Craft registration - River Thames

Annual registrations

Every type of pleasure craft must be registered and licensed. This includes motor cruisers, sailing cruisers, narrowboats, houseboats and open vessels such as canoes or rowing boats. These are issued annually and cover the period 1 January to 31 December.

Launch registration charges

Registration charges for all powered launches are based on the area of your launch, calculated in square metres by multiplying the length by the beam (width). The charge per square metre for 2010 is £15.66, with a minimum charge for five square metres.

For example, a launch 5 metres long and 2 metres beam has a chargeable area of 10 square metres. Multiplied by £15.66  the registration charge is £156.60. For a launch between 1 and 5 square metres the minimum charge is £78.30.

Late registration

Motorised craft first used on or after 1 September are entitled to a 50% reduction of the full rate. Late registration is not available to visiting launches registered for any period prior to 1 September.

Visitor registrations

There are three types of visitor registrations available:

• Option 1    -    six one day certificates
• Option 2    -    two 15 consecutive day certificates
• Option 3    -    one 31 consecutive days certificate

Boaters visiting the Thames can 'mix and match' their visitor registration certificates. This allows visitors to travel along the Thames for a total of 67 days by purchasing up to six one-day registrations plus two 15-day registrations and one 31-day registration.

Visitor launch registration charges

• Registration charges for visiting launches are based upon the size of your launch.
• The chargeable area is calculated by mutiplying the length by the beam (width) of your launch.
• The chargeable area is then used to find your registration charge for the time period you require.
• The list of charges for visiting launches can be seen on the application form which can be downloaded at the bottom of this page.
• Special rates apply to one day visitor registrations. When buying consecutive one day registrations, one of those days can be issued free of charge.

Buying a visitor registration on the river

Visiting boaters may register at any of the following locks during published hours of duty:

St Johns, Radcot, Northmoor, Pinkhill, Eynsham, Kings, Godstow, Osney, Iffley, Sandford, Abingdon, Culham, Benson, Mapledurham, Caversham, Blakes, Sonning, Shiplake, Marsh, Hambleden, Hurley, Temple, Marlow, Cookham, Boulters, Bray, Boveney, Romney, Bell Weir, Penton Hook, Chertsey, Shepperton, Sunbury, Molesey and Teddington.

If you choose to register at a lock, please do not take the visitor form available to download from this website - a specific lock registration form is available at the lock.

Electrically propelled launches on the River Thames

Electrically propelled launches are entitled to a 25 per cent reduction in charges for annual and visitor registrations.

Provided that: the sole method of propulsion is an electric motor(s) powered by storage batteries carried on board and that no system of auxiliary power for propulsion, nor internal combustion motor(s) nor charging engine(s) is carried.

Unpowered vessels

• Except houseboats, any vessel used on the River Thames which is not mechanically propelled requires an unpowered registration. For houseboat registration enquiries please contact us by phone on 0118 953 5650 or by e-mail at boatreg@environment-agency.gov.uk
  
• The annual registration charge for an unpowered vessel for 2010 is £30.50.
• If the vessel is visiting the Thames then short period registrations are available.
• A 31 day registration costs £14.00 and a 1 to 6 day registration cost £7.00.
  
• Unpowered registrations can either be applied for in advance by post using the form below or alternatively registrations can be bought from any lock on the Thames on the day of use.

Methods of payment

We are pleased to offer more flexible ways to pay for your registration.

Direct debit

You can spread the cost over six equal instalments (January to June), or make one full payment. To take advantage of the six instalments option you need to send a completed mandate form, together with your registration form, to us by 1 January.

Direct debit applications received after 1 January can be accepted but we will divide the full charge by the months remaining until June to give your monthly payment.

We can not accept any direct debit applications after June.

• River Thames craft registration direct debit application form

Credit/debit cards

Paying over the phone

• You can renew your annual registration over the telephone by credit or debit card by phoning us on 0118 953 5650.
• Payments by telephone can only be accepted to renew an existing registration.
• We may need to see a valid Boat Safety Certificate unless previously seen.
• Your registration documents will be issued once we have processed your payment. You will still need to send us your signed renewal form.

Paying by post

• You can pay by credit or debit card when applying by post.
• Download and complete the card payment form from the application forms section below and send it to us with your registration form.
• Card payments by post can be made for new registrations as well as renewals.

For customers visiting the River Thames or buying unpowered registrations, payments by card can be made at the following locks:

Eynsham, Kings, Godstow, Osney, Caversham, Sonning, Shepperton, Sunbury and Teddington.

Please note that we are unable to accept the following types of cards:

Solo, Visa Electron and American Express.

How to apply

New annual registration applications can only be made by post. Application forms can be downloaded at the bottom of this page. Please send completed applications together with payment and, if required, a boat safety certificate or declaration of conformity to:

Environment Agency
PO Box 214
Reading
RG1 8HQ

Please remember when printing the annual and visitor forms we only require page one and two to be returned. Where possible please save paper by printing double-sided.

If you have any problems downloading the forms below or if you have any questions about the application process then please contact us by phone on 0118 953 5650 or by e-mail at boatreg@environment-agency.gov.uk