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The charter licenceWhat you need to know

Christian Tiedt

 · 17.09.2025

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Das Charter Special
Templin waters: Röddelinsee
Photo: Christian Tiedt
Boat holidays in Germany without a licence - the charter certificate makes it possible. All important information at a glance.

This article is part of a charter special. The contents:

This means that anyone wishing to sail boats with more than 15 or 10.2 hp or 4.4 kW (6 hp) on Lake Constance requires a licence in accordance with these regulations. However, there is one exception: the charter licence. On the waters of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern in particular, there are a number of Inland waterways on which you can sail with this certificate may. It is only issued after thorough theoretical and practical instruction by the charter company and is then only valid for the duration of the charter. The boats must be less than 15 metres in length and their maximum speed must not exceed 12 km/h.

Charter licence areas

  • Dahme waterway from km 10.30 to 26.04 with secondary sections: 1.1 Teupitz waters, 1.2 Storkow waters
  • Havel-Oder waterway only branch lines 2.1 Finow Canal from km 57.37 to 89.3, 2.2 Werbelliner Gewässer from km 2.73 to 19.8
  • Lahn from km 70 to 137.07
  • Müritz-Elde Waterway from km 0.95 to 180 with branch line: 4.1 Stör waterway
  • Müritz-Havel Waterway from km 0 to 32.02 with secondary sections: 5.1 Rheinsberger Gewässer, 5.2 Zechliner Gewässer
  • Upper Havel waterway from km 43.95 (Malzer Kanal) to 94.41 with secondary sections: 6.1 Lychener Gewässer, 6.2 Templiner Gewässer, 6.3 Wentow-Gewässer
  • Peene from km 2.50 to 34.9, with a recreational boating licence to km 104.06
  • Rüderdorf waters 8.1 Dämeritzsee and Flakensee from km 0 to 3.8, 8.2 Löcknitz from km 0 to 10.64
  • Saale from km 89.2 to 115.22
  • Saar from kilometre 87.6 to the German-French border
  • Spree-Oder waterway only branch lines: 11.1 Seddinsee, 11.2 Gosener Kanal, 11.3 Drahendorfer Spree, 11.4 Speisekanal Neuhaus
  • Lower Havel waterway from km 56 to 156, with tributaries: 12.1 Potsdamer Havel from km 0 to 28, 12.2 Beetzsee-Riewendsee waterway, 12.3 Rathenower Havel, 12.4 Hohennauener waterway
  • Upper Spree (Brandenburg state waters)
  • Ruppin waters (Brandenburg state waters)
boot/charter_b38853ca383e30764784ca0a858c48f1Photo: BOOTE

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The briefing

The briefing for the charter certificate is usually carried out directly when the boat is handed over. This is usually carried out by an employee of the charter company, who must have an inland navigation licence and be sufficiently familiar with the area. The following applies in advance: If you have not understood something exactly, ask and have it explained or shown to you again - whether in theory or practice. Depending on the charterer's previous knowledge and the area requirements, the briefing must last at least three hours. It follows a set protocol, which must also be signed off at the end, and is divided into traffic behaviour (with theory and practice, from traffic rules to manoeuvres overboard) and technical boating knowledge (What can I find where? How does what work?). In your own interest, you should insist that the protocol is "ticked off" point by point in case of doubt.

The boat types

In the charter industry, people like to talk about "houseboats" - this includes not only pontoon boats or specially developed charter boats, but also cabin cruisers and large motor yachts. Only the following limitations apply to the charter certificate: The maximum boat length is 15 metres, the maximum speed must not exceed 12 km/h, and a maximum of 12 people are permitted on board (depending on the boat certificate).

This article is part of a charter special. The contents:

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