Division 241: pleasure vessels for commercial use (NUC)
- NUC status
- Caps 12 · 30 · 120
- NUC label 2026
- Printable checklist
Division 241 governs pleasure vessels for commercial use, known in France as NUC: sailboats, catamarans or motorboats that carry passengers for payment, for a cruise, a sporting outing or a day at sea. It is added to Division 240 without replacing it.
In this guide, the LOCVOILIER team in Marseille explains NUC status, its history since 2008, the passenger caps in an animation, the NUC label required by the order of 21 May 2026, what changes compared with personal use, and the compliance checklist to tick off live.
- Status created in 2008
- Latest revision: 21/05/2026
- Scope: NUC ≤ 24 m
- Caps 12 / 30 / 120
A pleasure vessel that legally becomes a professional tool
A NUC (pleasure vessel for commercial use) is a vessel of pleasure-craft design that carries out a commercial activity of carrying passengers — a sightseeing trip, a sporting outing, a paid day at sea. As soon as this is the case, it no longer falls under Division 240 alone: it switches to Division 241, which is added without replacing it.
What it adds to Division 240
The applicable regulations are not the much heavier ones for conventional passenger ships — they are the “pleasure craft” regulations of Division 240, supplemented by a defined number of requirements specific to commercial operation: navigation permit, master’s certificate, professional status of the crew, annual special inspection, additional equipment, passenger cap, NUC label on the hull.
What it does not cover
Beyond 24 metres of hull, Division 242 (large yachts, up to 3,000 gross tonnage) takes over. Until 2026, Division 241 also referred to Division 245 (new vessels excluded from “CE” marking) for its technical requirements; the order of 21 May 2026 makes it self-contained on this point.
A status created in 2008, professionalised in stages
The term NUC itself has only existed since 2012 — before that, the text referred to “vessels for collective use”. Since then, each revision has clarified a point that had remained vague: the number of passengers, the annual inspection, the carriage of goods on traditional sailing vessels, and finally the visual traceability of the vessel.
Status created
Order of 9 April 2008 (Official Journal of 16/05/2008): Division 241 regulates pleasure vessels operated commercially for the first time.
The term “NUC” appears
Order of 3 July 2012: “vessels for collective use” becomes “pleasure vessels for commercial use”.
Number of passengers regulated
Order of 2 July 2014: criteria setting the maximum number of passengers allowed on a NUC.
Technical adjustments
Order of 5 June 2015 (links with division 245), then of 2 May 2017: carriage of goods allowed for traditional sailing vessels, special inspection made annual.
Current version
Order of 21 May 2026: NUC label on the hull, text made self-contained, cases not previously covered included (voyages without passengers, polar waters, sail).
What you are reading
The page you are reading reflects this consolidated version — always check the source text before any operating decision.
Who, where and why
The switch to NUC status does not depend on the type or size of the boat: it depends on one thing only — carrying passengers in a commercial context.
Any vessel carrying passengers for payment
- Sailboat, catamaran, RIB, old rigger: the type of vessel changes nothing, only the commercial activity triggers the status.
- The crew has professional seafarer status: the master holds at least the Capitaine 200 certificate, with ENIM registration and seafarer medical fitness up to date.
- An owner who rents out their boat “bareboat” but almost systematically imposes a skipper on renters may be reclassified as a NUC operator.
Tourist or sporting navigation, never a scheduled service
- A NUC can never operate a scheduled service: a link between two points according to a published timetable, or with a regularity that makes it a recognisable systematic series.
- Vessels operated by the day sail from an identified home port and never exceed 12 hours of cumulative national voyage in the day.
- No carriage of cargo, except ship’s stores — with the exception of traditional sailing vessels under strict conditions.
A suitable framework, between pleasure craft and passenger ship
- Avoiding imposing the heavy framework of a conventional passenger ship on a cruising catamaran, while genuinely regulating the commercial risk.
- The NUC vessel must be approved by a ship safety centre, which issues it with its own navigation permit.
- Facilitating traceability and checks at sea through an identifiable status — the 2026 NUC label is its most visible expression.
How many passengers can a NUC carry?
Three regulatory caps depending on the type of vessel — but they are caps, not acquired rights: the number actually allowed is set case by case on the navigation permit when the vessel is approved, and may therefore be lower.
Each dot represents one passenger. The number actually authorised appears on the vessel’s navigation permit and may be lower than the cap.
Cap applicable in international navigation, whatever the type of motor vessel — powerful RIB or commercial yacht.
Cruising catamaran, coastal day-sailing yacht: the cap is higher, with no limit on power or size below 24 m.
Reserved for sailing vessels designed before 1965, or their individual replica — old riggers and their heritage use.
The NUC label, displayed on the hull
Since the order of 21 May 2026, every vessel approved as a NUC receives a label issued by the competent authority — a number taken from a ministerial list, to be displayed visibly, in a format modelled on that of coastal activity vessels (NAC) for immediate identification at sea.
White characters on a red background — visible from the sea as well as from the quay.
What the label changes in practice
- Immediate identification of a vessel’s commercial status, without having to ask for the papers
- Alignment with NAC (coastal activity vessel) markings for consistent reading at sea
- Number taken from a ministerial list — traceable, not reusable from one vessel to another
Why this change
- Making checks at sea easier: NUC compliance can now be read from a patrol boat, without boarding
- Reducing grey areas between bareboat charter and operation with a systematic skipper
- Harmonising the traceability of vessels operated commercially across all professional pleasure craft frameworks
For a mixed fleet — NUC and bareboat charter boats under the same commercial flag — only vessels actually approved as NUC carry the label. Confusing it with a simple hull number or a marketing identification would be a mistake to avoid at the time of a check.
Division 240 alone, or 240 + 241: what changes
Division 241 reinvents nothing: it takes the “pleasure craft” basis of Division 240 and adds the requirements specific to commercial operation.
| Requirement | Personal use — Div. 240 alone | NUC — Div. 240 + 241 |
|---|---|---|
| Basic safety equipment | ● | ● |
| Specific navigation permit | — | ● |
| Master’s certificate (C200 minimum) | — | ● |
| Crew with professional seafarer status (ENIM) | — | ● |
| Annual special inspection | — | ● |
| Additional safety equipment | — | ● |
| NUC label visible on the hull | — | ● |
| Regulatory passenger cap | — | ● |
| Ban on operating a scheduled service | — | ● |
Summary view for educational purposes. The exact detail of the additional equipment depends on the type of vessel and its operating programme — only the full text of Division 241 is authoritative.
The order of 21 May 2026, point by point
Beyond the NUC label, this revision fills several blind spots in the text and makes it more self-contained.
NUC label compulsory
Marking aligned with that of NAC (coastal activity vessels): ministerial number, white characters on a red background, minimum dimensions set by the text.
Order of 21/05/2026Text made self-contained
Until now, Division 241 referred to Division 245 (new vessels excluded from “CE” marking) for its technical requirements. It becomes self-contained and better suited to the vessels actually concerned.
Order of 21/05/2026Cases not previously covered, now included
One-off voyages without passengers, navigation in polar waters, carrying passengers on sailing vessels (SailCoop type), crew drills and passenger instructions: specific provisions now cover these situations, on the advice of the Central Safety Commission.
Order of 21/05/2026Number of passengers built into the text
The order of 2 July 2014, which separately set the maximum number of passengers allowed, is now directly built into article 241-1.09 of Division 241.
Order of 21/05/2026 — art. 241-1.09Day voyages clarified
Identified home port, national voyages never exceeding 12 cumulative hours in the day — even with several successive trips.
Order of 21/05/2026 — art. 241-1.03Speed limit mentioned by the specialist press
Several professional analyses mention a ban on NUCs sailing faster than 25 knots, except under regulated exceptions. This point could not be confirmed with certainty in the extracts of the final text consulted — check directly on Légifrance before any operating decision.
Professional press, not confirmed in the textTraditional sailing vessels and the carriage of goods
Since the order of 2 May 2017, a traditional sailing vessel operated as a NUC can carry goods — an exception to the general principle that prohibits any cargo on board a NUC, apart from ship’s stores.
For a classic ketch such as Belle Aventure, this bridge between heritage status and commercial operation should be checked precisely, article by article (241-7.01), before any transport activity.
Carrying passengers without NUC status
This is the offence with the heaviest consequences for an operator, and it is easier to commit than it seems — particularly when a skipper is systematically imposed on the renter of a boat supposedly chartered “bareboat”.
Carrying passengers for payment on a non-NUC vessel, or without holding the required command certificate, is a serious offence of illegally exercising command — and may be reclassified as undeclared work. The fact that an owner is physically on board is not enough to rule out this risk: if they take the helm as skipper rather than as technical companion, the charter contract must clearly designate the renter as sole skipper in charge to avoid NUC reclassification.
Skippered trips and charter: how LOCVOILIER applies Division 241
The line between boat charter and passenger transport is at the heart of Division 241. At LOCVOILIER, we draw it clearly for every service.
Boat trip with a professional skipper
When you book a full-day boat trip, sunset drinks or an event on board, the boat is commanded by a skipper holding the Capitaine 200 certificate, and the number of passengers never exceeds the number on the navigation permit. The programme varies with the weather and your wishes: it is never a scheduled service.
Bareboat charter
For a sailboat charter without a skipper, you are the skipper in charge. The contract designates you as such, the boat falls under Division 240 and the charter declaration is signed and kept on board. If you prefer to be accompanied, a skipper can come aboard as an option, under a separate contract.
Owners: entrusting your boat to charter management
Do you own a sailboat or catamaran and want to make it pay? Our charter management helps you choose the right framework, bareboat charter or operation with passengers, and meet the obligations that go with it.
The NUC compliance checklist, to tick off live
Choose the type of vessel to display the applicable passenger cap, fill in the fields, tick off as you check, then print it to keep on board with the navigation permit.
Regulatory cap — motor vessel
12 passengers maximumCommercially used vessels, in pictures
Division 241: your questions
What is a NUC?
A pleasure vessel for commercial use: a boat of pleasure-craft design that carries passengers for payment, for a cruise, a sporting outing or a day at sea. It falls under Division 241, which is added to Division 240.
How many passengers can a NUC carry?
The regulatory caps are 12 passengers for a motor vessel, 30 for a sailing vessel and 120 for a historic sailing vessel designed before 1965. The number actually authorised is set on the navigation permit and may be lower.
What certificate is needed to command a NUC?
The master must hold at least the Capitaine 200 certificate, be registered as a professional seafarer and have up-to-date medical fitness. A boating licence is not enough to carry passengers for payment.
What is the NUC label?
Since the order of 21 May 2026, every approved NUC carries on its hull a number taken from a ministerial list, in white characters on a red background, so that it can be identified immediately at sea.
Can a NUC run a regular shuttle?
No. A NUC can never operate a scheduled service, i.e. a link between the same points according to a published timetable or a systematic regularity. Trips with a programme that varies with the weather remain possible.
Is chartering a boat with a skipper a NUC activity?
A bareboat charter falls under Division 240, with the renter as skipper in charge. If a skipper is imposed almost systematically, the activity may be reclassified as NUC operation: the contract must be clear about who is the skipper in charge.
What are the risks of carrying passengers without NUC status?
It is a serious offence, which may be classed as illegally exercising command, or even undeclared work. Insurers may also refuse cover in the event of an accident.
Check the full text of Division 241
This page is intended to be educational and practical for the LOCVOILIER team and customers. It does not replace the regulatory text in force, which alone is legally binding. If in doubt about operating a vessel as a NUC — certificate required, passenger cap, carriage of goods — check the relevant article on Légifrance or with the competent ship safety centre.
A boat trip with a professional skipper?
Our trips leave from Port Corbières and Cassis, with a skipper holding the Capitaine 200 certificate.
Set the right course from the start!
