British Waterways cares for Britain's historic canals and rivers

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People sitting on the bow of a narrow boat

Boat licences

Boats need a British Waterways licence to use our waterways. This is a legally binding contract and the associated terms and conditions are designed to ensure that boaters respect the 'rules of the road' in the interests of harmony amongst boaters and between boaters and other waterway users. Find out more about the licensing system.