If you own a boat and use it to enjoy the sea with your family and friends, it’s probably on List Seven. You may not even have noticed that detail… until you want to do something with it—like rent it out—and discover that the list it’s on changes everything.
Let's break it down in simple terms: what the Seventh List is, what it allows you to do, and what has recently changed for recreational boat owners.
What Are Vessel “Lists”?
In Spain, the vessel registry classifies each boat according to its intended use. Each category is called a “list,” and they range from List 1 to List 9. For recreational boaters, there are two that really matter:
- List Seven (7th): recreational vessels for private, non-profit use. This is the most common category among private individuals.
- List Six (6th): recreational vessels used for commercial purposes, that is, charter or rental.
The list isn't just a piece of paperwork: it defines what you can and cannot do with your boat.
What the Seventh List Allows You to Do
List 7 is intended for personal enjoyment. Your boat, you at the helm—let’s set sail. For a long time, the trade-off was clear: since it was for private use, you couldn’t rent it out. If you wanted to charter it, you had to register it on the 6th List, with all that entails.
For many boat owners, that was too big a commitment just to rent out the boat for a few weeks a year.
What Has Changed: Royal Decree 339/2024
Here is the important update. Under Royal Decree 339/2024, a vessel on List 7 may temporarily change its use to commercial and be rented out for up to 3 consecutive months per year, without having to register it on List 6.
In other words: you can rent out your boat for much of the high season and continue to enjoy it as a private boat the rest of the year. The best of both worlds—with a time limit.
What requirements must be met?
To legally rent out your boat listed on List 7, the regulations require:
- Professional management: It must be managed by an authorized boat rental company. The owner may not rent it out on their own.
- Appropriate insurance: liability and personal accident coverage tailored to the business activity.
- Technical Inspection (ITB): equivalent to that for vessels on List 6.
- Temporary clearance: You must apply for commercial clearance at the Harbor Master's Office.
- Restriction on use: While the boat is under a commercial charter, neither the owner nor his or her relatives may operate or sail on it.
What if I want to rent it for an unlimited period of time?
The temporary switch to List 7 is ideal for getting started or making the most of the high season. But there's a limit: those 3 consecutive months per year.
If your goal is to operate the boat as a full-fledged commercial venture, with no time limit and throughout the entire season, then it is definitely worth making the switch to List Six (6th), the specific registration category for commercial vessels.
Summary:
- List 7 + temporary change: up to 3 consecutive months per year, without changing lists. To get started or try it out.
- List 6: Unlimited-time charter, all season long. To go all out.
In summary
Knowing which list your boat is on is the first step to getting the most out of it. And under the new regulations, having a boat on List Seven no longer means it has to sit idle: it can start working for you a few months a year.
Would you like to learn more about what the Seventh List is? You can visit Set sail, and if you're interested in switching, you'll get a 50% discount on the 7th-tier switch fee for being a Portview user., with the code: PORTVIEW.