No toys allowed: electric boat rules in Switzerland

Switzerland has lakes that look made for electric boats: clear, calm, ringed by mountains and lined with villages that would rather not hear a V8.

The rules are friendly to a quiet electric boat and very unfriendly to anything that looks like a toy. Jet skis are banned. So are eFoils and electric surfboards, as at least one rider found out in court.

We went through the federal and cantonal rules so you know what you can launch on a Swiss lake and what will earn you a fine.

Head out under 6 kW: the licence

Swiss law requires a licence when a motorboat's drive power exceeds 6 kW. That is the category A licence, available from 18.

Below that, the rules are relaxed:

• Motorboats of 6 kW or less can be driven without a licence from age 14.
• Rowing boats and sailing boats with up to 15 m² of sail need no licence and have no minimum age.
• Sailing boats with more than 15 m² need a category D licence, from 14.

For electric boats, 6 kW is the number. Under it, a 14-year-old can take the helm. Over it, you need an adult with a licence.

Registration: plates for almost everyone

Almost every boat on Swiss waters needs a ship certificate and a registration plate from the canton. The exemptions include boats under 2.5 m, small inflatables, beach boats, paddle boats, racing rowing boats, sailboards and kite boards.

Cantons handle registration, so the details and fees vary. Ask the canton's shipping office where you plan to keep the boat.

Shore zones: no dropping in

Swiss lakes have two shore zones:

On rivers, the limit is 15 km/h. Zones marked with yellow buoys for swimmers or nature protection may not be entered.

Jet skis, eFoils and electric boards: locals only, and you are not one

This is where Switzerland differs from most of Europe. Swiss rules ban motorised craft under 2.5 m and motorised surfboards, whatever their length. That covers:

• Jet skis. Banned on Swiss lakes. The Federal Council has said the ban also applies to electric jet skis.
• eFoils and electric surfboards. Banned. In 2022, the Federal Supreme Court upheld a fine of CHF 300 for a man who rode an eFoil on the Swiss part of Lake Geneva, plus CHF 3,000 in court costs. The court held that French rules allowing eFoils did not apply on the Swiss side.

A member of parliament asked the Federal Council to allow eFoils in 2023. It answered that any change would need in-depth analysis and a broad consultation, and pointed to its restrictive practice for new devices. We found no sign that the rule has changed since. Check before you pack the board.

Lakes and cantons

Cantons can set further limits on their lakes. On the Sihlsee, Wägitalersee and Lauerzersee in Schwyz, for example, boats with motors over 6 PS may not be used, and the cantonal government has proposed raising the limit to 6 kW. Other lakes have their own rules for protected areas.

Our register of electric-only waters in Switzerland lists what we have found so far. Some entries are still unverified.

Alcohol and lifejackets: avoid the wipeout

Alcohol

You are considered unfit to drive a boat from a breath alcohol concentration of 0.25 mg/l. Breaking the rule leads to criminal and administrative proceedings.

Lifejackets

Stand-up paddlers must carry a buoyancy aid of at least 50 N when they are 300 m or more from the shore and on rivers. The police recommend wearing a lifejacket or buoyancy aid whenever you are on the water. Swiss lakes are cold well into summer.

Charging after the session

Switzerland has few public chargers for boats so far. See the charging map for Switzerland and our guide on how to charge an electric boat.

Our verdict: perfect for a quiet boat, closed to toys

So, how does Switzerland treat electric boaters? It depends on what you bring. A quiet electric boat under 6 kW is welcome on most lakes, needs no licence and can be driven from 14.

Anything smaller than 2.5 m with a motor, or anything you stand on, is out, battery or not. Leave the eFoil at home, register the boat with the canton, and keep to 10 km/h near the shore.

For the same rules elsewhere, see boat licence rules across Europe and personal watercraft rules in Europe.