Canal & River Trust licence costs explained
How CRT boat licence fees work, including length, beam, no-home-mooring status, licence type, duration and payment assumptions.
- Reviewed:
- May 2026
- Data status:
- Official-source check required
- Best for:
- Planning licence costs before buying or renewing
Verification status
Check the official source
Figures for this topic can change. Use this page to understand what affects the cost, then check the official source before making decisions.
Reviewed May 2026
A Canal & River Trust licence is one of the most predictable boat costs and one of the easiest to get subtly wrong. The fee depends on the boat, the licence, the date and whether the boat has a home mooring. In other words, the answer is not “about a grand” unless you enjoy expensive surprises.
Starter estimates
The quick answer
Use these as planning anchors only. The live CRT licence calculator is the source of truth for the exact boat and start date.
57ft narrowboat with home mooring
About £1,373 a year
A Narrow & Wide starter default for a 12-month Canal and River licence, paid in full.
57ft narrowboat without home mooring
About £1,579 a year
Applies the 2026 no-home-mooring surcharge to the 57ft starter default.
No-home-mooring surcharge
+15% in April 2026
CRT’s published phase-in reaches +25% by April 2028.
Widebeam combined surcharge
Up to +53% in 2026
For boats over 3.24m without a home mooring, based on CRT’s published phased structure.
Licence figures belong in the budget as official figures once checked. Until then, keep them labelled as starter estimates or calculator results.
What changes the CRT boat licence fee?
| Compare | What to check | Why it matters | Budget note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Length | Overall boat length in metres | Longer boats usually cost more. | Use the exact length where possible, not only the listing headline. |
| Beam | Whether the boat is over 2.16m or over 3.24m | CRT applies wider-boat surcharges by beam band. | This is why widebeam planning needs its own model. |
| Home mooring status | Whether the boat is licensed without a home mooring | Boats without a home mooring have a phased surcharge. | Do not treat continuous cruising as a simple mooring saving. |
| Licence type | Canal and River, River Only, Gold or Tees | Different licence products are not interchangeable. | The Gold Licence uses its own calendar-year logic. |
| Duration | 12 months, 6 months, visitor or other duration | Shorter durations can have different pricing logic. | CRT says three-month licences are not available for continuous cruisers. |
| Discounts and payment | Prompt payment, online payment, Direct Debit and special discounts | The total paid can differ from the headline figure. | Record the paid amount separately from the planning estimate. |
Published surcharge phase-in
| Compare | April 2026 | April 2027 | April 2028 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boat without a home mooring | Standard fee +15% | +20% | +25% |
| Widebeam over 2.16m to 3.24m | Standard fee +19% | +22% | +25% |
| Widebeam over 3.24m | Standard fee +38% | +44% | +50% |
| Widebeam 2.16m to 3.24m without home mooring | Standard fee +34% | +42% | +50% |
| Widebeam over 3.24m without home mooring | Standard fee +53% | +64% | +75% |
This uses CRT’s published phased surcharge structure. The live CRT calculator still needs to be checked for the exact boat, start date and licence product.
How to calculate the licence without muddling the budget
The order matters. If you guess the licence before checking the boat dimensions and mooring status, the number can drift quickly.
- 1
Measure the boat
Use length and beam in metres, including the beam threshold that applies to the actual boat.
- 2
Choose licence type
Canal and River, River Only, Gold or Tees can produce different results.
- 3
Set use status
Home mooring or no home mooring changes the fee and the practical budget.
- 4
Record the evidence
Store calculator result, date, start month, payment choice and whether it is planned, quoted or paid.
How to record the licence in Boat Budget
If you do not know the current official figure yet, add a planning assumption and label it clearly. Once you have paid or confirmed the amount, replace the assumption with the real figure.
A licence cost should not be averaged into a vague “boat admin” line. It is too important, too searchable and too useful for future comparisons.
If the boat is a continuous cruiser or a widebeam, store those facts alongside the licence amount. Otherwise the future dataset will know the price but not the reason.
Check before you act
Licence rules and prices can change. Check the official CRT calculator before buying, renewing, making a financial decision or publishing a firm figure.
Source and data note
This guide uses current Canal & River Trust licence pages, the CRT licence calculator, CRT’s published 2026 to 2027 fee announcement and Narrow & Wide licence research. Starter figures are planning defaults, not official quotes or community averages.
Frequently asked questions
Does this page replace the CRT licence calculator?
No. It explains the moving parts and gives starter planning anchors. Use the official CRT calculator for the exact boat, licence type and start date.
Why does a continuous cruiser licence cost more?
CRT has introduced a phased surcharge for boats without a home mooring. For April 2026 the published surcharge is +15%, rising to +25% by April 2028.
Do widebeams pay more for a CRT licence?
Often, yes. CRT’s published structure uses beam thresholds over 2.16m and over 3.24m, with higher phased surcharges for wider boats and combined surcharges where the boat also has no home mooring.
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