Thames boat owners fined for skipping 2025 registration
Seven boat owners have been back at Staines Magistrates’ Court after skipping their River Thames registration for a second year. The Environment Agency says the group ignored fresh re‑registration letters and kept their boats on the water, meaning more fines on top of fees.
On 1 April 2025, officers patrolling Penton Hook marina found the vessels moored in neighbouring berths to where notices had been served only 16 months earlier. The pattern, according to the Agency, shows repeat evasion even after earlier court action.
Here is the rule in plain English. If your craft is on the non‑tidal River Thames, you must register it each calendar year, powered or not, and that includes paddleboards. Registration starts on 1 January; boats found on the water after that without a current registration can be fined.
Fines stack up quickly because the court can add three elements: a fine, a Victim Surcharge and prosecution costs, and you still owe the registration itself. Once a summons is issued, paying late will not halt the case. Leslie Marsh of Chertsey, owner of Oopsie Daisy, was fined £500 plus a £200 surcharge and £275 costs, despite paying the £1,341.81 fee before the hearing.
The latest sittings also included first‑time cases. The court heard that Klaus Beversluis, owner of La Belle View, had not paid since taking ownership in 2021; he pleaded guilty, was ordered to pay the 2025 fee of £3,664.60 and received a 12‑month conditional discharge.
Across the 4 November and 2 December 2025 hearings, 11 offences brought fines and costs totalling £27,541. The Agency says this year’s patrols continue to find unacceptable levels of evasion in marinas and urban stretches of the river.
Enforcement does not always end in court. Since January, officers have carried out 2,447 registration checks, protecting a further £91,439 in fees without prosecuting those cases. When lock keepers’ checks are included, the total number of checks this year reaches 4,030.
A snapshot of the river helps explain the focus. During a river‑wide census in September 2025, officers recorded 10,147 boats on the navigation. Ensuring everyone registers is about fairness to compliant boaters and keeping shared spaces well run.
Why the fee exists matters for public understanding. Like vehicle excise duty for cars, Thames registration fees help the Environment Agency manage and maintain more than 600 miles of inland waterways in England, keeping them open and safe for thousands of users.
If you’ve missed the deadline, act now. Register by calling 03708 506 506 or by searching ‘River Thames boat registration’ on GOV.UK. A practical tip for next year is to set a reminder in late December so you start 1 January with a valid registration.
Reading the court sheets can be confusing, so here’s how to decode them. ‘Fine’ is the penalty, ‘VS’ is the Victim Surcharge, ‘Costs’ are prosecution costs, and ‘Comp’ in these cases often reflects the registration sum due. The ‘Total’ is the amount payable.
More cases are on the way. Earlier patrols found 12 unregistered vessels at Bossoms Boat Yard in Oxford, in Caversham and at Walton Marina; those hearings are scheduled for 2026. The Agency says officers will continue year‑round patrols and action against those who cheat their fellow boaters.