Whether you can drive the jet ski on your charter depends on the country, not on the yacht. Greece and Croatia require a licence and check for it. Turkey, the Bahamas and the US Virgin Islands let guests ride without one. The British Virgin Islands ban jet skis for charter guests altogether.
This page gives the rule for each destination we work in, what we do about it when you do not hold a licence, and a link to the yachts that carry jet skis there. Each destination site has its own detailed guide, linked in its section.
Broker insight
If nobody in the group holds a licence and nobody wants to get one, tell me that first, because it decides the country. Turkey, the Bahamas and the US Virgin Islands let you ride straight off the yacht with no paperwork. The BVI is a flat ban for charter guests, so I keep jet ski clients out of there. Greece and Croatia do ask for a licence, but it is not the hurdle people expect: Croatia accepts a short online course, Greece has a few yachts where you earn it on board on day one, and on most boats in both countries the crew can drive while you ride. I will point you to the easiest route for the country you actually want.
Louis Lamprell
Charter Broker, Active CYBA Member
Greece: licence required, and it is checked
Greece enforces the personal watercraft licence on charter guests, and the coastguard does check.
- No licence in the group: we shortlist yachts where a licensed crew member drives the jet ski and you ride behind.
- Want to drive yourself: a few Greek yachts run an RYA water sports centre on board, so you can earn the certificate during the first day of the charter. See yachts with RYA water sports centres.
- The full Greek speedboat licence is a proper course, not a holiday errand. Start months ahead if that is the route you want.
Full detail: do you need a jet ski licence on a yacht charter in Greece. The boats: Greek charter yachts with a jet ski.
Croatia: licence required, some foreign licences accepted
Croatia requires a boating licence to drive a jet ski. Several foreign licences are recognised, so a licence you already hold may be enough, and if nobody in the group has one, a crew-operated ride is the standard workaround.
Which licences count, and how the crew option works: jet ski regulations in Croatia and accepted foreign licences. The boats: Croatian charter yachts with a jet ski.
Turkey: no licence for charter guests
Turkey does not require charter guests to hold a licence to ride the yacht’s jet ski. The captain sets the zone and the rules on the day, and that is the only paperwork involved.
The boats: Turkish charter yachts with a jet ski.
Bahamas: no licence, but zones apply
No licence is needed to ride from a charter yacht in the Bahamas. Some bays and marine parks are closed to personal watercraft, so the captain decides where the jet ski goes in the water.
The boats: Bahamas charter yachts with a jet ski.
British Virgin Islands: banned for charter guests
Jet skis are prohibited for charter guests in the BVI. The one legal way to ride is a guided tour from Leverick Bay on Virgin Gorda, which your captain can book as a stop.
If jet skiing is the point of the trip, we route the charter through the US Virgin Islands instead, or combine the two. The full picture: can you ride a jet ski on a BVI yacht charter.
US Virgin Islands: no licence, designated zones
The USVI allow charter guests to ride without a licence. St Thomas and St John have designated jet ski areas, and the captain will take you to them.
The boats: US Virgin Islands charter yachts with a jet ski.
Italy, France, Mallorca and Corsica
All four have yachts with jet skis on board, and all four have licence rules of their own that we confirm per booking, because they differ for residents, EU licence holders and visitors. Tell us which destination and who wants to drive, and we will tell you the current rule before you commit.
What we settle before you book
- Who will drive. One licensed person in the group is usually enough; that person drives and the others ride behind.
- Whether the yacht carries a jet ski at all. Many Mediterranean charter yachts do not, and the listing photo is not proof. We confirm the toy list with the crew.
- Whether the crew will operate it for you. Most will; a few will not, and it is better to know before the contract.
- Whether Greece is the right country for the brief. If easy jet ski use is the whole point, Turkey, the Bahamas or the USVI make the week simpler from day one.
Send us your dates, group and the destinations you are weighing, and we will come back with the yachts that carry jet skis there and the honest answer on who can drive them.
People also ask
Do I need a licence to ride a jet ski on a yacht charter?
In Greece and Croatia, yes. In Turkey, the Bahamas and the US Virgin Islands, no. In the British Virgin Islands charter guests cannot ride at all outside a guided tour. Italy, France, Spain and Corsica have their own rules that we confirm per booking.
Can the crew drive the jet ski for us if nobody has a licence?
On most yachts, yes. A licensed crew member drives and guests ride behind. We confirm this with the crew before the contract, because a few yachts do not offer it.
Which country is easiest for jet skis on a charter?
Turkey, the Bahamas and the US Virgin Islands, in that they need no licence from guests. The Bahamas and the USVI have zones where jet skis are not allowed, which the captain manages.
Can I get a jet ski licence during the charter?
In Greece, yes, on the few yachts that run an RYA water sports centre on board. Elsewhere, treat the licence as something to arrange before you travel.
Are jet skis really banned in the BVI?
Yes, for charter guests. The only legal option is a guided tour from Leverick Bay. If jet skiing matters, we route through the US Virgin Islands.
