What must a rental craft carry in Portugal?
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 Portaria n.º 1464/2002, de 14 de novembro (equipamentos das embarcações de recreio); Decreto-Lei n.º 93/2018, de 13 de novembro (náutica de recreio)
Authority: DGRM / Autoridade Marítima Nacional
Covers recreational craft at sea and on inland waters. Not covered: boards with or without a sail (SUP, windsurf, kite, wing), canoes, kayaks, pedalos and other beach craft without engine or sail within 300 m of the shore, federation racing craft, and commercial (marítimo-turística) use, which has its own law.
Pick the navigation type on your boat’s papers — the kit follows it, not today’s trip. Only lifesaving and radio gear may follow a more sheltered zone you actually sail in.
Read the official text ↗ · Rules checked 15 October 2026
What our research found about rentals and commercial use:
- Commercial maritime-tourism activity is governed by separate law, which is not summarised here. DL 93/2018; DL 149/2014 · 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 DGRM / Autoridade Marítima Nacional 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
Portugal’s equipment rules cover boats. A SUP board isn’t one, so no statutory carriage list applies — local bylaws, beach rules or wearing duties still may.
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 0
Portugal’s equipment rules cover boats. A kayak / canoe isn’t one, so no statutory carriage list applies — local bylaws, beach rules or wearing duties still may.
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 1
- Lifejacket, 100 N (CE)per person
Jet-ski users must wear a lifejacket or a suitable buoyancy aid; DGRM accepts a 100 N device (EN ISO 12402-4). Jet skis may not be used between sunset and sunrise unless the maritime authority allows it.
DL 93/2018 arts. 46.º n.º 2, 8.º n.º 3; DGRM Circular 28/2016 · 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 29
- Lifebuoy or rescue sling + 15–25 m throwline
From 5 m: one lifebuoy up to 9 m, two over 9 m up to 15 m, four over 15 m up to 24 m. One of them with a 30 m floating line.
Portaria 1464/2002, anexo 1.2.1 · source - Lifejacket, 100 N (CE)per personOnly: type 5 · ≤ 3 nm
Adult and child lifejackets for everyone aboard. The portaria sets no buoyancy class; DGRM recommends 100 N for type 5. Towed water-skiers must wear one, and the towing boat must have at least two people aboard.
Portaria 1464/2002, anexo 1.2.2; DGRM Circular 28/2016 · source - Red hand flares× 3
Red hand flares: 4 for types 1–2, 3 for type 3, 2 for types 4–5. Type 5 boats that stay inside harbour bars may do without.
Portaria 1464/2002, anexo 1.3 · source - Bilge pump or bailerOnly: type 5 · ≤ 3 nm
Type 5 boats up to 5 m: a bailer.
Portaria 1464/2002, anexo 2.2 · source - Boarding ladder reachable from the water
Only if the water is more than 0.5 m below the quarter edge or transom: a boarding ladder from the waterline into the boat.
Portaria 1464/2002, anexo 2.3 · source - Fire extinguisher, 1 kg
1 kg dry-powder extinguishers: one on an open or partly open boat with an outboard, one in the saloon, and one next to the stove if the galley is separate from the saloon. CO₂ and halon are not allowed. Jet skis are exempt.
Portaria 1464/2002, anexo 3.1.1, 3.1.3–3.1.4, 3.2 · source - Compass
Every boat: a magnetic compass usable for steering; on types 1–3 with deviation under 5°.
Portaria 1464/2002, anexo 6.1.1–6.1.2 · source - Sound signal (horn or other)
A sound-signalling device — a horn or a bell.
Portaria 1464/2002, anexo 6.4 · source - Anchor + rode (≥ 3 boat lengths, ≥ 15 m)
An anchor suited to the boat’s size. Jet skis are exempt.
Portaria 1464/2002, anexo 6.5 · source - Mooring lines
Suitable mooring lines.
Portaria 1464/2002, anexo 6.6 · source - Tow line
A suitable towing line.
Portaria 1464/2002, anexo 6.6 · source - Knife
A round-tipped knife.
Portaria 1464/2002, anexo 6.7 · source - Waterproof torch + spare batteries
A waterproof torch with a spare set of batteries.
Portaria 1464/2002, anexo 6.7 · source - First aid kit for the area
A first-aid kit from the portaria’s tables: table C for types 1–2, table B for types 3–4, table A for type 5 (20 plasters and a 7 cm crepe bandage with a safety pin).
Portaria 1464/2002, anexo 7 · source - Liferaft, places for everyone aboardOnly: type 4 · ≤ 6 nm · type 3 · ≤ 40 nm
Types 1–4: one or more inflatable liferafts with room for everyone aboard. Type 4 may carry a tender or inflatable dinghy for everyone instead.
Portaria 1464/2002, anexo 1.1.1–1.1.2 · source - Lifejacket, 150 N (foam or inflatable)per personOnly: type 4 · ≤ 6 nm · type 3 · ≤ 40 nm
Adult and child lifejackets for everyone aboard. The portaria sets no buoyancy class; DGRM recommends 150 N for types 1–4. Towed water-skiers must wear one, and the towing boat must have at least two people aboard.
Portaria 1464/2002, anexo 1.2.2; DGRM Circular 28/2016 · source - Red parachute rockets× 3Only: type 4 · ≤ 6 nm · type 3 · ≤ 40 nm
Red parachute signals: 6 for type 1, 4 for type 2, 3 for type 3, 2 for type 4, none for type 5.
Portaria 1464/2002, anexo 1.3 · source - Orange smoke signalOnly: type 4 · ≤ 6 nm · type 3 · ≤ 40 nm
Smoke signals: 2 for type 1, 1 for types 2–4.
Portaria 1464/2002, anexo 1.3 · source - Bilge pump× 2Only: type 4 · ≤ 6 nm · type 3 · ≤ 40 nm
Types 1–4: at least two bilge pumps, one of them manual and worked from an easily reached place above the waterline.
Portaria 1464/2002, anexo 2.1 · source - Fixed VHF with DSCOnly: type 4 · ≤ 6 nm · type 3 · ≤ 40 nm
Types 1–4: a VHF radio with DSC on channel 70 and a reserve power source (a dedicated one on motor boats over 15 m). It may be a handheld on type 4. It must be licensed.
Portaria 1464/2002, anexo 5.1, 5.4 · source - Hand-bearing compassOnly: type 4 · ≤ 6 nm · type 3 · ≤ 40 nm
Types 1–4: equipment for taking bearings by day and by night.
Portaria 1464/2002, anexo 6.1.3 · source - Chart + means of fixing positionOnly: type 4 · ≤ 6 nm · type 3 · ≤ 40 nm
Types 1–4: up-to-date charts for the area you sail.
Portaria 1464/2002, anexo 6.2 · source - Nautical publications for the areaOnly: type 4 · ≤ 6 nm · type 3 · ≤ 40 nm
Types 1–4: up-to-date nautical publications for the area you sail.
Portaria 1464/2002, anexo 6.2 · source - Radar reflectorOnly: type 4 · ≤ 6 nm · type 3 · ≤ 40 nm
Types 1–4: a radar reflector.
Portaria 1464/2002, anexo 6.3 · source - Spare anchorOnly: type 4 · ≤ 6 nm · type 3 · ≤ 40 nm
Types 1–4: a second, spare anchor (type 5 needs only one).
Portaria 1464/2002, anexo 6.5 · source - Spare navigation-light bulbsOnly: type 4 · ≤ 6 nm · type 3 · ≤ 40 nm
Types 1–4: a spare bulb in a waterproof container.
Portaria 1464/2002, anexo 6.7 · source - Signalling mirrorOnly: type 4 · ≤ 6 nm · type 3 · ≤ 40 nm
Types 1–4: a daylight signalling mirror (heliograph).
Portaria 1464/2002, anexo 6.7 · source - Navigation lightsOnly: type 4 · ≤ 6 nm · type 3 · ≤ 40 nm
Navigation lights under COLREG (not in the portaria). Type 5 boats need none between sunrise and sunset.
COLREG/RIEAM (DL 93/2018 art. 30.º n.º 2); DL 93/2018 art. 8.º n.º 2 a) · source - EPIRB, 406 MHz, registeredOnly: type 3 · ≤ 40 nm
Types 1–3: a 406 MHz (COSPAS-SARSAT) or Inmarsat 1.6 GHz EPIRB, easy to release, manually activated, and light enough for one person to take into the liferaft. The Inmarsat EPIRB service closed in 2006, so in practice this means a 406 MHz beacon.
Portaria 1464/2002, anexo 5.2.1 · 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: type 5 · ≤ 3 nm
Navigation lights under COLREG (not in the portaria). Type 5 boats need none between sunrise and sunset.
COLREG/RIEAM (DL 93/2018 art. 30.º n.º 2); DL 93/2018 art. 8.º n.º 2 a) · source
A child aboard1
- Child lifejacket, sized by weight
Child-size lifejackets for the children aboard.
Portaria 1464/2002, anexo 1.2.2 · source
Cooker or heater with a flame, gas, or fuel cans aboard1
- Vented gas-bottle locker + shut-off valve
Only if there is a gas installation: bottles outside the living spaces, preferably aft, in a locker vented overboard, and a gas shut-off. Bottles under 3 kg fitted straight to the appliance may stay inside.
Portaria 1464/2002, anexo 4.1–4.4 · source
Inboard or sterndrive engine1
- Fire extinguisher, 2 kg
Inboard main engine without a fixed self-extinguishing system: a 2 kg dry-powder extinguisher next to the engine space. CO₂ and halon are not allowed.
Portaria 1464/2002, anexo 3.1.2, 3.2 · 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.
- PLB, 406 MHz, registeredFor when you’re beyond VHF range or the set has drowned.
- CO alarmPetrol engines and an enclosed cabin.
- Electronic distress light (SOS)Electronic SOS light — no expiry and usable every night of its life.
- Rearm kit + CO₂ cylinder (spare)One spare rearm kit aboard — an inflated jacket is single-use until rearmed.
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 32
- Lifebuoy or rescue sling + 15–25 m throwline
From 5 m: one lifebuoy up to 9 m, two over 9 m up to 15 m, four over 15 m up to 24 m. One of them with a 30 m floating line.
Portaria 1464/2002, anexo 1.2.1 · source - Lifejacket, 100 N (CE)per personOnly: type 5 · ≤ 3 nm
Adult and child lifejackets for everyone aboard. The portaria sets no buoyancy class; DGRM recommends 100 N for type 5. Towed water-skiers must wear one, and the towing boat must have at least two people aboard.
Portaria 1464/2002, anexo 1.2.2; DGRM Circular 28/2016 · source - Red hand flares× 3
Red hand flares: 4 for types 1–2, 3 for type 3, 2 for types 4–5. Type 5 boats that stay inside harbour bars may do without.
Portaria 1464/2002, anexo 1.3 · source - Bilge pumpOnly: type 5 · ≤ 3 nm
Type 5: a manual, mechanical or electric bilge system.
Portaria 1464/2002, anexo 2.2 · source - Boarding ladder reachable from the water
Only if the water is more than 0.5 m below the quarter edge or transom: a boarding ladder from the waterline into the boat.
Portaria 1464/2002, anexo 2.3 · source - Fire extinguisher, 1 kg
1 kg dry-powder extinguishers: one on an open or partly open boat with an outboard, one in the saloon, and one next to the stove if the galley is separate from the saloon. CO₂ and halon are not allowed. Jet skis are exempt.
Portaria 1464/2002, anexo 3.1.1, 3.1.3–3.1.4, 3.2 · source - Fire extinguisher, 2 kg
Inboard main engine without a fixed self-extinguishing system: a 2 kg dry-powder extinguisher next to the engine space. CO₂ and halon are not allowed.
Portaria 1464/2002, anexo 3.1.2, 3.2 · source - Vented gas-bottle locker + shut-off valve
Only if there is a gas installation: bottles outside the living spaces, preferably aft, in a locker vented overboard, and a gas shut-off. Bottles under 3 kg fitted straight to the appliance may stay inside.
Portaria 1464/2002, anexo 4.1–4.4 · source - Compass
Every boat: a magnetic compass usable for steering; on types 1–3 with deviation under 5°.
Portaria 1464/2002, anexo 6.1.1–6.1.2 · source - Sound signal (horn or other)
A sound-signalling device — a horn or a bell.
Portaria 1464/2002, anexo 6.4 · source - Anchor + rode (≥ 3 boat lengths, ≥ 15 m)
An anchor suited to the boat’s size. Jet skis are exempt.
Portaria 1464/2002, anexo 6.5 · source - Mooring lines
Suitable mooring lines.
Portaria 1464/2002, anexo 6.6 · source - Tow line
A suitable towing line.
Portaria 1464/2002, anexo 6.6 · source - Knife
A round-tipped knife.
Portaria 1464/2002, anexo 6.7 · source - Waterproof torch + spare batteries
A waterproof torch with a spare set of batteries.
Portaria 1464/2002, anexo 6.7 · source - First aid kit for the area
A first-aid kit from the portaria’s tables: table C for types 1–2, table B for types 3–4, table A for type 5 (20 plasters and a 7 cm crepe bandage with a safety pin).
Portaria 1464/2002, anexo 7 · source - Liferaft, places for everyone aboardOnly: type 4 · ≤ 6 nm · type 3 · ≤ 40 nm
Types 1–4: one or more inflatable liferafts with room for everyone aboard. Type 4 may carry a tender or inflatable dinghy for everyone instead.
Portaria 1464/2002, anexo 1.1.1–1.1.2 · source - Lifejacket, 150 N (foam or inflatable)per personOnly: type 4 · ≤ 6 nm · type 3 · ≤ 40 nm
Adult and child lifejackets for everyone aboard. The portaria sets no buoyancy class; DGRM recommends 150 N for types 1–4. Towed water-skiers must wear one, and the towing boat must have at least two people aboard.
Portaria 1464/2002, anexo 1.2.2; DGRM Circular 28/2016 · source - Red parachute rockets× 3Only: type 4 · ≤ 6 nm · type 3 · ≤ 40 nm
Red parachute signals: 6 for type 1, 4 for type 2, 3 for type 3, 2 for type 4, none for type 5.
Portaria 1464/2002, anexo 1.3 · source - Orange smoke signalOnly: type 4 · ≤ 6 nm · type 3 · ≤ 40 nm
Smoke signals: 2 for type 1, 1 for types 2–4.
Portaria 1464/2002, anexo 1.3 · source - Bilge pump× 2Only: type 4 · ≤ 6 nm · type 3 · ≤ 40 nm
Types 1–4: at least two bilge pumps, one of them manual and worked from an easily reached place above the waterline.
Portaria 1464/2002, anexo 2.1 · source - Fixed VHF with DSCOnly: type 4 · ≤ 6 nm · type 3 · ≤ 40 nm
Types 1–4: a VHF radio with DSC on channel 70 and a reserve power source (a dedicated one on motor boats over 15 m). It may be a handheld on type 4. It must be licensed.
Portaria 1464/2002, anexo 5.1, 5.4 · source - Hand-bearing compassOnly: type 4 · ≤ 6 nm · type 3 · ≤ 40 nm
Types 1–4: equipment for taking bearings by day and by night.
Portaria 1464/2002, anexo 6.1.3 · source - Chart + means of fixing positionOnly: type 4 · ≤ 6 nm · type 3 · ≤ 40 nm
Types 1–4: up-to-date charts for the area you sail.
Portaria 1464/2002, anexo 6.2 · source - Nautical publications for the areaOnly: type 4 · ≤ 6 nm · type 3 · ≤ 40 nm
Types 1–4: up-to-date nautical publications for the area you sail.
Portaria 1464/2002, anexo 6.2 · source - Radar reflectorOnly: type 4 · ≤ 6 nm · type 3 · ≤ 40 nm
Types 1–4: a radar reflector.
Portaria 1464/2002, anexo 6.3 · source - Spare anchorOnly: type 4 · ≤ 6 nm · type 3 · ≤ 40 nm
Types 1–4: a second, spare anchor (type 5 needs only one).
Portaria 1464/2002, anexo 6.5 · source - Spare navigation-light bulbsOnly: type 4 · ≤ 6 nm · type 3 · ≤ 40 nm
Types 1–4: a spare bulb in a waterproof container.
Portaria 1464/2002, anexo 6.7 · source - Signalling mirrorOnly: type 4 · ≤ 6 nm · type 3 · ≤ 40 nm
Types 1–4: a daylight signalling mirror (heliograph).
Portaria 1464/2002, anexo 6.7 · source - Navigation lightsOnly: type 4 · ≤ 6 nm · type 3 · ≤ 40 nm
Navigation lights under COLREG (not in the portaria). Type 5 boats need none between sunrise and sunset.
COLREG/RIEAM (DL 93/2018 art. 30.º n.º 2); DL 93/2018 art. 8.º n.º 2 a) · source - Safety harness with tetherper personOnly: type 3 · ≤ 40 nm
Sailing boats (with or without an engine) of types 1–3: three safety harnesses with their lines and safety hooks.
Portaria 1464/2002, anexo 1.4.1 · source - EPIRB, 406 MHz, registeredOnly: type 3 · ≤ 40 nm
Types 1–3: a 406 MHz (COSPAS-SARSAT) or Inmarsat 1.6 GHz EPIRB, easy to release, manually activated, and light enough for one person to take into the liferaft. The Inmarsat EPIRB service closed in 2006, so in practice this means a 406 MHz beacon.
Portaria 1464/2002, anexo 5.2.1 · 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: type 5 · ≤ 3 nm
Navigation lights under COLREG (not in the portaria). Type 5 boats need none between sunrise and sunset.
COLREG/RIEAM (DL 93/2018 art. 30.º n.º 2); DL 93/2018 art. 8.º n.º 2 a) · source
A child aboard1
- Child lifejacket, sized by weight
Child-size lifejackets for the children aboard.
Portaria 1464/2002, anexo 1.2.2 · source
Yacht of 12 m or longer1
- Self-igniting light on the lifebuoy
With two or more lifebuoys (over 9 m), one must have a light.
Portaria 1464/2002, anexo 1.2.1 · 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.
- Grab bagWhat you take into the raft. Assembled in advance or not at all.
- Softwood plugs / leak kitA failed skin fitting sinks a boat in minutes.
- Hydrostatic release unitSo the raft floats free if the boat goes down before you launch it.
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.
Recreational skipper licences (or equivalent documents) issued by EU member states are automatically recognised in Portugal; no Portuguese licence is needed.
Autoridade Marítima NacionalPortuguese-registered pleasure boats must carry enough lifejackets for everyone on board (150 N recommended), with suitable lifejackets for children (Portaria 1464/2002, as summarised by the Maritime Authority for 'Type 4' restricted-coastal boats).
Autoridade Marítima NacionalIf a rental needs rescue
The maritime rescue centre for Portugal’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 Portugal
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 Portugal?
Portugal’s equipment rules for recreational craft do not cover a SUP board, so no statutory carriage list applies to it. Wearing duties, beach rules or local bylaws may still apply — see the page.
What safety equipment must a rental kayak / canoe carry in Portugal?
Portugal’s equipment rules for recreational craft do not cover a kayak / canoe, so no statutory carriage list applies to it. Wearing duties, beach rules or local bylaws may still apply — see the page.
What safety equipment must a rental jet ski / PWC carry in Portugal?
Under Portaria n.º 1464/2002, de 14 de novembro (equipamentos das embarcações de recreio); Decreto-Lei n.º 93/2018, de 13 de novembro (náutica de recreio), for the rental we assume (A jet ski with a rider and a passenger, by day. Jet skis count as faster than 20 knots): Lifejacket, 100 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 motorboat carry in Portugal?
Under Portaria n.º 1464/2002, de 14 de novembro (equipamentos das embarcações de recreio); Decreto-Lei n.º 93/2018, de 13 de novembro (náutica de recreio), 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): Lifebuoy or rescue sling + 15–25 m throwline, Lifejacket, 100 N (CE), Red hand flares, Bilge pump or bailer, Boarding ladder reachable from the water, Fire extinguisher, 1 kg, Compass, Sound signal (horn or other), Anchor + rode (≥ 3 boat lengths, ≥ 15 m), Mooring lines, Tow line, Knife, Waterproof torch + spare batteries, First aid kit for the area, Liferaft, places for everyone aboard, Lifejacket, 150 N (foam or inflatable), Red parachute rockets, Orange smoke signal, Bilge pump, Fixed VHF with DSC, Hand-bearing compass, Chart + means of fixing position, Nautical publications for the area, Radar reflector, Spare anchor, Spare navigation-light bulbs, Signalling mirror, Navigation lights, and EPIRB, 406 MHz, registered. 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 Portugal?
Under Portaria n.º 1464/2002, de 14 de novembro (equipamentos das embarcações de recreio); Decreto-Lei n.º 93/2018, de 13 de novembro (náutica de recreio), 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): Lifebuoy or rescue sling + 15–25 m throwline, Lifejacket, 100 N (CE), Red hand flares, Bilge pump, Boarding ladder reachable from the water, Fire extinguisher, 1 kg, Fire extinguisher, 2 kg, Vented gas-bottle locker + shut-off valve, Compass, Sound signal (horn or other), Anchor + rode (≥ 3 boat lengths, ≥ 15 m), Mooring lines, Tow line, Knife, Waterproof torch + spare batteries, First aid kit for the area, Liferaft, places for everyone aboard, Lifejacket, 150 N (foam or inflatable), Red parachute rockets, Orange smoke signal, Fixed VHF with DSC, Hand-bearing compass, Chart + means of fixing position, Nautical publications for the area, Radar reflector, Spare anchor, Spare navigation-light bulbs, Signalling mirror, Navigation lights, Safety harness with tether, and EPIRB, 406 MHz, registered. Some lines apply only in certain waters, and paid or commercial use can add more — see the page.
Do renters need a licence in Portugal?
Recreational skipper licences (or equivalent documents) issued by EU member states are automatically recognised in Portugal; no Portuguese licence is needed.
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.
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