Amsterdam's canals are narrow, busy, and shared by sloops, tour boats, water taxis, kayaks, and the occasional swimmer. Knowing the handful of rules that actually matter keeps everyone safe and keeps your own day unhurried. This is the plain-language version. Where something is binding, we link the official source so you can check the current detail yourself.
A spot on our map is a suggestion, not a permit, and this guide is a primer, not the bylaw. The signs on the quay and the latest official rules always win.
Speed and wake
Go slow. The general limit on Amsterdam's water is 6 km/h, rising to 7.5 km/h on a few wider stretches: the Kostverlorenvaart, the Oosterdok, the Nieuwe Herengracht, and the Amstel heading out towards Ouderkerk. Just as important as the number is your wake: a big wash knocks moored boats about, slaps the canal walls, and soaks people on low terraces. If your boat is throwing a wake, ease off the throttle.
Keep right and give way
- Keep to the right (stuurboord, the starboard side) of the canal, even inside marked channels.
- Boats under 20 metres give way to longer boats, and bigger working and commercial vessels generally have priority. Give them room.
- Watch for boats coming out of side canals and from under bridges. Sightlines are short, so signal your intentions early and clearly.
- Adjust course and speed in good time, and never change either suddenly. When in doubt, slow down.
The alcohol limit applies on the water
The water is not a loophole. The legal limit for whoever is steering is 0.5 promille, the same as driving, and the skipper is responsible for the boat. Have a designated skipper who stays under the limit for the whole day.
How many people can you carry?
A pleasure craft may carry a maximum of 12 passengers plus 1 skipper. Sail with more than 13 people aboard and you fall under passenger-vessel rules, which need a licensed skipper and a certified boat. You also may never carry paying passengers without an operating licence, so keep it to friends, not customers.
Do you need a boating licence?
For most rental sloops and electric boats, no. A licence (vaarbewijs) is only mandatory for a boat longer than 15 metres or one that can do more than 20 km/h. The rental company sets its own age minimum and deposit on top of that, so confirm when you book. Our guide to renting a boat walks through the rest.
Mooring etiquette
Where and how you tie up is its own small etiquette:
- Make fast to fixed gear only: rings, bollards, or mooring poles. Never tie to trees, bridge railings, lampposts, or bike racks.
- Mind the no-mooring signs. "Verboden af te meren" means no mooring, and you will see it under many bridges and near swimmers' steps.
- Don't block the way. Leave the channel, ferry landings, lock approaches, and ladders clear.
- Boats over 10 metres can't moor in the city without an exemption.
- You need a valid vignette to moor anywhere in Amsterdam, even at a free public quay.
The full picture, including the four kinds of tie-up and what they cost, is in our mooring guide. To see public tie-ups near you, filter the map to mooring.
The emission-free zone
Since 1 April 2025, the city centre, including the Singelgracht, is an emission-free zone for pleasure craft. Electric, hydrogen, and muscle-powered boats enter freely. Petrol and diesel boats are kept to through-routes around the edge (the Kostverlorenvaart route to the west, the Amstel route to the south-east, the Western and Eastern Islands) unless they hold a transition permit, and those permits are being phased out over the coming years. If you run a combustion engine, this decides which canals you can reach, so read the City's emission-free-zone page before planning a route. For the deadlines that apply to your boat, and what going electric costs, see does your boat have to go electric in Amsterdam. Charging or topping up is covered in charging or fuelling your boat.
A few rules people forget
- Every boat must have a name. It is a legal requirement, not decoration.
- Keep it quiet. Loud music or shouting near homes can draw a noise fine of around €140, and enforcement can confiscate the sound equipment.
- Old two-stroke outboards (pre-2007) are banned in the city, except on the main through-routes.
- Correct lights at night: boats under 7 metres carry one all-round white light; over 7 metres you also need a green light to starboard and a red to port.
Who runs the bridges and locks?
The bridges and locks are operated by Waternet on behalf of the city, while the City of Amsterdam handles vignettes, dues, and the water rules above. Live opening times and any works affecting the waterways are published at vaarweginformatie.nl. We explain how to work through them in locks and sluices and bridges and headroom.
On the IJ, the rules get stricter
The IJ and Noordzeekanaal are working harbour water shared with ferries, cargo, and cruise ships. Large vessels have blind spots up to 350 metres, throw heavy wake, and can't stop quickly, so the Port of Amsterdam publishes its own pleasure-boating guidance on top of the city's rules. Paddleboards and pedal boats aren't allowed there at all. Cross it with care, keep well clear of the harbour basins, and save it for calm weather.
Safety basics
- Carry and wear life jackets, especially with children aboard.
- Keep hands in, fenders out, and watch for swimmers.
- Don't overload the boat, and keep a way to call for help.
- Swim only at a designated swim spot, never in the fairway or near bridges and locks. Our swimming layer shows where the water is checked.
Always check the current rules
Speed limits, permits, one-way stretches, and seasonal restrictions change, and they vary by area. Before you set off, read the signs on site and check the latest official rules, then follow them. The City of Amsterdam's boating hub and Varen doe je Samen are the places to verify anything binding. Floating Today is a curated guide, not an official source. See our Terms.
Ready to plan a route? Open the map.
