In the guide
This guidance is for England, Scotland and Wales
A recreational craft is any boat, of any type, regardless of its means of propulsion; its hull must be no less than 2.5 m and no more than 24 m, and it must be intended for sports and leisure purposes.
As a manufacturer, importer or distributor of recreational craft there are certain obligations you must fulfil before you place the recreational craft, personal water craft (such as jet skis) or propulsion engine on the market. A recreational craft must meet all the essential requirements of the Recreational Craft Regulations 2017 when it is placed on the market.
All recreational craft are required to be UKCA / CE marked. For more information see 'UKCA / CE marking'.
Office for Product Safety and Standards guidance
The Office for Product Safety and Standards has produced guidance on the Regulations, which can be found on the GOV.UK website.
Back to topTrading Standards
For more information on the work of Trading Standards services - and the possible consequences of not abiding by the law - please see 'Trading Standards: powers, enforcement and penalties'.
Back to topIn this update
No major changes.
Last updated: September 2023
Back to topKey legislation
Please note
This information is intended for guidance; only the courts can give an authoritative interpretation of the law.
The guide's 'Key legislation' links often only shows the original version of the legislation, although some amending legislation is linked to separately where it is directly related to the content of a guide. Information on changes to legislation can be found by following the above links and clicking on the 'More Resources' tab.