The cost of a licence for a Jet Ski or personal watercraft in NSW has passed the $1000 mark – for a 10-year licence – for the first time in Australian boating history.
The sky-high cost for a Jet Ski or personal watercraft licence in NSW is double or triple the fee for a boat licence in the same state.
Jet Ski riders in NSW now pay more than 20 times the cost of the cheapest Jet Ski licence fee nationally.
At the other end of the scale, authorities in South Australia charge less than $50 for a lifetime licence to operate a Jet Ski or personal watercraft (PWC).
Rubbing salt into the eyes of Jet Ski riders in NSW, Australia’s most populous state now has the highest Jet Ski licence and registration charges in the world.
This comes despite three other Australian states only charging modest, one-off licence fees that last a lifetime.
Only NSW, Victoria and Tasmania charge renewal fees for a Jet Ski or personal watercraft licence.
In Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia, a licence for a boat or Jet Ski lasts a lifetime after riders pay one modest upfront fee.
Research by Watercraft Zone shows a Jet Ski licence in NSW now costs $210 for one year, $460 for three years, $720 for five years, and a staggering $1043 for 10 years.
In Victoria, a Jet Ski licence costs $45 for one year, $135 for three years, and $225 for five years.
In Queensland, a Jet Ski licence costs $124 (the same as a boat licence) and lasts a lifetime.
In South Australia, a Jet Ski licence costs $48 (the same as a boat licence) and lasts a lifetime.
The table at the bottom of this story compares the costs for a boat licence versus a Jet Ski licence (or personal watercraft, also known as a PWC) in each state in Australia.
Critics of the stratospheric licence costs for Jet Skis and personal watercraft in NSW say authorities are trying to discourage people from taking up the sport – and are concerned draconian fees could tempt some riders to operate unlicenced.
Authorities say higher fees for Jet Ski and personal watercraft licences are driven by higher enforcement and hospitalisation costs compared to other vessels on the water.
As previously reported, disproportionately high prices for Jet Ski and personal watercraft licences in NSW are in place even though research shows boaties are more at risk of fatalities on the water than Jet Ski riders.
The sharp increase in the number of personal watercraft licence holders across the eastern seaboard – Queensland, NSW and Victoria – during the pandemic also delivered a massive windfall to state governments that collected millions of dollars in revenue from Jet Ski licence and registration fees.
A spokesperson for the Boating Industry Association has previously told Watercraft Zone: “The BIA’s view is that personal watercraft should be treated equitably with other craft. And that includes all elements, regulations, and fee schedules.”
How Jet Ski and personal watercraft licence fees compare across Australia:
| Australian state or territory | Boat licence fee | Jet Ski and PWC licence fee |
| NSW/ACT 1 year licence | $69 | $210 (More than triple boat licence fee) |
| NSW/ACT 3 year licence | $185 | $460 (Almost 2.5 times boat licence fee) |
| NSW/ACT 5 year licence | $292 | $720 (Almost 2.5 times boat licence fee) |
| NSW/ACT 10 year licence | $521 | $1043 (Double a boat licence fee) |
| VIC 1 year licence | $39.80 | $44.90 (13 per cent more than boat licence) |
| VIC 3 year licence | $119.40 | $134.70 (13 per cent more than boat licence) |
| VIC 5 year licence | $199 | $224.50 (13 per cent more than boat licence) |
| QLD Lifetime licence | $123.85 | $123.85 (Same cost as boat licence) |
| SA Lifetime licence | $48 | $48 (Same cost as boat licence) |
| WA Lifetime licence | $180-$280 (varies with course provider) | $180-$280 (Same cost as boat licence) |
| TAS 3 year licence | $49.50 | $99 (Double a boat licence fee) |
| NT | No licence required | No licence required |
Source: State and territory authorities, December 2023. While care has been taken while compiling this data, the fees are subject to change. Please check with your local authorities for the latest information.
MORE: States bring in millions of dollars as Jet Ski licences soar
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