Westerschelde and the Ems estuary have their own regulations, not covered here.
Dutch law asks little of most recreational boats: apart from fast motorboats and jet skis, it mainly sets lights, sound signals and markings. For everything else Rijkswaterstaat and the KNRM give advice only.
Read the official text ↗ · 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 Ministerie van Infrastructuur en Waterstaat / Rijkswaterstaat 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 0
No statutory equipment for this craft in the waters checked.
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.
- Buoyancy aid, 50 N (CE)A belt-pack inflatable is unobtrusive enough that people actually wear 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.
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
- Radar reflectorOnly: Inland (BPR)
Only on the busy waterways listed in BPR annex 15 b — among them the Noordzeekanaal and the IJ, the Rotterdam port waterways, the Noord and Oude Maas, the Merwedes, the Hollandsch Diep, the Volkerak, the Oosterschelde, the Amsterdam-Rijnkanaal, the channels from the sea to the Wadden harbours and the harbours on the Westerschelde: every small craft under way or at anchor in poor visibility carries a working radar reflector.
BPR art. 9.04 lid 6, bijlage 15 onder 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 lightsOnly: Inland (BPR)
At night and in poor visibility, small craft propelled by muscle power (canoe, kayak, rowing boat) show an all-round white light.
BPR art. 3.13 lid 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
- Buoyancy aid, 50 N (CE)Worn the whole time. A buoyancy aid in the day hatch has saved nobody.
- 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.
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 7
- Buoyancy aid, 50 N (CE)per personOnly: Inland (BPR)
Fast motorboats and jet skis: a lifejacket within reach for everyone aboard (no type or standard is set). A driver who steers standing must wear one, unless steering from an enclosed inside helm.
BPR art. 8.03 onder e, art. 8.05 lid 5 · source - Fire extinguisher, 2 kgOnly: Inland (BPR)
Fast motorboats and jet skis: a serviceable fire extinguisher aboard. No size is set.
BPR art. 8.03 onder f · source - Kill cord / wireless kill switchOnly: Inland (BPR)
Fast motorboats and jet skis: a device that stops the propulsion at once if steering is interrupted, used by the driver at all times. Not needed with an enclosed inside helm.
BPR art. 8.03 onder d, art. 8.05 lid 1 onder b · source - Registration mark on the hull + papers aboardOnly: Inland (BPR)
Fast motorboats and jet skis: registered in the owner’s name, the registration mark (letters and number at least 150 mm high, or 100 mm where the craft’s construction does not allow it, in a contrasting colour) on both sides, and the registration certificate aboard while under way.
BPR art. 8.01 lid 1–2, art. 8.02 · source - Radar reflectorOnly: Inland (BPR)
Only on the busy waterways listed in BPR annex 15 b — among them the Noordzeekanaal and the IJ, the Rotterdam port waterways, the Noord and Oude Maas, the Merwedes, the Hollandsch Diep, the Volkerak, the Oosterschelde, the Amsterdam-Rijnkanaal, the channels from the sea to the Wadden harbours and the harbours on the Westerschelde: every small craft under way or at anchor in poor visibility carries a working radar reflector.
BPR art. 9.04 lid 6, bijlage 15 onder b · source - Sound signal (horn or other)Only: Inland (BPR)
Small motor craft: a mechanical sound installation or a suitable ship’s horn. Small craft without an engine need none inland.
BPR art. 4.01 lid 1 onder b · source - Sound signal (horn or other)Only: At sea
At sea under 12 m: some means of making an efficient sound signal (COLREG).
BPR COLREG 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 visibility2
- Navigation lightsOnly: Inland (BPR)
At night: small motor craft show a masthead light, sidelights and a stern light (open motor craft under 7 m and no faster than 13 km/h may show one all-round white light); a small motor craft may instead carry the sidelights together at the bow with a single all-round white light in place of masthead and stern light; small sailing craft show sidelights and a stern light, or under 7 m an all-round white light plus a second white light when another vessel approaches. The same lights by day in poor visibility. Lanterns must carry the approval mark.
BPR art. 3.13 lid 1, 2, 5 · source - Navigation lightsOnly: At sea
At sea: navigation lights from sunset to sunrise and in poor visibility under COLREG.
BPR COLREG regel 20–25 · 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.
- 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 4
- Owner’s name or phone number on the craftOnly: Inland (BPR)
Small craft inland: the boat’s name (or the owning organisation’s name) on the outside in legible, indelible letters, and the owner’s name and place of residence in a conspicuous place inside or outside. Not needed on fast motorboats with a registration mark, craft propelled by muscle power or sailing craft under 7 m; a tender only needs a mark that shows who owns it.
BPR art. 2.02 · source - Radar reflectorOnly: Inland (BPR)
Only on the busy waterways listed in BPR annex 15 b — among them the Noordzeekanaal and the IJ, the Rotterdam port waterways, the Noord and Oude Maas, the Merwedes, the Hollandsch Diep, the Volkerak, the Oosterschelde, the Amsterdam-Rijnkanaal, the channels from the sea to the Wadden harbours and the harbours on the Westerschelde: every small craft under way or at anchor in poor visibility carries a working radar reflector.
BPR art. 9.04 lid 6, bijlage 15 onder b · source - Sound signal (horn or other)Only: Inland (BPR)
Small motor craft: a mechanical sound installation or a suitable ship’s horn. Small craft without an engine need none inland.
BPR art. 4.01 lid 1 onder b · source - Sound signal (horn or other)Only: At sea
At sea under 12 m: some means of making an efficient sound signal (COLREG).
BPR COLREG 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 visibility2
- Navigation lightsOnly: Inland (BPR)
At night: small motor craft show a masthead light, sidelights and a stern light (open motor craft under 7 m and no faster than 13 km/h may show one all-round white light); a small motor craft may instead carry the sidelights together at the bow with a single all-round white light in place of masthead and stern light; small sailing craft show sidelights and a stern light, or under 7 m an all-round white light plus a second white light when another vessel approaches. The same lights by day in poor visibility. Lanterns must carry the approval mark.
BPR art. 3.13 lid 1, 2, 5 · source - Navigation lightsOnly: At sea
At sea: navigation lights from sunset to sunrise and in poor visibility under COLREG.
BPR COLREG regel 20–25 · source
Can go faster than 20 km/h4
- Buoyancy aid, 50 N (CE)per personOnly: Inland (BPR)
Fast motorboats and jet skis: a lifejacket within reach for everyone aboard (no type or standard is set). A driver who steers standing must wear one, unless steering from an enclosed inside helm.
BPR art. 8.03 onder e, art. 8.05 lid 5 · source - Fire extinguisher, 2 kgOnly: Inland (BPR)
Fast motorboats and jet skis: a serviceable fire extinguisher aboard. No size is set.
BPR art. 8.03 onder f · source - Kill cord / wireless kill switchOnly: Inland (BPR)
Fast motorboats and jet skis: a device that stops the propulsion at once if steering is interrupted, used by the driver at all times. Not needed with an enclosed inside helm.
BPR art. 8.03 onder d, art. 8.05 lid 1 onder b · source - Registration mark on the hull + papers aboardOnly: Inland (BPR)
Fast motorboats and jet skis: registered in the owner’s name, the registration mark (letters and number at least 150 mm high, or 100 mm where the craft’s construction does not allow it, in a contrasting colour) on both sides, and the registration certificate aboard while under way.
BPR art. 8.01 lid 1–2, art. 8.02 · 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 5
- Owner’s name or phone number on the craftOnly: Inland (BPR)
Small craft inland: the boat’s name (or the owning organisation’s name) on the outside in legible, indelible letters, and the owner’s name and place of residence in a conspicuous place inside or outside. Not needed on fast motorboats with a registration mark, craft propelled by muscle power or sailing craft under 7 m; a tender only needs a mark that shows who owns it.
BPR art. 2.02 · source - Day shapes (ball, cone)Only: Inland (BPR)
Small sailing craft using the engine while under sail: by day a black cone, point down, as high as possible where it is best seen.
BPR art. 3.13 lid 7 · source - Radar reflectorOnly: Inland (BPR)
Only on the busy waterways listed in BPR annex 15 b — among them the Noordzeekanaal and the IJ, the Rotterdam port waterways, the Noord and Oude Maas, the Merwedes, the Hollandsch Diep, the Volkerak, the Oosterschelde, the Amsterdam-Rijnkanaal, the channels from the sea to the Wadden harbours and the harbours on the Westerschelde: every small craft under way or at anchor in poor visibility carries a working radar reflector.
BPR art. 9.04 lid 6, bijlage 15 onder b · source - Sound signal (horn or other)Only: Inland (BPR)
Small motor craft: a mechanical sound installation or a suitable ship’s horn. Small craft without an engine need none inland.
BPR art. 4.01 lid 1 onder b · source - Sound signal (horn or other)Only: At sea
At sea under 12 m: some means of making an efficient sound signal (COLREG).
BPR COLREG 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 visibility2
- Navigation lightsOnly: Inland (BPR)
At night: small motor craft show a masthead light, sidelights and a stern light (open motor craft under 7 m and no faster than 13 km/h may show one all-round white light); a small motor craft may instead carry the sidelights together at the bow with a single all-round white light in place of masthead and stern light; small sailing craft show sidelights and a stern light, or under 7 m an all-round white light plus a second white light when another vessel approaches. The same lights by day in poor visibility. Lanterns must carry the approval mark.
BPR art. 3.13 lid 1, 2, 5 · source - Navigation lightsOnly: At sea
At sea: navigation lights from sunset to sunrise and in poor visibility under COLREG.
BPR COLREG regel 20–25 · 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.
- Grab bagWhat you take into the raft. Assembled in advance or not at all.
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.
A Dutch boating licence (Klein Vaarbewijs) is required for pleasure craft 15–25 m long and for motorboats under 15 m that can exceed 20 km/h; Klein Vaarbewijs II is needed on the Wadden Sea, IJsselmeer, Markermeer and the Scheldt estuaries. Dutch licences double as an ICC. The official pages found do not say which foreign licences are accepted.
CBR (Dutch licensing authority) · CBR (Dutch licensing authority) · RijkswaterstaatNo general Dutch rule requiring lifejackets on all pleasure boats was found. Under the fast-boating rules (boats under 20 m able to exceed 20 km/h, including jet skis), a driver steering while standing must wear a lifejacket and there must be one within reach for everyone on board.
Rijkswaterstaat · Rijkswaterstaat · RijkswaterstaatIf a rental needs rescue
The maritime rescue centre for Netherlands’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 Netherlands
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 Netherlands?
Under the rules checked, none for the rental we assume (One paddler on a SUP board, no engine, by day). Some situations add lines — see the page.
What safety equipment must a rental kayak / canoe carry in Netherlands?
Under Binnenvaartpolitiereglement (BWBR0003628); Besluit toepassingverklaring COLREG (BWBR0004644); Scheepvaartreglement territoriale zee (BWBR0007914), for the rental we assume (One paddler in a kayak or canoe, no engine, by day): Radar reflector. 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 Netherlands?
Under Binnenvaartpolitiereglement (BWBR0003628); Besluit toepassingverklaring COLREG (BWBR0004644); Scheepvaartreglement territoriale zee (BWBR0007914), 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), Fire extinguisher, 2 kg, Kill cord / wireless kill switch, Registration mark on the hull + papers aboard, Radar reflector, 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 Netherlands?
Under Binnenvaartpolitiereglement (BWBR0003628); Besluit toepassingverklaring COLREG (BWBR0004644); Scheepvaartreglement territoriale zee (BWBR0007914), 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): Owner’s name or phone number on the craft, Radar reflector, 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 Netherlands?
Under Binnenvaartpolitiereglement (BWBR0003628); Besluit toepassingverklaring COLREG (BWBR0004644); Scheepvaartreglement territoriale zee (BWBR0007914), 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): Owner’s name or phone number on the craft, Day shapes (ball, cone), Radar reflector, 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 Netherlands?
A Dutch boating licence (Klein Vaarbewijs) is required for pleasure craft 15–25 m long and for motorboats under 15 m that can exceed 20 km/h; Klein Vaarbewijs II is needed on the Wadden Sea, IJsselmeer, Markermeer and the Scheldt estuaries. Dutch licences double as an ICC. The official pages found do not say which foreign licences are accepted.
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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