Legal frame
Governing: ΓΚΛ 20 art. 2(1), 3, 9(3), as fully replaced by ΦΕΚ Β' 6543/2022. Builds on: nothing; start here.
Greece does not grade leisure boat licences by length or distance. There is one document, the άδεια χειριστή ταχυπλόου σκάφους (ádia chiristí tachiplóou skáfous, "speedboat operator licence"), issued by the Port Authorities of the Hellenic Coast Guard. If your craft counts as a ταχύπλοο (tachíploo, speedboat), you need it. If it does not, you need no licence at all.
The thresholds
ΓΚΛ 20, the Coast Guard's port regulation on speedboats and sea recreation craft, defines a speedboat by engine type, power and hull.
| Hull | Outboard | Petrol inboard / sterndrive | Inboard diesel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Normal (rigid mono-hull) | over 30 HP | over 40 HP | over 70 HP |
| Inflatable or RIB, twin/multi-hull, V-hull | over 15 HP | over 30 HP | over 50 HP |
| Any hull with water-jet propulsion | over 15 HP |
Two further rules close the obvious gaps:
- Jet skis (ατομικό σκάφος, the Greek term for a personal water craft) need the licence whatever their power or speed (art. 9(3)).
- Hovercraft always need it too, plus the maker's training certificate.
Sailing boats and a short list of traditional wooden boats are outside the definition. No leisure licence for private sailing was found in the regulations; chartering a yacht without crew is a separate regime covered in Bareboat Chartering in Greece.
CAUTION — RIBs are the trap The lower threshold for inflatables catches many tourist rentals. A RIB with a 20 HP outboard is over 15 HP, so under ΓΚΛ 20 it is a speedboat and needs a licensed operator. Check the engine cowling and the boat's papers, not the advert.
How power is counted
The figures are "maximum continuous" horsepower. For CE-marked engines, the Coast Guard's small-craft regulation (ΓΚΛ 23) has referred since 2024 to the EN ISO 8665 test standard. For conversions: 30 HP is about 22 kW, 15 HP about 11 kW, 70 HP about 52 kW. Those are our arithmetic, not official figures.
What the licence does and does not do
- It has no categories. The same card covers a 4 m RIB and a 12 m sports cruiser.
- It sets no distance limit. How far you may go depends on the boat's navigation licence and its equipment (see L3.1).
- It is issued after training at an approved school and a Port Authority exam, or without exam to certain professional seafarers holding Greek titles. The exam route is covered in Greek Speedboat Licence — Exam Prep.
- You must carry the original licence, the boat's seaworthiness certificate and a copy of the insurance aboard and show them on request (art. 4(1)(ε)).
Quick decision
- Is it a jet ski or hovercraft? Licence.
- Is it a RIB, catamaran or V-hull? Compare with 15 / 30 / 50 HP.
- Otherwise compare with 30 / 40 / 70 HP.
- At or below the figure: it is a μηχανοκίνητη λέμβος (motor boat) and needs no licence. L1.2 covers the rules that still apply.
TIP — ask for the navigation licence Every rental boat carries an άδεια εκτέλεσης πλόων (navigation licence). It shows the registered engine power. If the operator cannot show it, that tells you something too.