Boat licence fees for 2018-19

Today we are announcing that private and business boat licence fees will rise by 3% from 1 April 2018, roughly in line with inflation forecasts for next year.

Income from boat licence fees helps to ensure that the we can continue to sustain charitable expenditure of over £150m per year.

We’re currently carrying out a consultation on the overall structure and future of boat licensing. No changes resulting from the consultation will be implemented before April 2019.

Ian Rogers, our customer services and operations director said: “We are committed to keeping boat licences at a fair price and investing the income back into caring for our canals and rivers for the benefit of all our boating customers.

“Looking after the waterways is a huge task, from big jobs like repairing flood-damaged bridges to the everyday work of dredging and replacing lock gates. The money we get from boat licences, which currently accounts for around 10-15% of our total income, is massively important in keeping the canals and rivers open so boaters can continue to use them, now and in the future.”