Personal watercraft licence
To operate a personal watercraft or jet ski, you must hold a personal watercraft licence. You must hold a current and valid marine licence before being able to get a personal watercraft licence.
Valid marine licences
Licences issued by Maritime Safety Queensland in accordance with the Transport Operations (Marine Safety) Act 1994 and include:
- recreational marine driver licence
- recreational ship master's licence
- speed boat driver's licence
- current commercial marine licences as master - for example coxswain.
Licences that are issued by other safety authorities within the Commonwealth of Australia or other entities recognised by Maritime Safety Queensland and include:
- current boating licences issued in other states (excludes junior licences)
- current Small Vessel Operators Certificate (to operate a fishing ship less than 10 m in length issued by the Queensland Fishing Industry Training Council).
Training courses
To obtain a personal watercraft licence you must successfully complete a BoatSafe training course.
Recognition of other qualifications, training or experience
The Transport Operations (Marine Safety) Act 1994 and its subordinate legislation provide an alternative to the completion of the full BoatSafe competency based training and assessment course. The recognition of prior learning process caters for those who can provide evidence of other relevant qualifications, training or experience in vessel operations. If this relates to your situation please contact an approved BoatSafe training provider for consideration and assessment under the recognition of prior learning process.
Interstate personal watercraft licences
If you move from interstate, you will be required to obtain a personal watercraft licence unless you hold an equivalent current personal watercraft licence issued by another state. Currently, only New South Wales and Victoria issue a specific personal watercraft licence. Short term visitors can use their boat licence equivalent if that is all that is required to operate a personal watercraft in their home state.
Operating a personal watercraft without a licence
You can operate a personal watercraft without a licence only if accompanied by a licensed operator who is able to take immediate control in case of trouble. Unlicensed drivers must not operate personal watercraft while towing someone else by a line attached to the ship including for example, someone waterskiing or riding a toboggan or tube.
Queensland driver licence marine licence indicator
From 10 July 2006, if you have either a recreational marine driver licence or a personal watercraft licence you can have a marine licence indicator included on your Queensland driver licence.
You do not need to take any action to have the indicator added to your licence. The marine licence indicator will be automatically added to your driver licence when you renew your licence or obtain a new licence (for example if you need a replacement licence) at a Queensland Transport customer service centre or licence issuing agency.
If you choose to renew your driver licence online, you are issued with a renewal label. The marine licence indicator is not included on the renewal label. If you hold a recreational marine driver licence or personal watercraft licence and would like it included on your driver licence, you should renew your licence in person at a Queensland Transport customer service centre or licence issuing agency.
The recreational marine driver licence is still considered a virtual licence and valid for life. Paper licences and confirmation reports are adequate proof that you have a recreational marine driver licence.
If you do not want to wait for your next driver licence renewal and would like the indicator added to your licence now, you will have to apply in person at a Queensland Transport customer service centre or licence issuing agency for a replacement licence. You will need to pay a fee and a replacement licence will be issued.
Changing licence information
Licence details can be changed at any time. You can do this by:
- Writing to:
Customer Service Direct
Queensland Transport
GPO Box 2451
Brisbane Queensland 4001 - Going to a Queensland Transport customer service centre.
- Calling Queensland Transport's customer information telephone service.
Queensland residents - 13 23 80b. - Going to the Queensland Transport home page www.transport.qld.gov.au and selecting "Change your address" from the services online section.
Hire and drive ships
The user of a hire and drive ship (includes hire boats that are six metres or less and personal watercraft, or jet skis) must hold a recreational marine driver licence in the following circumstances:
- when operating at night, between sunset and sunrise
- when operating at speeds in excess of 10 knots when beyond the direct sight and supervision of the hire and drive ship provider or designated tour guide
- when operating outside smooth waters when beyond the direct sight and supervision of the hire and drive ship provider or designated tour guide.
A person under the age of 16 operating a hire vessel must be under the direct supervision of a person who is 18 years of age or older.
Briefing requirements for providers have been expanded, and require:
- that the person conducting the briefing holds at least a recreational marine driver licence, and personal watercraft licence in the case of personal watercraft
- the first 99 briefings be overseen by a coxswain or an experienced recreational marine driver licence holder
- the person overseeing briefings does not need to be present at each briefing
The user of a hire and drive ship must operate in accordance with the conditions of the provider or tour guide. This includes confirming their medical fitness to operate the vessel safely, stating the number of intended passengers and supplying any other information requested to verify the user’s age and level of competency.
Further information about hire and drive ships can be found in the Transport Operations (Marine Safety-Hire and Drive Ships) Standard 2007 (PDF**, 250KB).
**While this department has taken every possible precaution with the creation of these files, they are downloaded and used at your own risk. Adobe Reader is required to open and print Portable Document Format (PDF) files and is free to download from http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html. Various tools to enable access to these files for people using a screen reader can be found at http://access.adobe.com. Further information is available from our "Help with downloading, reading and printing PDF" web page.
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Last updated 03 July 2008
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