Whichever documentation is supporting your boat's registration, A BSS Examination can be carried up to two months early. This page points to things you should know when arranging a BSS Examination.
Which Examination checking procedures apply to your boat? (the BSS cannot answer this question)Please ask which Certification i.e. which set of BSS Requirements, the navigation authority is asking for your boat to comply with; Private Boat, Hire Boat Requirements (2017) or Non-Private Boat Standards (2002)?
Neither Examiners nor the BSS Office can stipulate which boat has what Examination, only the navigation or harbour authority can state what set of requirements it wishes to support that boats registration/licence/mooring permission application.
Private Boat Requirements 
Hire Boat Requirements
Other Non-Private Boat Standards
Make arrangements in advance
A re-examination of and certification can be carried out at any point in the lifespan of a BSS certificate.
However, having a examination up to (but not exceeding) two months before your old BSS Certification runs out; or two-months if the navigation authority's period of recognition for a Recreational Craft Regulations / Recreational Craft Directive Declaration of Conformity (DoC), a BSS Examiner will post-date the new Certification to start from the date when either the old one expired; the applicable anniversay of the DoC.
This means you do not lose any of the full term of validity for licensing/registration purposes of the existing document.
We recommend taking advantage of this facility, because if your boat does not comply for any reason, you will still have some time to put things right.
The BSS calls this process 'forward dating' - the full detail is here Advance Booking of Examinations
Is everything in place for the examination?
It is a good idea to contact an examiner well in advance of needing to get your boat licensed, registered or take up a mooring.
You need to consider if everything is ready for a full BSS Examination to take place such as: Can the examiner get to the boat? Does he need permission of any land owners? Are keys involved? Is there gas aboard? etc.
To help have a successful examination, please check out the advice on Preparing for BSS Examination,
If your boat has a gas system with a gas cyliner locker, please take a moment to read this extra information concerning the checking of gas lockers and a.c. electrical shore-supply leads.
Selecting the Examiner - what may affect the cost - and making a pre-Examination agreement.There is no fixed price for BSS Examination. Be prepared to get two or three quotations, and always have a list of questions to hand so that you can agree the details right at the outset.
These could include for example, does the price include the cost of administrating the BSS Examination Report, are there extra charges if the examiner spends longer inspecting your boat than he expected, and will there be an extra charge if the examiner needs to make a return visit?
The Examiner will ask you a series of questions about the boat and the Examination process as they must form a pre-Examination written agreement with their customers. The folowing bullet points represent the minimum agreement, but they may have further questions, points and conditions in addition to the list below.
- BSS Examiner’s trading name & contact details
- Boat name & navigation authority registration number, and other identifying information
- Owner’s name or representative and contact details
- Date & time of agreed BSS Examination
- Type of BSS Examination requested private, non- private, hire
- Is the boat CE/UKCA marked
- Requirement that the owner must declare whether the boat is a private leisure or pleasure boat or workboat, or whether (for the purposes of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations (GSIUR)) the boat is:
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- hired out in the course of a business;
- where persons are invited on board in the course of a business (e.g. café, shop or hotel boat); or,
- used primarily for domestic or residential purposes.
- What is the cost & what is included, BSS Examination, travel, re-Examination if required
Please note that these pre-Examination agreements only cover the BSS Examination(s) of your boat and where appropriate provision of BSS Certification and no other work.
They might also ask you a range of questions about the systems installed on your boat to help him give you an accurate quote. Sorting these details out can help you make an informed choice when selecting a BSS Examiner.
Please keep in mind, each Examiner is free to set his or her own charges, and market forces, the complexity of the boat's installations, VAT applicability, and travelling time may influence the prices that are given to you.
This is the webpage to Find-An-Examiner
The receipt-style BSS CertificationLike car MOTS, BSS Examiners now give boat owners a receipt-style BSS Certification report (BSSER) . This can be either on paper, or by electronic file, or both if you wish, please discuss your preferences with your examiner.
The navigation authority may still want to see a print-out or PDF file of your Certification report. The authority is still likely to reqest your BSSER number and its key details in any initial transaction.
All participating navigation and harbour authorities have access to the BSS database to double check the validity of your boat's BSS Certification. Because the BSS does not hold any detail about who owns what boat, boat owners do not have access to the BSS database directly. However some navigation autorities have an an online system for anyone registering or licensing a boat for their waterways, where a boat keeper/owner can view their own boat details through a secure webpage. These navigation authorities will have more details about their own facilities.
Planning for your success
The Revised and improved BSS Examination Checking Procedures - Between 2021 and 2023, the BSS committees have revised the Examination Checking Procedures (ECP) for private and hire boats as a result of an extensive review of the Procedures.
These changes are part of a large number of changes to the ECP splitting of Check actions, swapping some Check numbers, text and information improvements that are designed to result in greater consistency in applying the BSS Checks. The improved BSS Checks will help everyone’s understanding and application of these Checks, whether they are BSS Examiners, boat owners or members of the marine industry.
The benefits leading from the improvements in clarity and understanding of the Checks, reinforced with recent extensive training of Examiners, could see situations arise where an item may be newly discovered as non-compliant, and so could require some adjustments or work to meet compliance and improve safety.
Similarly, the improvements may also address the relatively uncommon situation of any previous over-application of the published BSS Requirements.
The 2023 revised ECPs also saw the introduction of two increased BSS Requirements and 20 relaxations arising through lessening of some requirements or expanding potential compliance options and the BSS is running a consultation on these changes.
Full details of the changes are set out on this page [LINK] and the results of public consultation are on this page [LINK]
We have advice regarding how COVID-19 could effect the Examination of the boat.
We know there are scenarios where people continue to be susceptible, so if Covid is a concern to you, before you book and have your boat's BSS Examination, please read these hints and tips about how Covid-19 precautions may effect your examination on the day [LINK]
Can the BSS offer to extend an expiry date due to reasons related to Covid - No, we cannot. So, where a boat becomes not available to be examined due to COVID-19 related issues and a BSS Certification is needed, please discuss this matter as soon as possible with your boat's registering navigation authority, insurance company or moorings management (not the Boat Safety Scheme), and seek that organisation's assistance in this matter. The issue is not within the BSS zone of influence and BSS Certification expiry dates are never extended.