Licences and moorings

More information on types of licence required by visiting boaters and long-term moorings customers.

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You need a Scottish Navigation Licence to keep and use a powered boat or sailing vessel on Scottish Canals' waterways.

Unless you lift the vessel out of the water and remove it from our land when it is not in use, you must also have a home mooring for it. A home mooring is somewhere you can moor your boat on the Scottish canal network (excluding lochs) when it is not being used for cruising or sailing.

Short-term licences

If you want to bring your vessel onto our waterways for a short period, find out more about Scottish Canals Short-Term Licences and prices.

Short-term licences

Long-term moorings and licences

There are a variety of moorings available on Scotland’s Canals for rental periods of three to twelve months. See this section to understand long-term licences and moorings, where to find them and prices.

Long-term moorings and licences

Understanding moorings and licences

Short-term / Navigation licence

If you are sailing or cruising on Scottish Canals for short periods (up to 30 days) a short-term licence will cover both the navigation and use of visitor moorings needed for visits to our waterways for short periods.

Long-Term licence

If you want to keep your boat on the canals for longer than 1 month, you need a long-term leisure mooring as well as the appropriate licence.