ES-BAL-RENT-L1.1

The title ladder: from no title to Capitán de Yate

ES-BAL-RENT-M1 · Which title do I need? · ES-BAL-RENT-M1-A The Spanish title ladder, the 1 October 2026 end of licence-free rentals, and which foreign licences a Balearic rental desk can accept.

Spanish recreational titles stack like a ladder. Knowing which rung a rental boat sits on tells you what you need before you reach the quay.

Start here

Governing: RD 875/2014 arts. 8–11 (BOE-A-2014-10344), as amended by RD 1188/2025. Builds on: nothing.

Why this matters on holiday

Spain does not ask "can you drive a boat?" It asks "which título (title) do you hold, and does this boat fall inside it?" Every rental desk in Palma, Pollença, Maó or Sant Antoni works from the same national rulebook, Real Decreto 875/2014. Get the rung wrong and the desk should refuse you. If it doesn't, you and the company both carry the risk.

The ladder

Rung What it lets you helm (motor) Distance limit Notes
No title Private use only: motor ≤5 m and ≤15 CV; sail ≤6 m for sporting use; beach craft 2 nm from the port, marina or beach you left; daylight Must be 18. Not for rentals of motorboats from 1 Oct 2026
Licencia de Navegación ≤6 m, engine suitable for the boat; jet skis of any power 2 nm from a port, marina or shelter; daylight Course only, no exam; 16 with parental consent
PNB (Patrón para Navegación Básica) ≤8 m; jet skis 5 nm from a port, marina or shelter Written exam; sail ≤8 m with extra practicals
PER (Patrón de Embarcaciones de Recreo) ≤15 m; jet skis 12 nm from the coast; between the Balearic islands Written exam; more with extra practicals
Patrón de Yate ≤24 m 150 nm from the coast
Capitán de Yate ≤24 m No geographical limit

CV is caballos de vapor, metric horsepower. Eslora is the boat's length.

Reading the table properly

  • Where the distance is measured from. For the Licencia and the PNB it is "in any direction from a port, marina or shelter" (lugar de abrigo). A Licencia holder 1.5 nm off a beach but 3 nm from the nearest harbour is outside the limit.
  • Daylight. The Licencia and the no-title exceptions are daylight only. Plan to be back alongside well before sunset, not setting off at golden hour.
  • Jet skis (motos náuticas) are never covered by the no-title exception. They need a Licencia or a title, except in the supervised hire formats covered in lesson 3.1.
  • Inter-island trips. Crossing from Mallorca to Cabrera, or from Ibiza to Formentera, is a PER job. The Licencia and PNB do not name inter-island passage.

CAUTION — The boat has limits too A title is the ceiling for you. The boat's own certificate, the insurance and the rental contract may be tighter. Small rental boats are commonly built for sheltered waters. If the contract says "within the bay", that is the limit, whatever your card says.

Who issues what

  • The Licencia is issued by an approved nautical school (escuela náutica de recreo) or a sailing or motorboat federation after a short course. There is no state or regional exam.
  • The PNB and above need a written theory exam, practicals, a radio course and a medical. In the Balearics the exams are run by the Direcció General de Ports i Transport Marítim.

WARNING — Language of the exams The 2026 Balearic exam call (BOIB núm. 4, 8 Jan 2026) lets candidates choose Spanish or Catalan. There is no English, German or other option. For most visitors the realistic route to renting is the Licencia or a recognised home title (lesson 1.3).

TIP — Bring the card, not a photo of it Rental desks must see and record your title. Carry the physical card, plus your passport.

Practice questions

5 questions

recall · core

What is the maximum length of boat a Licencia de Navegación allows you to helm? (a) 15 m (b) 5 m (c) 6 m (d) 8 m

recall · core

Within what distance must a PNB holder stay? (a) 12 nm of the coast (b) 5 nm of a port, marina or shelter (c) 150 nm of the coast (d) 2 nm of a port, marina or shelter

recall · core

Which title names navigation between the Balearic islands among its attributions? (a) Licencia de Navegación (b) PER (c) No title needed (d) PNB

recall · core

In which languages can you sit a Balearic PNB or PER theory exam in 2026? (a) Spanish, Catalan or English (b) Any EU language (c) Spanish or Catalan only (d) Spanish only

scenario · core

You hold a Licencia and rent a 5.5 m boat in Portocolom. The nearest harbour is behind you, and you want to run 3 nm down the coast to a cala that is 1 nm offshore of the beach but 3 nm from any port or shelter. What is the problem? (a) None: you are within 2 nm of the beach (b) You would be more than 2 nm from a port, marina or shelter (c) The boat is too long for a Licencia (d) You need a PER to go south of Portocolom

Independent study. xplor is not an approved nautical school (escuela náutica de recreo), is not affiliated with the Dirección General de la Marina Mercante or the Govern de les Illes Balears, and issues no title, licence or certificate. The Licencia de Navegación can only be obtained through an approved school or federation, and higher titles only through the official practicals and exams; this guide does not count towards either. AI-drafted content pending subject-matter-expert review.