Legal frame
Governing: ΓΚΛ 20 art. 2(17), 19, 39(4)(γ) (ΦΕΚ Β' 6543/2022); ΓΚΛ 38 art. 4(1). Builds on: L1.1.
If the engine is at or below the L1.1 figures, the boat is a μηχανοκίνητη λέμβος (michanokíniti lémvos, "motor boat"). Anyone meeting the conditions below may hire and drive one without a licence. This is the "no licence needed" boat you see on beach and harbour boards across Greece.
Who may hire it
ΓΚΛ 20 art. 19(2) sets three conditions for rental:
- Age 18 or over. No exceptions for rental.
- Able to swim. The rule bars rental to anyone, of any age, who cannot swim. The regulation does not say how the operator checks; expect a question or a signed statement.
- Daylight only. No rental before sunrise or after sunset.
For private use (your own or a friend's boat, not a rental), the helm must be at least 16. Someone of 16 or under may helm only with an adult aboard who can swim, can handle the boat and supervises them continuously. That relaxation does not apply to rentals.
What the boat must have
| Item | Rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Registration | Name and number painted on both sides | art. 19(3) |
| Safety kit and capacity | As written in its navigation licence | art. 19(3) |
| Spare fuel | A can or reserve tank if there is no fuel gauge | art. 19(3) |
| Propeller guard | Compulsory on every rented motor boat | art. 19(5) |
The propeller guard arrived with the 2022 rewrite of ΓΚΛ 20 and became compulsory two months after it took effect, which puts it in early 2023 (trade press gives 1 March 2023). Renting without one costs the operator €1,000, doubled for each repeat within 12 months (art. 39(4)(γ)): €1,000, then €2,000, then €4,000.
WARNING — no guard, no hire If the boat on offer has an exposed propeller, it is not compliant for rental. Swimmers near beaches are exactly who the rule protects. Ask for another boat.
Harbour rentals and beach rentals
Licence-free boats are hired under two regimes, and the paperwork differs:
- ΓΚΛ 38 "rent a boat" businesses (boats of 4.30 to 12 m, usually from a harbour). You sign a written contract that names who will skipper. For a licence-free boat that may be you, with no licence (ΓΚΛ 38 art. 4(1)). ΓΚΛ 38 also sets 18 as the minimum hirer age.
- Beach water-sports operators under ΓΚΛ 20, working from a pitch with a launching channel. The same art. 19 conditions apply.
L2.1 sets out what each operator must hand you.
Where it may go
The motor boat follows the same near-shore rules as a speedboat: 100 m outside bathing buoys, 200 m from swimmers where there are none, 5 kn maximum within 200 m of the shore (art. 19(1)). How far offshore you may go is written in its navigation licence. L3.1 covers both.
TIP — licence-free is not skill-free The law assumes no training. The operator must brief you and demonstrate the boat (ΓΚΛ 20 art. 24(1)(θ)). Take the briefing seriously, especially the kill-cord, the fuel and how to anchor. If you want structured practice first, the Powerboat courses in the MCA library cover boat handling.