What must a rental craft carry in Montenegro?
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 Pravilnik o utvrđivanju sposobnosti čamca za plovidbu („Službeni list CG”, br. 115/2026)
Authority: Ministarstvo pomorstva; Uprava pomorske sigurnosti i upravljanja lukama (lučke kapetanije)
Covers boats (čamci) in Montenegrin internal waters and territorial sea: hull over 2.5 m and under 12 m, including jet skis. Canoes, kayaks, pedalos, sailboards and surfboards are excluded (čl. 3). The list follows the area your boat is permitted to sail, not the trip.
In force since 5 August 2026; it replaced the 2019 rules.
Read the official text ↗ · Rules checked 15 October 2026
What our research found about rentals and commercial use:
- Commercial and public boats have their own equipment lists, which are not summarised here. Pravilnik (Sl. list CG 115/2026), čl. 18–21 · 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 Ministarstvo pomorstva; Uprava pomorske sigurnosti i upravljanja lukama (lučke kapetanije) 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
Montenegro’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
Montenegro’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 3
- Lifejacket, 100 N (CE)per person
Everyone on a jet ski must wear a lifejacket and a safety helmet.
Pravilnik o utvrđivanju sposobnosti čamca za plovidbu čl. 22 st. 2 · source - Helmetper person
A safety helmet for everyone on the jet ski, worn.
Pravilnik o utvrđivanju sposobnosti čamca za plovidbu čl. 22 st. 2 · source - Kill cord / wireless kill switch
Every jet ski, and planing boats (gliser) towing a skier or an inflatable: a kill cord.
Pravilnik o utvrđivanju sposobnosti čamca za plovidbu čl. 22 st. 1 i 3 · 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 19
- Lifejacket, 100 N (CE)per person
Lifejackets for everyone aboard during navigation. No type or buoyancy rating is given for personal boats.
Pravilnik o utvrđivanju sposobnosti čamca za plovidbu čl. 16 t. 5 · source - Anchor + rode (≥ 3 boat lengths, ≥ 15 m)
An anchor of the prescribed weight with 25 to 100 m of rope or chain, and bitts or other mooring fittings. The anchor-mass table in Prilog 2 is written for commercial boats; no separate weight is given for personal boats.
Pravilnik o utvrđivanju sposobnosti čamca za plovidbu čl. 16 t. 1 · source - Mooring lines× 3
Three mooring lines of suitable length and breaking strength.
Pravilnik o utvrđivanju sposobnosti čamca za plovidbu čl. 16 t. 2 · source - Bilge pump or bailer
A pump or a bucket with bailer.
Pravilnik o utvrđivanju sposobnosti čamca za plovidbu čl. 16 t. 3 · source - Oars or paddle
Two floating oars of suitable length with four rowlock pins.
Pravilnik o utvrđivanju sposobnosti čamca za plovidbu čl. 16 t. 4 · source - Boat hook
A boathook of suitable length.
Pravilnik o utvrđivanju sposobnosti čamca za plovidbu čl. 16 t. 4 · source - Navigation lights
Appropriate lights of an approved type.
Pravilnik o utvrđivanju sposobnosti čamca za plovidbu čl. 16 t. 6 · source - Day shapes (ball, cone)
Day shapes of an approved type.
Pravilnik o utvrđivanju sposobnosti čamca za plovidbu čl. 16 t. 6 · source - Waterproof torch + spare batteries
A battery torch.
Pravilnik o utvrđivanju sposobnosti čamca za plovidbu čl. 16 t. 7 · source - First aid kit for the area
A first aid cabinet or box with the contents set in Prilog 1.
Pravilnik o utvrđivanju sposobnosti čamca za plovidbu čl. 16 t. 8, čl. 23, Prilog 1 · source - Emergency tiller / steeringOnly: ≤ 12 nm
Whole territorial sea: a spare hand tiller if the boat is steered by a steering gear, or another means of emergency steering.
Pravilnik o utvrđivanju sposobnosti čamca za plovidbu čl. 17 st. 1 t. 1 · source - Sound signal (horn or other)Only: ≤ 12 nm
Whole territorial sea: a means of making sound signals.
Pravilnik o utvrđivanju sposobnosti čamca za plovidbu čl. 17 st. 1 t. 2 · source - Fire extinguisher, 2 kgOnly: ≤ 12 nm
Whole territorial sea: at least one portable fire extinguisher. The size is not stated; 2 kg is shown.
Pravilnik o utvrđivanju sposobnosti čamca za plovidbu čl. 17 st. 1 t. 3 · source - Fire axeOnly: ≤ 12 nm
Whole territorial sea: a fire axe.
Pravilnik o utvrđivanju sposobnosti čamca za plovidbu čl. 17 st. 1 t. 3 · source - Red hand flares× 3Only: ≤ 12 nm
Whole territorial sea: three red hand flares or three rockets.
Pravilnik o utvrđivanju sposobnosti čamca za plovidbu čl. 17 st. 1 t. 4 · source - Matches or lighter, waterproofOnly: ≤ 12 nm
Whole territorial sea: two boxes of matches in waterproof wrapping, or a lighter.
Pravilnik o utvrđivanju sposobnosti čamca za plovidbu čl. 17 st. 1 t. 5 · source - Liferaft, places for everyone aboardOnly: ≤ 12 nm
Whole territorial sea: collective life-saving appliances of an approved type for the number of people the boat may carry, marked with the boat’s ID. The text does not say it must be a liferaft; a buoyant apparatus may also qualify.
Pravilnik o utvrđivanju sposobnosti čamca za plovidbu čl. 17 st. 1 t. 6, st. 2 · source - Spare means of propulsionOnly: ≤ 12 nm
Whole territorial sea: a spare mechanical means of propulsion.
Pravilnik o utvrđivanju sposobnosti čamca za plovidbu čl. 17 st. 1 t. 7 · source - Tool kit + engine sparesOnly: ≤ 12 nm
Whole territorial sea: a tool kit for the engine and other equipment, with enough spare parts.
Pravilnik o utvrđivanju sposobnosti čamca za plovidbu čl. 17 st. 1 t. 8 · source
Also required if…
Lines that join the list when your rental differs from the one above.
Inboard or sterndrive engine1
- Oily-waste container + absorbent
Boats with an installed engine: a container for waste oil and solids, and an oil absorbent.
Pravilnik o utvrđivanju sposobnosti čamca za plovidbu čl. 16 t. 9 · source
Towing a water-skier or wakeboarder2
- Kill cord / wireless kill switch
Every jet ski, and planing boats (gliser) towing a skier or an inflatable: a kill cord.
Pravilnik o utvrđivanju sposobnosti čamca za plovidbu čl. 22 st. 1 i 3 · source - Convex rear-view mirror (towing)
Only planing boats (gliser) towing a skier or an inflatable: a convex rear-view mirror.
Pravilnik o utvrđivanju sposobnosti čamca za plovidbu čl. 22 st. 3 · 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 21
- Lifejacket, 100 N (CE)per person
Lifejackets for everyone aboard during navigation. No type or buoyancy rating is given for personal boats.
Pravilnik o utvrđivanju sposobnosti čamca za plovidbu čl. 16 t. 5 · source - Anchor + rode (≥ 3 boat lengths, ≥ 15 m)
An anchor of the prescribed weight with 25 to 100 m of rope or chain, and bitts or other mooring fittings. The anchor-mass table in Prilog 2 is written for commercial boats; no separate weight is given for personal boats.
Pravilnik o utvrđivanju sposobnosti čamca za plovidbu čl. 16 t. 1 · source - Mooring lines× 3
Three mooring lines of suitable length and breaking strength.
Pravilnik o utvrđivanju sposobnosti čamca za plovidbu čl. 16 t. 2 · source - Bilge pump or bailer
A pump or a bucket with bailer.
Pravilnik o utvrđivanju sposobnosti čamca za plovidbu čl. 16 t. 3 · source - Oars or paddle
Two floating oars of suitable length with four rowlock pins.
Pravilnik o utvrđivanju sposobnosti čamca za plovidbu čl. 16 t. 4 · source - Boat hook
A boathook of suitable length.
Pravilnik o utvrđivanju sposobnosti čamca za plovidbu čl. 16 t. 4 · source - Navigation lights
Appropriate lights of an approved type.
Pravilnik o utvrđivanju sposobnosti čamca za plovidbu čl. 16 t. 6 · source - Day shapes (ball, cone)
Day shapes of an approved type.
Pravilnik o utvrđivanju sposobnosti čamca za plovidbu čl. 16 t. 6 · source - Waterproof torch + spare batteries
A battery torch.
Pravilnik o utvrđivanju sposobnosti čamca za plovidbu čl. 16 t. 7 · source - First aid kit for the area
A first aid cabinet or box with the contents set in Prilog 1.
Pravilnik o utvrđivanju sposobnosti čamca za plovidbu čl. 16 t. 8, čl. 23, Prilog 1 · source - Oily-waste container + absorbent
Boats with an installed engine: a container for waste oil and solids, and an oil absorbent.
Pravilnik o utvrđivanju sposobnosti čamca za plovidbu čl. 16 t. 9 · source - Jackstays + tethersper person
Sailing boats: at least one safety line (sigurnosno uže), in addition to the basic list.
Pravilnik o utvrđivanju sposobnosti čamca za plovidbu čl. 22 st. 4 · source - Emergency tiller / steeringOnly: ≤ 12 nm
Whole territorial sea: a spare hand tiller if the boat is steered by a steering gear, or another means of emergency steering.
Pravilnik o utvrđivanju sposobnosti čamca za plovidbu čl. 17 st. 1 t. 1 · source - Sound signal (horn or other)Only: ≤ 12 nm
Whole territorial sea: a means of making sound signals.
Pravilnik o utvrđivanju sposobnosti čamca za plovidbu čl. 17 st. 1 t. 2 · source - Fire extinguisher, 2 kgOnly: ≤ 12 nm
Whole territorial sea: at least one portable fire extinguisher. The size is not stated; 2 kg is shown.
Pravilnik o utvrđivanju sposobnosti čamca za plovidbu čl. 17 st. 1 t. 3 · source - Fire axeOnly: ≤ 12 nm
Whole territorial sea: a fire axe.
Pravilnik o utvrđivanju sposobnosti čamca za plovidbu čl. 17 st. 1 t. 3 · source - Red hand flares× 3Only: ≤ 12 nm
Whole territorial sea: three red hand flares or three rockets.
Pravilnik o utvrđivanju sposobnosti čamca za plovidbu čl. 17 st. 1 t. 4 · source - Matches or lighter, waterproofOnly: ≤ 12 nm
Whole territorial sea: two boxes of matches in waterproof wrapping, or a lighter.
Pravilnik o utvrđivanju sposobnosti čamca za plovidbu čl. 17 st. 1 t. 5 · source - Liferaft, places for everyone aboardOnly: ≤ 12 nm
Whole territorial sea: collective life-saving appliances of an approved type for the number of people the boat may carry, marked with the boat’s ID. The text does not say it must be a liferaft; a buoyant apparatus may also qualify.
Pravilnik o utvrđivanju sposobnosti čamca za plovidbu čl. 17 st. 1 t. 6, st. 2 · source - Spare means of propulsionOnly: ≤ 12 nm
Whole territorial sea: a spare mechanical means of propulsion.
Pravilnik o utvrđivanju sposobnosti čamca za plovidbu čl. 17 st. 1 t. 7 · source - Tool kit + engine sparesOnly: ≤ 12 nm
Whole territorial sea: a tool kit for the engine and other equipment, with enough spare parts.
Pravilnik o utvrđivanju sposobnosti čamca za plovidbu čl. 17 st. 1 t. 8 · source
Also required if…
Lines that join the list when your rental differs from the one above.
Yacht of 12 m or longer!
Not covered: From 12 m the craft is a yacht and follows the separate yacht rules, which the Kit Finder does not cover.
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.
- 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.
- 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.
To get the vignette, the skipper of a foreign yacht must show certificates of competence for themselves and the crew. These may be issued by the flag state (consistent with STCW where it applies), by a state with a recognition agreement with Montenegro, or under Montenegrin rules.
Law amending the Law on Yachts of Montenegro (2015), FAO FAOLEX copyIf a rental needs rescue
The maritime rescue centre for Montenegro’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 Montenegro
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 Montenegro?
Montenegro’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 Montenegro?
Montenegro’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 Montenegro?
Under Pravilnik o utvrđivanju sposobnosti čamca za plovidbu („Službeni list CG”, br. 115/2026), 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), Helmet, and Kill cord / wireless kill switch. 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 Montenegro?
Under Pravilnik o utvrđivanju sposobnosti čamca za plovidbu („Službeni list CG”, br. 115/2026), 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): Lifejacket, 100 N (CE), Anchor + rode (≥ 3 boat lengths, ≥ 15 m), Mooring lines, Bilge pump or bailer, Oars or paddle, Boat hook, Navigation lights, Day shapes (ball, cone), Waterproof torch + spare batteries, First aid kit for the area, Emergency tiller / steering, Sound signal (horn or other), Fire extinguisher, 2 kg, Fire axe, Red hand flares, Matches or lighter, waterproof, Liferaft, places for everyone aboard, Spare means of propulsion, and Tool kit + engine spares. 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 Montenegro?
Under Pravilnik o utvrđivanju sposobnosti čamca za plovidbu („Službeni list CG”, br. 115/2026), 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): Lifejacket, 100 N (CE), Anchor + rode (≥ 3 boat lengths, ≥ 15 m), Mooring lines, Bilge pump or bailer, Oars or paddle, Boat hook, Navigation lights, Day shapes (ball, cone), Waterproof torch + spare batteries, First aid kit for the area, Oily-waste container + absorbent, Jackstays + tethers, Emergency tiller / steering, Sound signal (horn or other), Fire extinguisher, 2 kg, Fire axe, Red hand flares, Matches or lighter, waterproof, Liferaft, places for everyone aboard, Spare means of propulsion, and Tool kit + engine spares. Some lines apply only in certain waters, and paid or commercial use can add more — see the page.
Do renters need a licence in Montenegro?
To get the vignette, the skipper of a foreign yacht must show certificates of competence for themselves and the crew. These may be issued by the flag state (consistent with STCW where it applies), by a state with a recognition agreement with Montenegro, or under Montenegrin rules.
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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