Rafting Tour; Application for a Navigation Permit and Notification

Commercial boat rentals for public use by third parties (boats up to 9.20 m in length) generally require a navigation permit if the providers or organizers (including those operating on a regional scale) essentially always focus their activities on a specific body of water or one or more specific sections of a waterway. Only if there is no connection to a body of water at all may such a permit be dispensable. In such cases, it must be the renter’s responsibility to pick up the vessel from the rental company and return it there. Furthermore, the renter must be free to choose which body of water to use.

Rafting tours using boats longer than 9.20 m must always be approved under shipping law by the local district administrative authority (lower water authority).

The district administrative authority reviews the application, particularly with regard to aspects of nature conservation law, water management, shipping law, fisheries, and safety regulations. The district administrative authority may involve the relevant specialized agencies in this process.

The district administrative authority may issue statutory regulations, general rulings, or orders in individual cases to ensure the exercise of public use. The District Administrative Authority may, in particular, adopt regulations to prevent dangers to life, health, property, rights equivalent to property, or possession; to maintain the safety and efficiency of traffic; protect nature, in particular flora and fauna or the water body and its banks, regulate recreational traffic, or ensure the use of a water body based on permits, authorizations, ancient rights, and ancient powers, or the use by owners and riparian residents.

Rafting by participants using boats up to 9.20 meters in length must not exceed the limits of public use as defined by water law. A prerequisite for this is, in particular, that rafting is possible without unlawful use of third-party property and does not result in any significant impairment of the waterways, the banks, or the flora and fauna.

A permit for boating with vessels over 9.20 m in length may be denied or granted with conditions if required by the public interest, traffic safety and flow, public peace, the protection of property or fisheries, or the maintenance of water quality.

Furthermore, please note the notification and/or permit requirements for sporting events, promotional events, and other events on the water pursuant to Sections 51 and 52 of the Bavarian Shipping Regulations (BaySchiffV) with the locally competent district administrative authority.

Sports events involving small vehicles without their own propulsion must be reported to the district administrative authority at least two weeks in advance.

• Specify the type, location (including, for example, the starting and ending points), and time of the event, as well as the estimated number of participants
• Description of the Boats

A fee of between 50 and 250 EUR may be charged for the issuance of a maritime permit.