How to start a SUP, kayak, jet ski or boat rental in Lithuania
Thinking of renting out SUPs, kayaks, jet skis or boats in Lithuania? Here is what we found — 17 points, each linked to the text it comes from and checked on 17 October 2026 — plus what we could not confirm yet and who decides (5 official bodies).
Registering the business
Nothing confirmed from an official text yet — see “Not confirmed yet” below.
Permits to rent out watercraft
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Jet ski (personal watercraft) rental is regulated in the Inland Water Transport Code (VVTK) art. 18(2)(5): before starting, the rental business must notify the Transport Safety Administration (LTSA) in writing of the boundaries of the water area where rented jet skis will be used.
Original wording
“Asmenys, vykdantys asmeninių laivų nuomos veiklą, iki šios veiklos pradžios apie tam tikros vandens telkinio teritorijos, kurioje plaukiojama išnuomotais asmeniniais laivais, ribas raštu”
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…in person, by registered post or electronically, to the Transport Safety Administration.
Original wording
“informuoja Transporto saugos administraciją.”
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The rental business is responsible for the activity.
Original wording
“Asmenys, vykdantys asmeninių laivų nuomos veiklą, atsako už šios veiklos vykdymą ir privalo užtikrinti,”
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"Asmeninis laivas" (personal watercraft) = craft under 4 m with an internal-combustion engine and water-jet pump, driven sitting, standing or kneeling — i.e. jet skis.
Original wording
“Asmeninis laivas – trumpesnė negu 4 metrų vidaus degimo variklio su vandens srauto pompa”
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Renting a craft together with skipper/operation services is treated as passenger carriage (art. 30) — a different regime from bareboat rental.
Original wording
“vidaus vandenų transporto priemonių nuomos kartu teikiant vidaus vandenų transporto priemonės valdymo paslaugas”
Using the beach, shore or quay
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Rented jet skis may only be used in marked water areas visible to others, at a safe distance from the shore or bathing areas. Municipal permits for beach trade were not found.
Original wording
“Plaukiojimas išsinuomotais asmeniniais laivais gali būti organizuojamas tik pažymėtose ir”
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…visible to other people in the water, at a safe distance from the shore or bathing places.
Original wording
“kitiems vandenyje esantiems asmenims matomose vandens telkinių teritorijose saugiu atstumu”
Your duties as an operator
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Signed briefing: the jet ski rental business must ensure each renter is briefed — and signs for it — on handling the craft (accelerating, braking, turning, stopping the engine) and on the boundaries of the riding area.
Original wording
“kad asmuo, ketinantis išsinuomoti jų asmeninį laivą, būtų pasirašytinai supažindintas”
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Briefing content per the Code.
Original wording
“su to asmeninio laivo valdymu (asmeninio laivo įsibėgėjimo, stabdymo, posūkio darymo,”
Safety equipment
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Statutory on-board equipment by sailing area is in the VesselSOS Kit Finder (https://vesselsos.com/kit-finder/), from LTSA order No 2BE-10 (equipment requirements by navigation area) issued under the VVTK.
Original wording
“Vidaus vandenų transporto priemonių aprūpinimo įranga pagal plaukiojimo rajoną reikalavimų aprašas”
Customer age and licence rules
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Jet ski renters over 18 may drive a jet ski rented from a rental business WITHOUT a skipper licence, in the inland and coastal navigation areas.
Original wording
“vyresni negu 18 metų asmenys, vidaus vandenų plaukiojimo rajone ir pakrančių plaukiojimo rajone”
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(continuation of the same point: "…operating personal watercraft rented from persons engaged in personal watercraft rental")
Original wording
“valdantys išsinuomotus iš asmenų, vykdančių asmeninių laivų nuomos veiklą, asmeninius laivus.”
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Motorboats: people over 18 may skipper motor pleasure craft up to 19 kW (25 hp) without a licence in the inland navigation area (except Klaipėda port), carrying up to 12 people.
Original wording
“vyresni negu 18 metų motorinių pramoginių laivų, kurių variklio galia yra ne didesnė kaip 19 kW (25 AG),”
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Above those thresholds a motor pleasure craft skipper licence (or international certificate) is needed — art. 18(2) lists the exceptions to that requirement.
Original wording
“Motorinių pramoginių laivų laivavedžiais, kuriems netaikomas reikalavimas turėti motorinio pramoginio”
Insurance
Nothing confirmed from an official text yet — see “Not confirmed yet” below.
Registering and marking the craft
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Only craft registered in the Inland Vessels Register (or foreign-registered, or exempt) may be operated on Lithuanian inland waters.
Original wording
“Lietuvos Respublikos vidaus vandenyse gali būti eksploatuojamos tik Vidaus vandenų laivų registre,”
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Exempt from registration: sports craft, and pleasure craft and sailing yachts under 6 m powered by muscle or outboard engines up to 19 kW (25 hp) — so kayaks, SUPs and small outboard boats; jet skis (inboard jet) are not in the exemption as read.
Original wording
“sportiniai laivai, žmogaus raumenų jėgos arba pakabinamųjų variklių, kurių gamintojo nurodomas galingumas”
Inland waters and the sea
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The licence-free jet ski rental rule covers both the inland and the coastal navigation area; the 19 kW licence-free motorboat rule covers inland waters only (excluding Klaipėda state seaport).
Original wording
“taip pat kurie plaukioja vidaus vandenų plaukiojimo rajone, išskyrus Klaipėdos valstybinio jūrų”
Season
Nothing confirmed from an official text yet — see “Not confirmed yet” below.
Not confirmed yet
What the research could not confirm from an official text. Ask before you rely on it.
- Not verified
Business registration page not retrieved (registrucentras.lt down / ltsa.lrv.lt blocked during run).
- Not found
Rental rules for motorboats, kayaks and SUPs (beyond jet skis) — none found in the Code; implementing rules (e.g. Vidaus vandenų kelių eksploatavimo taisyklės) not read.
- Open question
Minimum skipper ages and the licence engine threshold details in implementing rules — not read.
- Not found
Municipal beach/shore permits and environmental restrictions on motorised craft on lakes — not found.
Check with Aplinkos apsaugos departamentas (environmental protection — restrictions on waters)
- Not found
Insurance — not found.
- Open question
Season: no official dates.
- Open question
e-seimas.lrs.lt blocks direct download; Code text read through WebFetch (quotes are short verbatim fragments).
Check with e-seimas / TAR (law texts)
- Not found
Official page for registering a company/sole trader (registrucentras.lt did not respond during this run). The body is Registrų centras (Register of Legal Entities); individual activity is registered with the tax authority VMI.
Check with Registrų centras (Register of Legal Entities) · Valstybinė mokesčių inspekcija (VMI, tax — individual activity)
- Not found
Minimum age for licensed skippers (not in the Code; set in implementing rules).
- Not found
No insurance provision (root "draudim") in the Inland Water Transport Code text read.
Official bodies
Who decides. Ask them before you open — rules and fees can change every season.
- Lietuvos transporto saugos administracija (LTSA, Transport Safety Administration)ltsa.lrv.lt ↗
- Registrų centras (Register of Legal Entities)registrucentras.lt ↗
- Valstybinė mokesčių inspekcija (VMI, tax — individual activity)vmi.lt ↗
- e-seimas / TAR (law texts)e-seimas.lrs.lt ↗
- Aplinkos apsaugos departamentas (environmental protection — restrictions on waters)aad.lrv.lt ↗
Quick answers
Do I need a permit to rent out SUPs, kayaks, jet skis or boats in Lithuania?
Jet ski (personal watercraft) rental is regulated in the Inland Water Transport Code (VVTK) art. 18(2)(5): before starting, the rental business must notify the Transport Safety Administration (LTSA) in writing of the boundaries of the water area where rented jet skis will be used. Source: e-seimas.lrs.lt, checked 17 October 2026.
Do customers need a licence to use a rented boat or jet ski in Lithuania?
Jet ski renters over 18 may drive a jet ski rented from a rental business WITHOUT a skipper licence, in the inland and coastal navigation areas. Source: e-seimas.lrs.lt, checked 17 October 2026.
Do rental craft have to be registered in Lithuania?
Only craft registered in the Inland Vessels Register (or foreign-registered, or exempt) may be operated on Lithuanian inland waters. Source: e-seimas.lrs.lt, checked 17 October 2026.
Next steps
What each craft must carry
The safety equipment a rental SUP, kayak, jet ski, motorboat and sailboat must carry in Lithuania, from the law.
Safety rules for rental fleets in Lithuania Kit Finder on vesselsos.com ↗Free tools for your dock
Print them, no account needed. Only the PDF asks for your email.
Safety briefing cardRental agreement & waiver templateDock poster All free toolsThen run the day with VesselSOS Fleet
Fleet is the rental dashboard we are building with pilot operators for the 2027 season. Your customers' phones are the trackers — no hardware.
Fleet does not replace any permit, licence or duty on this page.