Renting a boat without a licence in Cadaqués: what changed in 2026 and the Cap de Creus rules

Since 1 October 2026 you can no longer rent a motorboat without a qualification: Royal Decree 1188/2025 requires the hirer to hold one. On top of that, the Parc Natural de Cap de Creus requires at least the navigation licence for motor boating in its waters, at up to 12 knots and 5 knots within 300 metres of the coast.

For years, renting a small boat without a qualification and heading out to see Cap de Creus from the water was one of the most common questions in Cadaqués. Since 1 October 2026 the answer has changed: anyone renting a motorboat must hold a qualification. And the natural park, for its part, already required at least the navigation licence to take a motorboat into its waters.

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What changed on 1 October 2026

Qualifications for skippering leisure craft are governed by Royal Decree 875/2014. In its original wording, article 10 allowed motorboats of up to 5 metres in length and 11.26 kilowatts of power, sailing boats of up to 6 metres and beach craft to be handled without a qualification, always in daylight, no more than 2 nautical miles from a port, marina or sheltered spot, and by people aged 18 or over. That was the basis for renting so-called licence-free boats.

Royal Decree 1188/2025, published in the BOE on 30 December 2025, rewrote that article with effect from 1 October 2026. The exemption now covers private use of motorboats of up to 5 metres and 15 HP nominal power, with no power-reducing device; sporting use of sailing boats of up to 6 metres; and floating or beach craft. Daylight sailing, the 2-mile limit from the port, marina or beach of departure and the minimum age of 18 remain, and jet skis are still excluded.

The decree explains why in its preamble: when these boats are rented, the hirer must hold the relevant qualification, a change justified by the high number of incidents and accidents in these activities.

The minimum: the navigation licence

The simplest qualification is the navigation licence. Under article 11 of the same royal decree, it is issued by sailing and powerboat federations and recreational nautical schools after theory and practical training, and it allows you to skipper boats of up to 6 metres in length, in daylight and no more than 2 nautical miles from a port, marina or sheltered spot. It can be obtained from the age of 16 with written parental consent.

The Parc Natural de Cap de Creus reaches the same point on its own terms. Its frequently asked questions on marine regulation, in the July 2026 version, say that motor boating in the park requires at least the navigation licence, and that motorboat rental companies must check that all customers sailing in its waters hold it and give them a briefing beforehand, the ecobriefing, on sailing and anchoring rules.

Where and how fast

You can sail anywhere in the park except the S'Encalladora Integral Nature Reserve, the only marine integral reserve; where it lies is explained in the kayak guide. In the three partial nature reserves, Cap Gros, Cap de Creus and Cap Norfeu, sailing is not allowed between sunset and sunrise, except for direct crossings, emergencies or weather reasons and some authorised activities.

Maximum speeds are 12 knots across the park and 5 knots within 300 metres of the coast; on top of that, under the Coastal Law, within 50 metres of the coast the limit is 3 knots. Jet skis are banned in the park, with exceptions such as sea rescue or authorised guided tours, and so are parties on board. Refuelling is not allowed inside the park, except in Portlligat.

Anchoring and mooring

Free anchoring is allowed, with three exceptions: inside buoy fields; in the no-anchoring sectors of Cala Murtra, Cala Jugadora and Cala Galladera, once the marker buoys are in place; and over posidonia or Cymodocea seagrass, or on the sand next to it if the chain or the boat's swing reaches it. To see where the posidonia is, the Generalitat has a map of marine habitats.

The current buoy fields are at Cala Montjoi, Cala La Pelosa and Cala Jóncols, on the Roses side; the plan includes a new one at Cala Rostella and another at Cala Taballera, the latter run by the park and free of charge. Spending the night at anchor is allowed for a maximum of 2 consecutive nights and always outside the partial reserves. And beside the land integral reserves of the tip of Cap de Creus and Cap Norfeu you may tie up to the rocks, but not go ashore.

Buoyed-off beaches

Close to shore, the General Coastal Regulations apply. In buoyed-off bathing areas no sailing or use of any sail or motor craft is allowed, and boats must use the marked channels to leave or reach the beach. Where there are no buoys, the rules treat the bathing area as a strip 200 metres wide off beaches and 50 metres wide along the rest of the coast; there the limit is 3 knots and discharging anything from the boat is prohibited.

The tramontana decides

No rule weighs as much as the wind. With tramontana the sea off the cape changes completely; how it feels and what to do on those days is in the tramontana guide. The 2-mile limit and daylight sailing that the BOE sets for the licence and for unqualified use make full sense there: always staying close to shelter.

If what you want is to see the cape from the water without taking the helm, there are other ways: the boat from Roses (Roses to Cadaqués by boat), the kayak or snorkelling along the park's trails. And if you hire with a skipper, the qualification comes with whoever is at the helm.

Checked

Checked in October 2026 against: the BOE (Royal Decree 875/2014, consolidated text and original text of articles 10, 11 and 13; Royal Decree 1188/2025 of 26 December, preamble and article four; General Coastal Regulations, Royal Decree 876/2014, article 73) and the Parc Natural de Cap de Creus (frequently asked questions on the regulation of the marine area, July 2026 version, page updated on 13 August 2026).