What do you need to license your boat or jet ski in Dubai?

You need a Dubai Maritime Authority (DMA) licence before you use any boat, yacht or jet ski in Dubai, and DMA will not issue or renew it without an insurance policy.¹²

Does your boat or jet ski need a Dubai licence?

Yes, if you use it in Dubai waters. Every vessel must be licensed and registered, and none may operate without the licence and the documents DMA prescribes. A vessel licensed and registered outside Dubai that is authorised to enter is exempt from this rule.¹ DMA is the old Dubai Maritime City Authority under a new name, from Law No. 3 of 2023.³

The rules sort craft into four groups: recreational, sports, commercial and traditional wooden. Jet skis, electric surfboards, hovercraft and small electric or petrol boats are in the sports group.⁴

Marinas must check that every berthed vessel holds a valid licence and must not let a vessel with an expired licence use the marina.⁵

Check your craft’s group, then follow the matching list below.

What documents does DMA ask for?

DMA works in two stages: register and book an inspection, then issue the licence once the craft passes.²

The inspection report is valid for 30 days. An application that is not completed within three months is cancelled and the fees are not refunded.²

Arrange the insurance before the inspection, so you can finish within the 30 days.

What insurance does the licence need?

A policy from an insurer licensed in the emirate, valid for 13 months. For a water sports craft on a two-year licence it must be valid for 26 months.² On renewal the policy must run for at least 12 months from the date the licence is issued.⁶

The law sets the minimum: cover for your liability for damage to third parties from using the vessel.¹ Cover for your own boat is not required by the licence rules. The full rule is on do you have to insure your boat.

Renew the policy before the renewal inspection, because DMA asks you to update the insurance details as soon as the craft passes.⁶

What does the licence cost?

A licence is valid for one year. A water sports craft owner can choose two years and pay for two.² Dubai’s 2023 amendment allows a licence term of “one (1) year or more”.⁷

Pay through the DMA portal or smart app.

What happens if your licence lapses?

You can be fined. Using a vessel after its licence expires is AED 1,000. Using an unlicensed vessel is AED 5,000. Renewing more than two months late adds AED 100 for each month of delay, or AED 50 a month for a water sports craft owned by an individual.⁴ Once the delay passes 60 days, DMA counts the penalty from the expiry date.⁶

Every fine that applies to private owners and jet ski riders is in boat and jet ski fines. Work out your dates with the licence renewal calculator.

Do you need anything else before you sail?

Yes: a driving licence for whoever is at the helm, and a sailing permit for leisure trips. The owner may not let an unlicensed person navigate the vessel.¹ DMA’s circular of 8 May 2026 tells owners on leisure trips to ask their marina for a departure sailing permit from the National Guard Command (Coast Guard), and to keep to its conditions, timings and limits.⁸

Read boat driving licences for the ages, courses and fees.

The small print

• The law. Article 7 of Law No. 11 of 2010 requires every vessel to be licensed; Article 8 sets the insurance rule; Article 13 bars owners from letting unlicensed people navigate.¹
• Fees in the resolution. Schedule 1 of Executive Council Resolution No. 9 of 2020 lists AED 100 for a recreational vessel licence and AED 300 for a water sports craft owned by a natural person. DMA’s service page lists AED 120 and AED 320.⁴²
• Fines. Items 1, 3, 5 and 92 of Schedule 2 of Executive Council Resolution No. 9 of 2020.⁴
• Marinas. Circular No. 12 of 2025 also asks marina operators to send DMA a list of non-compliant vessels every three months.⁵