Online Boat Checker

Many boaters have got into the habit of contacting us on an ad hoc basis when they see boats that appear to be unlicensed. This online checker has been created to make this process of voluntary reporting more efficient for both boaters and BW. It saves us valuable time making the manual checks on ad hoc reports, which often reveal that the boat is in fact licensed (but not displaying). We now regularly patrol every stretch of waterway using handheld computers and whenever we find an unlicensed boat, we create a 'notification' for the enforcement teams to investigate. Additional sightings made by waterway users can provide a useful supplement to this process. Where you tell us about an unlicensed boat we weren't already aware of, we also create a notification.

To check whether a boat is licensed, enter its index number.

If the boat is not licensed, you will be able to report your sighting to us. Each fully completed form will be logged in our 'sightings' database and assigned a priority for action.

The information we display on this site is permitted under our Data Protection Acts registration.

BW does not issue licences to its own workboats. A separate fleet management system includes ensuring that all our boats comply with safety requirements.