Do you need a licence for a jetboard? Rules in France, Spain, Italy, Croatia, Greece and the UK

Only France and Spain have rules written for motorised surfboards. In France, a jetboard over 4.5 kW needs a boating licence, available from 16, and may ride only by day within 2 nautical miles of shelter. In Spain, since 1 October 2026, motorised boards need no licence from 18, by day and within 2 nautical miles. Italy, Croatia, Greece and the UK have no jetboard-specific rule.

Every rule below links to the official text, checked on 7 October 2026. Where a country has no rule of its own, we say so rather than guess which category a jetboard falls into. Ask the local harbour authority before you launch.

Disclosure: Toys & Crew is published by Lakeberg GmbH, which trades as E-SURFER and sells jetboards from Awake, JETSURF and mo-jet. This article covers the law only and names no brands.

Which countries have their own jetboard rules?

What are the jetboard rules in France?

Since 2024, France's Division 240 has its own category, the planche nautique à moteur: a board under 2.5 metres hull length, with a combustion or electric motor, with or without a foil, driven only by the motor and steered with a throttle trigger. Boards whose motor only occasionally assists muscle power are not included (Division 240, Art. 240-1.02 III.4). Motorised boards are expressly not beach craft (engins de plage), even at 4.5 kW or less (Art. 240-1.02 III.1).

• Daylight and distance: motorised boards may only ride at sea by day and no further than 2 nautical miles from a shelter (Art. 240-2.11).
• Equipment beyond 300 metres from shelter: a buoyancy aid of at least 50 N, or a wetsuit or drysuit with buoyancy, and a waterproof light that lasts at least six hours (Art. 240-2.11).
• Licence: anyone in charge of a motorised craft over 6 CV (4.5 kW) needs a permis plaisance. The wording "tout engin à moteur" also covers jetboards over 4.5 kW (mer.gouv.fr; Décret 2007-1167, Art. 2). The coastal option is valid up to 6 nautical miles from shelter.
• Minimum age: the licence can be taken from 16 (Décret 2007-1167, Art. 3). From 16, accompanied driving with a licence holder of more than three years is also possible, after a prior declaration (mer.gouv.fr).
• Foreign licences: EU citizens may use a licence from another EU country, within its limits (mer.gouv.fr).
• Registration: the list of craft that must be registered names boats from 2.5 metres and all jet skis, but not motorised boards (mer.gouv.fr).
• Mediterranean coast: within 300 metres of the shore, registered craft are limited to 5 knots; the mayor regulates bathing zones and unregistered craft there (Préfecture maritime, Mémento).

More on the Riviera in our guides to rules for yachts on the Côte d'Azur and jet skis and water toys on the Côte d'Azur.

What are the jetboard rules in Spain?

Spain's licensing decree lists tablas deslizantes con motor, motorised gliding boards, as artefactos flotantes de recreo (RD 875/2014, Art. 3(3)(e)). Since 1 October 2026, the amended Article 10 says:

• No licence is needed for artefactos flotantes o de playa (Art. 10(1)(c)).
• Limits: no further than 2 nautical miles from the harbour, marina or beach of departure, and by day only (Art. 10(1)).
• Minimum age: 18 (Art. 10(3)).
• Jet skis are excluded from the licence-free rule (Art. 10(2)).

The same exemption, also from 18 and up to 2 nautical miles, applied under the old wording until 30 September 2026. Motorised boards also do not have to be registered (RD 1435/2010, Art. 2 and 3).

One question remains open: a petrol jetboard with a jet pump also matches the Spanish definition of a jet ski (moto náutica), a craft under 4 metres with a combustion engine and jet pump (RD 875/2014, Art. 3(4)). Which definition prevails is not stated. For the Balearics, see rules for yachts in the Balearics and jet skis and water toys in the Balearics.

What are the rules in Italy?

Italy has no category for motorised boards. Its jet ski definition (moto d'acqua) covers any craft under 4 metres with a jet pump as main propulsion, on which you sit, stand or kneel, and does not restrict the type of motor (Codice della nautica, Art. 3(1)(h)). Whether a jetboard falls under it is not expressly stated. If it does, these rules apply:

• A boating licence is required for every jet ski ride, whatever the distance from the coast (Art. 39(1)(a)). The special D1 licence is available from 16 and allows jet skis by day within 1 nautical mile (D.M. 146/2008, Art. 27-bis).
• Riders of jet skis and "similar units" and all passengers must always wear a lifejacket (D.M. 146/2008, Art. 54(3)).
• Within 500 metres of the coast, speed is limited to 8 knots; in harbours and bays with anchored boats, to 3 knots (Art. 91-bis).

Local distances and zones are set by the harbour authority by ordinanza (Art. 91-ter). We could not read these orders because the coastguard website blocks automated access. More in rules for yachts in Italy and jet skis and water toys in Italy.

What are the rules in Croatia?

Croatia does not name motorised boards either. A brodica, a small boat that must be registered, is any craft from over 2.5 to 15 metres or with more than 5 kW; surfboards are excluded, motorised boards are not mentioned (Pravilnik, NN 13/2020, Art. 4). The 2025 navigation rules list personal craft without registration, such as kayaks, SUPs, surfboards and underwater scooters, but again not motorised boards (NN 52/2025, Art. 45). For these personal craft:

• They may ride from sunrise to sunset up to 300 metres from the coast, but not in a marked bathing area (Art. 49(4)).
• With a mechanical drive, they must stay at least 50 metres from the coast (Art. 49(6)).
• Beyond 300 metres only if the organiser or rental company provides a motorised escort boat (Art. 49(7)).

All craft are limited to 8 knots within 300 metres of the coast, and motorboats and jet skis may only plane further out (Art. 50).

What are the rules in Greece?

Greece has no jetboard category. Its jet ski rules apply to "similar craft, regardless of type and name" (ΓΚΛ 20/2022, Art. 9(1)), but whether a jetboard counts is not expressly stated. For jet skis, the rules are:

• registration, with name, port and number on both sides (Art. 9(1));
• a speedboat licence, whatever the design or speed (Art. 9(3));
• at least 200 metres from the buoys of a bathing area, or 300 metres from swimmers where there are no buoys (Art. 9(5));
• no riding in bad weather, in rocky areas, at night or without a kill switch (Art. 9(2)). From June to September, the harbour master can ban rides between 14:00 and 17:00 in inhabited coastal areas.

One approved novel craft, the "Power Surf XS", has a minimum age of 16 (Art. 37(5)). We checked the 2022 version only; a 2023 amendment was not reviewed.

What are the rules in the UK?

Since 31 March 2023, any craft driven by its own mechanical power that carries at least one person counts as "watercraft", which includes jetboards and eFoils (SI 2023/35, Art. 3; MGN 684, 1.4). For watercraft:

• Registration on the UK Ship Register is voluntary (MGN 684, 4.1).
• Dangerous conduct is an offence, including under alcohol or drugs, and passengers count as users (2.2–2.3).
• Owners, and whoever is responsible for safe operation, can be liable, for example for an insufficient safety briefing (2.5).
• The collision regulations (COLREGs) apply (3.1), and so do harbour byelaws within harbour limits (5.3).

We found no UK licence or minimum age for jetboards, but no official source confirms that there is none. A Watercraft Amendment Order 2026 is being prepared; its date was not checked.

Sources

French Division 240, Décret 2007-1167 and pages of mer.gouv.fr and the Préfecture maritime de la Méditerranée; Spanish RD 875/2014 and RD 1435/2010 (BOE, consolidated); Italian Codice della nautica and D.M. 146/2008 (Normattiva); Croatian Pravilnik NN 13/2020 and NN 52/2025; Greek ΓΚΛ 20 (ΦΕΚ Β΄ 6543/2022); UK SI 2023/35 and MGN 684. All checked on 7 October 2026 and linked above. Italian coastguard orders and Spanish harbour-master rules were not available.