From 12 December 2025, the UK Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA) will introduce ‘The Safety of Small Vessels in Commercial Use for Sport or Pleasure – A Code of Practice’, a major regulatory update that consolidates previous guidance into a single, modern framework.  

This is the most significant change in over 20 years, and operators of coded vessels should start preparing now.  

What’s changing?  

The new Code:  

• Replaces the Blue, Yellow, and Red Codes, MGN 280, and the Intended Pleasure Vessels Code, creating one unified standard 
• Reflects advances in vessel design, propulsion technology, and safety practices, while supporting environmental goals such as decarbonisation  
• Introduces clearer requirements for survey, inspection, and certification, and provisions for alternative fuels and hybrid/electric propulsion  

Who does it apply to?  

• Small vessels under 24m in commercial use for sport or pleasure, carrying no more than 12 passengers.  
• Vessels meeting the definition of a pleasure vessel remain outside the scope and do not need to comply 
• Vessels operated by RYA Recognised Training Centres in accordance with the RGNs for dinghy, keelboat, multihull, powerboat and personal watercraft centres where training is delivered up to three miles out to sea in daylight hours only do not need to comply. RYA recognition is an alternative to Category 6 of the Code of Practice for Small Commercial Vessels. 
• RTCs offering the Yachtmaster scheme, Advanced Powerboat or Tender Operator courses should have commercially certified vessels. RTCs offering the Powerboat Intermediate course may also require commercially certified vessels. 

Key legal definition  

Under the Merchant Shipping (Vessels in Commercial Use for Sport or Pleasure) Regulations 2025, “pleasure vessel” means–   

any vessel which at the time it is being used is—  

i. in the case of a vessel wholly owned by—  

(aa) an individual or individuals, used only for the sport or pleasure of the owner or the immediate family or friends of the owner; or  

(bb) a body corporate, used only for sport or pleasure and on which the persons on board are employees or officers of the body corporate, or their immediate family or friends; and  

on a voyage or excursion which is one for which the owner does not receive money for or in connection with operating the vessel or carrying any person, other than as a contribution to the direct expenses of the operation of the vessel incurred during the voyage or excursion; or  

any vessel wholly owned by or on behalf of a members’ club formed for the purpose of sport or pleasure which, at the time it is being used, is used only for the sport or pleasure of members of that club or their immediate family, and for the use of which any charges levied are paid into club funds and applied for the general use of the club,  

where, in the case of any vessel referred to in paragraph (a) or (b), no other payments are made by or on behalf of users of the vessel, other than by the owner; and in this definition “immediate family” means, in relation to an individual, the spouse or civil partner of the individual, and a relative of the individual or the individual’s spouse or civil partner; and “relative” means brother, sister, ancestor or lineal descendant;  

• In simple terms:  
  If payment for a vessel owned by an individual or company is being made for use of the vessel beyond a contribution to the direct costs of the specific voyage (i.e. fuel, food and berthing costs can be covered but not general maintenance or upkeep costs) then the vessel is not a pleasure vessel and is subject to the regulations for commercial vessels.  
• If the vessel is owned by a sailing club, then the club can charge for use of the vessel. It is important however to fully consider all the requirements of the pleasure vessel definition as payment is not the only factor.  

A flowchart to help guide you through the different elements of the definition can be found below.