Narrowboat licence fees explained
What you'll pay the Canal & River Trust in 2026/27, why continuous cruisers and widebeams now pay more, and what's still changing.
Figures verified 2 July 2026 · 2026/27 prices, effective 1 April 2026Sources
Almost every boat on CRT's 2,000 miles of canals and rivers needs a licence, priced by boat length, then adjusted by beam and mooring status. Fees rose 4.85% on 1 April 2026 (announced November 2025, based on Bank of England inflation forecasts). The table below is the 2026/27 price list for a 12-month Canal & River licence, narrowbeam, with a home mooring — verified against the official CRT licence calculator, July 2026. For your exact boat, use our licence calculator.
2026/27 licence fees by length
| Boat length | 12-month licence | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| up to 5.4m (17ft 9in) | £768.05 | £64.00 |
| 5.5–6.4m (18–21ft) | £820.67 | £68.39 |
| 6.5–7.4m (21–24ft) | £873.31 | £72.78 |
| 7.5–8.4m (25–27ft) | £925.88 | £77.16 |
| 8.5–9.4m (28–30ft) | £980.92 | £81.74 |
| 9.5–10.4m (31–34ft) | £1,031.23 | £85.94 |
| 10.5–11.4m (34–37ft) | £1,086.19 | £90.52 |
| 11.5–12.4m (38–40ft) | £1,136.46 | £94.71 |
| 12.5–13.4m (41–43ft) | £1,191.50 | £99.29 |
| 13.5–14.4m (44–47ft) | £1,244.16 | £103.68 |
| 14.5–15.4m (48–50ft) | £1,296.76 | £108.06 |
| 15.5–16.4m (51–53ft) | £1,349.44 | £112.45 |
| 16.5–17.4m (54–57ft) | £1,404.46 | £117.04 |
| 17.5–18.4m (58–60ft) | £1,454.69 | £121.22 |
| 18.5–19.4m (61–63ft) | £1,509.76 | £125.81 |
| 19.5–20.4m (64–66ft) | £1,559.98 | £130.00 |
| 20.5–21.4m (67–70ft) | £1,614.98 | £134.58 |
| 21.5–22.4m (71–73ft) | £1,670.08 | £139.17 |
The surcharges — and where they're heading
Since April 2024, CRT has been phasing in two surcharges on top of the base fee. They add together — a broad-beam continuous cruiser pays both.
| Surcharge | 2026/27 | Apr 2027 | Apr 2028 |
|---|---|---|---|
| No home mooring (continuous cruiser) | +15% | +20% | +25% |
| Beam over 2.16m (7ft 1in) | +19% | +22% | +25% |
| Beam over 3.24m (10ft 8in) | +38% | +44% | +50% |
In cash terms: a 57ft narrowbeam continuous cruiser pays £210.67 on top of the £1,404.46 base in 2026/27; by April 2028 that surcharge alone reaches roughly £350 at today's base prices. If you're weighing up ditching the mooring to save money, factor in the rising surcharge — our comparison runs the full numbers.
Discounts and cheaper licences
- Electric propulsion: 25% off — applied after any surcharges. The biggest discount going, and it also marks where CRT wants the fleet to head.
- Historic boats: 10% off for eligible registered historic craft.
- River-only licences cost 60% of the full canal & river price, if you'll genuinely stay on CRT's river navigations.
- Shorter licences (week, month, quarter, half-year) exist but cost proportionally more; continuous cruisers can't buy 3-month licences.
Boats on Environment Agency waters (Thames, Nene, Great Ouse) need EA registration instead, and boaters who roam both networks can buy a joint Gold Licence — its 2026 pricing is agreed separately with the EA.
Licensing is being reformed — watch this space
In November 2025, the independent Commission on Boat Licensing reported with 36 recommendations, and in February 2026 CRT committed to acting on them in three phases: immediate communication improvements and a boater app (2026), consultations on movement requirements for boats without a home mooring, insurance requirements and licence discounts (through 2027), and potential new legislation beyond 2028. Translation for your budget: the rules for continuous cruisers and the discount structure could genuinely change in the next two years. We re-verify this page against official CRT prices every April and update it when the consultations land — the methodology page logs every change.
Frequently asked questions
- How much is a canal boat licence in 2026?
- A 12-month Canal & River Trust licence for a narrowbeam boat with a home mooring costs from £768.05 (under 5.5m) to £1,670.08 (71–73ft) for licences starting on or after 1 April 2026. A typical 57ft narrowboat is £1,404.46. Continuous cruisers pay 15% more, and widebeam boats pay 19% or 38% more depending on beam.
- Do continuous cruisers pay more for their licence?
- Yes. Since April 2024, boats licensed without a home mooring pay a surcharge that is being phased in: 15% for 2026/27 licences, 20% from April 2027, and 25% from April 2028. On a 57ft narrowboat that's £210.67 extra in 2026/27.
- How is the widebeam surcharge calculated?
- Boats with a beam over 2.16m (7ft 1in) pay +19%, and boats over 3.24m (10ft 8in) pay +38%, for licences starting on or after 1 April 2026. These rise to +25% and +50% by April 2028. The surcharge adds to the continuous-cruiser surcharge if you have no home mooring — a broad-beam continuous cruiser pays +53% in 2026/27.
- Are there any licence discounts?
- Electric-propulsion boats get 25% off and registered historic boats get 10% off, applied after any surcharges. There are also prorated shorter licences, and river-only licences cost 60% of the full canal-and-river price.
- When do licence fees change?
- CRT announces new fees each autumn, effective 1 April. The 2026/27 rise was 4.85%. Surcharge steps for continuous cruisers and widebeams continue each April until 2028. We re-verify this page against official CRT prices every April.