Rafting tour; application for a permit under shipping law and notification

Commercial boat rental for the exercise of public use by third parties (boats up to 9.20 m in length) regularly requires a navigation permit if the providers or organizers (including entrepreneurs operating nationwide) will essentially always target a specific body of water or one or more specific sections of water. Only if there is no connection to a body of water at all can this be dispensable. It must then be the responsibility of the renter to collect the vehicle from the lessor and return it to the lessor. In addition, the renter must also be free to choose which body of water to use.

Rafting tours with boats longer than 9.20 m must always be approved by the local district administrative authority (lower water authority) in terms of navigation law.

The district administrative authority examines the application in particular with regard to nature conservation, water management, navigation, fishing and safety aspects. The district administrative authority may involve the relevant specialist bodies.

The district administrative authority can issue legal ordinances, general decrees or orders in individual cases for the exercise of public use. In particular, the district administrative authority can issue regulations to prevent danger to life, health, property, rights equivalent to property or possessions, to maintain the safety and ease of traffic, to protect nature, in particular the animal and plant world or the watercourse and its banks, to regulate recreational traffic or to ensure the use of a watercourse on the basis of permits, authorizations, old rights and old powers or the use of owners and residents.

• Indication of type, place (e.g. also entry and exit point) and time of the event and expected number of participants
• Description of the boats

Rafting with boats up to 9.20 m in length by participants may not exceed the limits of public use under water law. This requires in particular that rafting is possible without unlawful use of third-party land and does not lead to any significant impairment of the waters, the banks or the flora and fauna.

A permit for rafting with boats over 9.20 m in length may be refused or granted subject to ancillary conditions if this is necessary for the public good, the safety and ease of traffic, public tranquillity, the protection of property or fishing or the cleanliness or maintenance of the watercourse.

In addition, reference is made to the obligation to notify or obtain approval for sporting events, advertising events and other events on the water in accordance with §§ 51, 52 BaySchiffV from the locally responsible district administrative authority.

Sports events with small vehicles without their own traction must be notified to the district administrative authority at least two weeks in advance.

Costs of EUR 50 to 250 may be incurred for the issue of a shipping permit.