Pleasure Boats and Boatmen Licensing

Section 94 of the Public Health Acts Amendment Act 1907 empowers the City Council to “grant upon such terms and conditions as they may think fit licences for pleasure boats and pleasure vessels to be let for hire or to be used for carrying passengers for hire, and persons in charge of or navigating such boats and vessels”.

The only exception to this requirement is for boats or vessels licensed under any regulations of the Board of Trade or a person in charge of or navigating such a boat or vessel.

The effect of this is that any vessel which is available for hire to no more than 12 passengers within category C or D waters must be licensed by the local authority within whose area the vessel is based. Likewise, persons acting a boatmen on such vessels must be licensed as such. Category C waters are those in Southampton Water north of Calshot and category D waters are those in the Solent within lines between Hurst Point to the Needles in the west and between West Wittering church to Bembridge church in the east.

Further information
Further details and forms can be obtained from the individual boats and boatmen pages, links to which appear on the left. Information on individual pleasure boat licences appear in the online licensing register and a list of those individuals applying for or granted boatman's licences appear in the register - please follow the links to the right.

Contact information

Email: licensing@southampton.gov.uk

Telephone: 023 8083 3245

Fax: 023 8083 4061

Postal address:
Licensing Team
Southampton City Council
PO Box 1344
Southampton
SO15 1WQ

Document Exchange: DX 115710 Southampton 17

Personal callers:
Licensing Team
Southbrook Rise
4-8 Millbrook Road East
Southampton
SO15 1YG

Opening hours:

Members of the licensing team will normally be available at Southbrook Rise to assist personal callers on weekdays between 09:00 and 12:00 and between 14:00 and 16:00. We may be available at other times by prior appointment.

Please note that the addresses and numbers given above should only be used for communication with the licensing team.

Service of Documents
Please use the PO Box or Document Exchange addresses for the service of all applications and notices on the licensing authority; please do not send or deliver such communications to the Civic Centre, as your application, notice or representation will inevitably be delayed, which may cause difficulties or result in your representation not being considered or your application failing to meet the strict prescribed time limits.

We are not able to accept service of applications, notices etc by fax or e-mail. Please note that all applications must be accompanied by the appropriate fee and bear original signatures.