Legal frame Pravilnik o uvjetima za obavljanje djelatnosti iznajmljivanja plovila (charter) NN 42/17 arts 4, 12, 21, 25 and 26; Pravilnik NN 13/20 art. 8 (insurance); Pomorski zakonik arts 673.a–673.i (hire contract for yachts and boats, added by NN 17/19).
What the boat must be
A boat let out commercially must be registered for commercial use, technically fit for hire, crewed as the rules require and covered by third-party liability insurance that applies in Croatian waters (NN 42/17 art. 4). Separately, every boat or yacht over 15 kW in Croatian waters, domestic or foreign, must carry valid liability insurance (NN 13/20 art. 8). Rental berths must be in a public port, a concession area such as a marina, or a micro-location with a concession approval (art. 21).
The handover (primopredaja)
NN 42/17 art. 25 lists the minimum content:
- checking the skipper's competence — your licence;
- handing over all the boat's valid documents;
- checking that equipment and machinery work;
- a briefing on basic navigation-safety and anti-pollution rules;
- the search-and-rescue and emergency phone numbers;
- the procedure after an accident or incident;
- how to get weather reports and warnings.
A handover record (zapisnik o primopredaji) is drawn up in two copies, signed by the company's representative and by the skipper. One stays on the boat, one at the office, and both must be shown to an inspector on request.
TIP — Read before you sign The record is your evidence of the boat's condition at the start. Walk round the hull, note existing scrapes and photograph them with the time stamp. A dispute about a gelcoat chip is lost or won at this moment.
Documents that must be on board
- proof of seaworthiness;
- proof that the skipper is qualified (under the flag state's rules or Croatian rules);
- proof of liability insurance;
- the handover record;
- for hire without accommodation, an invoice issued under the tax rules (art. 26(4)).
Companies that only rent boats by the day, without overnight accommodation, are exempt from the electronic crew-list filing and tourist-tax duties that apply to charter (art. 12(3)). The handover still applies.
Damage, deposits and late return
The Maritime Code has a short chapter on the ugovor o najmu jahte i brodice (hire contract):
| Situation | Who carries it | Article |
|---|---|---|
| Boat delivered unseaworthy or unfit | Lessor; you may cancel and claim damages | 673.b |
| Defects that existed at handover | Lessor, unless they could not be found with due care | 673.c |
| Normal wear, hidden defects, force majeure | Not the hirer | 673.ć |
| Damage from use against the contract, the rules or the boat's purpose | Hirer, also for people he let use it | 673.d |
| Late return | Double the hire for the delay, plus further damage if you are at fault | 673.g |
| Sub-letting | Only with the lessor's consent | 673.i |
While the boat is in your possession you share statutory liability for its use with the owner (673.č(4)).
Deposits are not regulated in the texts read. The amount, what it covers and when it is returned are whatever the contract says, so read that clause before paying.
CAUTION — Breaking the rules moves the bill to you Speeding inside 300 m, anchoring off a natural beach or helming over the alcohol limit is "use against the regulations" (673.d). Damage that follows is yours, whatever the deposit.
For the full bareboat check-in (crew list, tourist tax, vignette), see Bareboat Chartering in Croatia.