Chartering a Boat in Florida: What to Check Before You Book

A boat charter is one of the best ways to spend a day in Florida. Someone else handles the boat, you handle the sunscreen, and everyone comes home happy. Most charters are run by professionals who take safety seriously. But every year the U.S. Coast Guard warns the public about illegal charters, boats that take paying passengers without the required license, inspection, or safety equipment.

The fix is simple: ask a few questions before you book. Here's a friendly checklist.

This article is general information, not legal advice. Rules can change and depend on the boat, route, and number of passengers. When in doubt, ask the operator for documentation or contact your local Coast Guard office.

Know what kind of trip you're booking

There are a few common types of trips, and the rules are different for each.

• A captained (crewed) charter. You pay for the trip, and the boat comes with a captain and sometimes crew. This is what most people mean by "charter."
• A bareboat charter. You rent the boat itself, and you take full responsibility for it, including hiring your own captain if you want one.
• A boat rental. Common for smaller boats, where you drive yourself after a briefing.
• A day out with friends. Friends voluntarily sharing actual expenses like fuel is generally treated differently from paying for a trip. The Coast Guard has said this kind of expense sharing among friends is not the same as carrying passengers for hire.

If you're paying for a trip with a captain, you're a passenger for hire, and that comes with specific federal requirements.

1. Ask to see the captain's Coast Guard license

The Coast Guard requires that every vessel carrying passengers for hire be under the direction and control of a captain with a Coast Guard-issued credential, and that the credential be kept aboard. For smaller uninspected boats carrying six or fewer paying passengers, often called "six-pack" charters, the minimum is an Operator of Uninspected Passenger Vessels (OUPV) credential. Larger operations need higher-level credentials.

A legitimate captain won't mind showing it. The Coast Guard's own advice is simple: if the operator can't produce appropriate credentials, don't get on the boat.

2. Check the passenger count

This is where many illegal charters go wrong. As a general rule:

• A boat carrying more than six passengers, with at least one paying, generally needs a Coast Guard Certificate of Inspection (COI). Inspected boats typically post the COI and display an inspection decal.
• Boats carrying six or fewer passengers for hire don't need a COI, but they still need a credentialed captain. Some voluntarily get a Coast Guard safety exam and display a decal.

So if you're planning a birthday for 15 people, you're looking for an inspected vessel with a COI that allows that many passengers, not a large private yacht that "can fit everyone."

3. Be careful with "bareboat charters" that come with a captain

A real bareboat charter means you, the charterer, take full command and control of the boat. According to Coast Guard guidance, the owner can't require you to use a captain they provide, and the registered owner can't be aboard during the charter. Bareboat charters also have their own passenger limit, generally no more than 12 passengers.

If a company calls something a "bareboat charter" but tells you the captain is included, picked by them, and paid through them, that's a red flag. That setup can be an illegal passenger-for-hire operation dressed up with paperwork.

4. Ask about insurance

Ask the operator what insurance covers the trip, and whether you'll be asked to sign a waiver or charter agreement. Read what you sign. For bareboat charters especially, you may be taking on responsibility for the boat, so check what's covered and whether you need your own coverage.

5. Look for safety equipment and a safety briefing

Every boat should have the safety equipment required for its size, including a properly sized, Coast Guard-approved wearable life jacket for each person aboard. In Florida, children under 6 must wear a life jacket while a boat under 26 feet is underway.

A good captain will give a short briefing before you leave the dock: where the life jackets are, how to get help, where the fire extinguisher is, and what to do if someone goes overboard. If nobody mentions safety, ask.

6. Check the weather plan and cancellation policy

South Florida weather can change fast, especially on summer afternoons. Ask what happens if the captain cancels for weather (you should never be pushed to go out in unsafe conditions), and what the refund or reschedule policy is.

7. Know who's driving if you rent

If you're renting a boat to drive yourself, Florida's education rules apply. Anyone born on or after January 1, 1988, needs to have proof of an approved boating safety course (like the Florida Boating Safety Education ID Card) or a temporary certificate, plus photo ID, to operate a boat with a 10-horsepower or larger motor. Rental businesses can tell you how they handle this.

8. Plan the drinks responsibly

Guests 21 and over can usually enjoy a drink on a private charter, but the captain stays sober. In Florida, boating under the influence is treated much like driving under the influence. Pack cans or plastic instead of glass, bring plenty of water, and plan for the sun.

Quick checklist before you pay

• Captain's Coast Guard credential is current and aboard
• Passenger count fits the boat's rules (COI posted if more than six paying passengers)
• No "bareboat" deal that secretly includes a required captain
• Insurance and waiver explained and read
• Life jackets for everyone, including kid sizes
• Safety briefing before departure
• Clear weather, cancellation, and refund policy

How Wave Boaters approaches charters

On Wave Boaters, owners have to verify their boat's registration and insurance before they can host. Paid charters also require a Coast Guard-licensed captain, either the owner's own captain or a verified captain from the Wave community. It's one more way we're trying to make it easy to say yes to a day on the water.

If you'd like to book trips with verified owners and meet great people along the way, join Wave Boaters when we launch.