Do I need a licence to rent a boat in French Polynesia?

• French Polynesia's rules on conducting pleasure craft (arrêté 668 AM, consolidated) say that conducting "sailing pleasure craft, even if fitted with an auxiliary engine" does not require a title, nor does a motor pleasure craft of 6 hp or less. Motor craft above that need a "carte mer" or "permis mer". The text concerns French-flag pleasure craft; the consolidated file we read was uploaded in 2018. (DPAM, Government of French Polynesia)

This is the sailing (skipper) licence for a rented boat. Fishing from the boat needs a different licence: fishing rules in French Polynesia.

[Secondary source] The ICC (International Certificate for Operators of Pleasure Craft, UNECE Resolution 40) is described by the RYA as "a certificate which is intended to provide evidence of competence when requested by officials in foreign countries"; whether it is needed and in what form is set by the boat's flag state and, if different, the coastal state, and the onus is on the holder to check. (RYA)

• [Not verified] We could not confirm a VHF certificate rule for French Polynesia.

• [Not verified] We found no official text on a second crew member.
• [Secondary source] Anchor, a charter-industry guide, says you "might need to have at least one other able adult crew member, preferably with a competent crew certificate". This is general advice, not a rule it ties to any country. (Anchor (formerly Helm))

• Hire a skipper. [Secondary source] Island Sailing, a charter operator, says on its Greece qualifications page that skippered or crewed yacht charters "are ideal for those with little or no sailing experience". With a professional skipper in command, the licence question is the skipper's, not yours (our reading; confirm the booking is skippered, not bareboat). (Island Sailing) A skipper costs €150–300 per day (The Globe Sailor, checked 28 Oct 2026), so seven days adds €1,050–2,100 (our arithmetic: 7 × the listed daily rate, before the skipper's meals). For comparison, 12 Knots' average weekly asking price for a catamaran in French Polynesia runs between €5,009 and €10,592 across the year (a mix of bareboat and crewed listings) (12 Knots, checked 27 Oct 2026). More: bareboat vs skippered.
• Licence-free boats. Sailing pleasure craft (including a sailing catamaran with auxiliary engines, our reading) and motor craft of 6 hp or less need no title. (DPAM, Government of French Polynesia)
• What operators ask. [Secondary source] Anchor says no licence is required by law in French Polynesia, only a sailing résumé showing you have been in charge of a boat of similar size; some companies still ask for a licence. (Anchor (formerly Helm))
• What operators ask. [Secondary source] The Moorings lists Tahiti among regions requiring formal certification. (The Moorings)

See catamarans for rent in French Polynesia on SamBoat

Check the licence rules above and the operator's own conditions before you book; listings and prices on SamBoat are SamBoat's own. We may earn a commission if you book through our links, at no extra cost to you (disclosure).

• Whether the 2018 consolidated text is the latest.
• A VHF certificate rule.
• Whether a second crew member is required.
• What each charter company asks for (Anchor and The Moorings disagree).

• [Secondary source]: From a charter company, marketplace or sailing body; not official and not the law.
• [Not verified]: We could not confirm it. We leave it open rather than guess.
• No label: Read in an official text (government, ministry, maritime authority or official gazette).

"Accepted within limits" means the official table accepts the certificate only for a boat size, area or radio condition stated in it. "Not defined" means the official text does not list certificates by name. Rules change and charter companies can be stricter than the law: always confirm with your operator before you travel.

• DPAM, Government of French Polynesia: Arrêté n° 668 AM of 8 July 1993 on the conduct of motor pleasure craft (consolidated) (official), checked 28 Oct 2026.
• Anchor (formerly Helm): What qualifications do I need to charter a yacht? (secondary, not official), checked 27 Oct 2026.
• The Moorings: Experience guide: Level 3 sail (secondary, not official), checked 27 Oct 2026.

Method: methodology. Data: JSON.

• Licence rules for every destination compared
• French Polynesia yacht and catamaran charter: prices, season and licence
• Best time to charter in French Polynesia
• Fishing rules in French Polynesia
• True cost of a week in French Polynesia: per person, all extras
• Snorkelling and diving in French Polynesia
• Sailing licence requirements: what the ICC and other certificates are