The Navigation Authorities, such as the CRT and Environment Agency, require boats on their inland waterways to be examined for safety every 4 years. The Boat Safety Scheme is a not-for-profit company set up to organise this on their behalf.

A boat safety examination covers areas such as fuel and engine systems, electrical safety, gas, appliances, and cabin equipment such as fire extinguishers and carbon monoxide alarms. There are 180 checks listed, but they don’t all apply in every case – a typical boat might require 115. The purpose is to ensure the boat is as safe as possible for you, your crew and other waterway users. To get an idea of what’s involved in a BSS examination, have a look at this short video.

The cost is from £220 to £300, depending on the appliances and systems you have. A typical price for a boat with gas is £270. This includes all travel, the written report and the certification fee. 

If any issues are found that can’t be corrected during the examination, you will need a re-examination. Your examination report will explain what items need correcting. Normally, as long as you get the corrections done within 3 months, only the non-compliant items need to be re-checked. After 3 months, it’s necessary to do the complete examination again.

Very often re-examinations can be completed without additional charge, but not always - it depends on a number of factors. I will always let you know when sending your report.

You can read the BSS policy on re-examinations by following this link.

There are certain things that I will need access to, and I will explain these when I confirm your booking. If a small amount of gas, water or electricity is needed, I will also let you know this.

If you have instruction leaflets for your appliances, these will be very useful to have to hand on the day.

No further preparation is normally required. However, if you wish to have a look at the entire checking procedure, you can download it using this link.

This video will help you prepare for your examination.