Como Travel Guide
Boat Rental in Como: Self-Drive Boats Without a Licence
This boat rental Como guide starts from the law. A hired boat puts you at the wheel without a licence, because Italian law allows licence-free driving on inland waters up to 30 kW. Four self-drive rentals are bookable from the city of Como, from a one-hour speedboat at $113.50 per boat to a three-hour GPS-equipped craft for six people. This guide compares every option per boat and per person, adds the fuel charges the listings bill on the day, and weighs the whole thing against the public ferry, which crosses the same first basin from a few dollars. It also covers where each rental starts, who is allowed to drive, and the rules on the lake. For the wider picture of the city, start at our Como city home page, and for getting to the lake from Milan, see Milan to Como.
Quick answer Key facts about boat rental in Como
A boat rental in Como needs no driving licence, because Italian law allows anyone to pilot boats up to 30 kW or 40.8 CV on inland waters. The cheapest self-drive option is $113.50 per boat for one hour, plus fuel on two of the four listings. Drivers must be at least 18, or 16 on a natante, and a jet ski always needs a licence.
Key takeaways
- Licence-free is the rule here: art. 39 D.Lgs. 171/2005 caps no-licence engines at 30 kW, which is why the 40 HP self-drive boats sit just under the line.
- The three-hour rental works out at $57.32 per person for six people before fuel, the best per-person value, see the 3-hour GPS boat.
- If you only want to be on the water, the public ferry reaches Cernobbio for $3.46 (€3) each way and a band 1 day ticket costs $9.23 (€8).
- Skippered cruises cost less than most people expect, from $56.40 for a shared hour with Prosecco, compared in the skippered section.
The table compares every bookable boat option from the city of Como, four self-drive rentals and three skippered cruises, plus the public ferry as the baseline. Listed prices are from the operators' booking pages and the Navigazione Laghi fare sheet, and the extras column shows what you pay on the day.
Do you want to steer, or just be on the water?
| Option | Price | Boat and people | Extras you pay on the day | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public ferry, one-day ticket band 1Anyone happy to sit and let the crew navigate | $9.23 (€8) | Scheduled boats from Piazza Cavour, no steering, unlimited band 1 hops for the day | None | Official site |
| Self-drive speedboat, no licenceFirst-timers who want a briefing in English or Italian | $113.50 | Per boat, 1 hour, group size not stated on the listing | None stated | Check Availability |
| Self-drive 40 HP boatGroups of up to 5 who want the cheapest per-person hour | $149.04 | Per boat, 1 hour (options from 1 to 4 hours), up to 5 | Fuel, 25 euro per hour, paid on delivery | Check Availability |
| Self-drive 3-hour GPS boatGroups who want half a day and a longer range | $343.93 | Per boat, 3 hours, up to 6 | Flat 50 euro cash for fuel, paid to the instructor | Check Availability |
| Self-drive 40 HP boatDrivers who want up to 5 hours, noting the booking widget caps at 1 participant | $113.50 | Per group, 1 hour (options from 1 to 5 hours) | Fuel, 25 euro per hour, billed separately | Check Availability |
| Shared skippered cruise with ProseccoPeople who want a captain and commentary, not the wheel | $56.40 | Shared boat, 1 hour, per person | None | Check Availability |
Fuel is paid on the day on top of the listed price where the extras column says so. Figures current for in Q3 2026.
Do You Need a Licence to Rent a Boat in Como?
No licence is needed for the boats rented in Como, and the reason is a specific paragraph of Italian law. Article 39 of the Codice della nautica da diporto, D.Lgs. 171/2005, sets the power threshold above which a boating licence becomes compulsory, and every rental boat in this guide sits below it.
The 30 kW Rule
On inland waters, a boat licence is required when the engine exceeds 30 kW or 40.8 CV, or when the craft exceeds the listed displacement limits. Navigation beyond six nautical miles from the coast also needs a licence regardless of power, which does not apply on a lake. That is why the two listings that state their engine are 40 HP boats: 40 HP sits just under the 40.8 CV line. The other two listings do not print their engine power, but both sell the boat as licence-free. Anything more powerful would need a licensed driver at the helm.
The jet ski is different. A licence is always required on a moto d'acqua, whatever its power, so there is no licence-free jet ski rental in Como at any price.
Age matters too. Without a licence, the person in command must be at least 18 for an imbarcazione and 16 for a natante, the smaller craft category most rental boats fall into. The 40 HP rental simply states drivers must be 18 or older, which is the stricter and safer reading.
The table condenses the law into what it means when you walk up to a rental pier in Como.
- The full text is published in the Gazzetta Ufficiale.
| Rule | What the law says | What it means for a rental |
|---|---|---|
| Power threshold | A licence is required above 30 kW or 40.8 CV on inland waters | The 40 HP rentals need no licence |
| Craft type | A licence is always required on a jet ski | No licence-free jet ski rental exists in Como |
| Minimum age | 18 to command an imbarcazione, 16 for a natante, without a licence | The 40 HP listing asks for 18 or older, stricter than the law |
| Distance | A licence is required beyond six nautical miles from the coast | Irrelevant on a lake, you stay well inside that limit |
Sources: Gazzetta Ufficiale, art. 39 D.Lgs. 171/2005 and Autorità di Bacino del Lario
The Real Cost of a Self-Drive Boat
The booking price is not always the whole price. Two of the four listings bill fuel separately on the day, This table puts the listed price, the fuel extra and our own per-person sums side by side.
Fuel is billed at 25 euro per hour on the 40 HP boat from Via per Cernobbio and on the Lungo Lario Trieste rental. The three-hour boat near Como Lago station takes a flat 50 euro cash payment for fuel instead, regardless of how much you actually use. Only the base self-drive speedboat lists no fuel charge at all.
| Rental | Listed price | Fuel extra | Per person, our sum |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-hour speedboat (tour-11) | $113.50 | None stated | $28.38 each for 4 people, our sum |
| One-hour 40 HP boat (tour-12) | $149.04 | 25 euro per hour | $29.81 each for 5 before fuel, our sum, plus 25 euro per hour |
| Three-hour GPS boat (tour-13) | $343.93 | Flat 50 euro cash | $57.32 each for 6 before fuel, our sum, plus 50 euro cash |
| One-hour 40 HP boat (tour-14) | $113.50 | 25 euro per hour | Not stated, the booking widget caps at 1 participant |
How to Read the Sums
Our sums are our own arithmetic, not operator quotes. Sharing is what makes a rental competitive: the one-hour 40 HP boat for five people works out at $29.81 each before fuel, against $9.23 (€8) for a ferry day ticket on band 1. The three-hour boat looks expensive until you divide by six, at $57.32 each before fuel, and you get three hours rather than one.
Against that, the shared cruise with Prosecco at $56.40 per person includes a captain, so for a couple the skippered hour costs about the same per head as the one-hour speedboat split between two, at $56.75 each, our sum. Fuel charges are paid in cash or on delivery, so bring extra euros on the day.
Source: the operators' own listings, linked from each card in the rentals list.
Where Como Boat Rentals Start
All four rentals start on or near the Como lakefront, or on the road out towards Cernobbio. Knowing the pier matters, because a wrong meeting point eats into your paid hour.
The Three Meeting Points
The three-hour rental boards at the public pier at Viale Geno 12, the Santa Margherita dock, a short walk from Como Lago train station. The one-hour 40 HP rental starts at Via Per Cernobbio 18, on the road out of town toward Cernobbio, and the listing notes the point varies by option booked. The second 40 HP rental starts at Lungo Lario Trieste 28, right on the lakefront, again varying by option.
The base speedboat rental starts in Como, with the exact meeting point shown only after you pick an option, so check it before you book rather than on the day.
Finding Your Way There
The lakefront district between Piazza Cavour and Villa Olmo holds all of these points, and our Como lakefront district guide walks it in detail. Como Lago station is the closest rail stop for the Viale Geno pier, served by the Milan to Como Lago line. If you are driving, parking near the lakefront is covered in our Como parking guide.
Source: the operators' own listings, linked from each card in the rentals list.
Where You Can Go in One to Three Hours
No listing publishes a route map, and no official source gives us travel times between villages, so this section sticks to what the landmarks are and lets the operator set your range at the briefing.
The First Basin
Como sits at the foot of the lake's first basin, and the villages along its two shores are the natural landmarks for a short rental. Down the west shore past Villa Olmo lie Cernobbio and then Moltrasio. Up the east shore lie Blevio and then Torno, both close to the city. On the public ferry these form bands 1 and 2, with Cernobbio and Blevio in band 1 and Moltrasio and Torno in band 2, which is a rough measure of how near they are. Our Cernobbio guide covers the villas on that shore.
How far you can actually go in an hour in a 40 HP boat is not stated on any listing, and we will not guess. Ask the operator at the briefing what loop they recommend for your slot length, and how the shore-band rules affect it. Bellagio sits in band 6 on the ferry, so in our estimate it is beyond a one-hour rental, and is reached far more cheaply by ferry, as our Bellagio from Como guide explains.
Villas From the Water
The first-basin shoreline is villa country, and the skippered cruises in this guide sell exactly that stretch, with commentary naming Villa d'Este, Villa Erba and Villa Oleandra. In a self-drive boat you see the same facades from the water at your own pace, but you navigate, watch your speed and keep clear of the scheduled ferries at the same time.
Sources: Navigazione Laghi fare sheet
Safety, Weather and the Rules on the Lake
Lake Como is not a free-for-all. Navigation is governed by a regional ordinance, every rental starts with a briefing, and the listings exclude several categories of traveller outright.
The Rules of the Water
Navigation on Lake Como is governed by OPGR 3 July 1997 n. 58600 as amended, issued under the Autorità di Bacino del Lario. Limits close to the shore are commonly reported, but the metre and knot figures could not be verified from an official text, so no numbers are printed here. Ask for the shore-band limits at your briefing, and follow them, because the operator who rents you the boat knows them exactly.
Use the briefing to ask how the boat handles, where you may go and what to do if the weather turns. The instructor on the base rental and the three-hour boat speaks English and Italian, so ask questions then, not out on the water.
Who Should Not Book
The listings are explicit about exclusions. The base speedboat is not suitable for babies under 1, pregnant travellers or people with back problems. The 40 HP boat from Via Per Cernobbio excludes wheelchair users, pregnant travellers and people with mobility or respiratory issues. The three-hour boat excludes pregnant travellers, people with mobility impairments and people prone to seasickness. Three hours of driving your own boat in sun and spray is real work, so take those warnings seriously.
All four listings offer free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund, which is your weather hedge. Check the forecast the evening before, and cancel in time if the sky looks wrong.
Self-Drive or Skippered: Which to Book
The honest question is not if you can drive, but if driving is the point. If it is, book a self-drive boat. If you would rather look at villas than watch a rev counter, a skippered cruise costs less per hour than most people assume.
The Skippered Options
The cheapest way onto the water is the shared small-group cruise with Prosecco at $56.40 for an hour, departing from Viale Geno 12, with a captain narrating the villas. The classic wooden boat cruise at $72.23 carries at most 8 passengers from the floating pier at Lungo Lario Trieste, with a warning that weekend departures run late because of harbour congestion. For privacy, the private boat tour with Prosecco at $206.36 takes up to 7, though note that fuel is not included and costs 50 euro per hour on top.
Against the self-drive sums, the shared cruise at $56.40 per person is cheaper per head than the three-hour rental for a small group, and somebody else deals with fuel, mooring and the shore-band rules. The self-drive case is freedom: no fixed commentary, no other passengers, and the wheel in your hands. If the wheel is the point, book the one-hour speedboat first and see how you like it.
Source: the operators' own listings, linked from each card in the rentals list.
Boat Rentals and Boat Tours From Como
All four licence-free self-drive rentals bookable from the city of Como, plus three skippered cruises for comparison, with listed prices per boat or per person as marked. Every listing allows free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance.
from $113.50
Lake Como: Self-Drive Boat Rental Without a License
A speedboat you drive yourself for an hour with no licence required, after a briefing from an instructor. Priced per boat, so it works out cheaper the more people share it.
Check Availability
from $149.04
Lake Como: Self-Drive Boat 40 HP - without a driving license
A self-drive 40 HP motorboat rental for up to 5, no licence needed, after a safety briefing. Fuel is billed separately at 25 euro per hour, paid on delivery of the boat.
Check Availability
from $343.93
Lake Como: 3-Hour Boat Rental
A 3-hour self-drive boat rental for up to 6 from a public pier near Como Lago station, with a GPS-equipped boat and a briefing from the instructor. A flat 50 euro cash payment for fuel is paid separately.
Check Availability
from $113.50
Lake Como: Self-Drive Boat Rental
A self-drive 40 HP motorboat rental from Como, 1 to 5 hours, with a safety briefing and no fixed route. Fuel is billed separately at 25 euro per hour and is not included in the price.
Check Availability
from $56.40
Lake Como Small-Group Boat Tour with Prosecco
A one-hour shared boat cruise on the first basin of Lake Como with a Prosecco toast and a captain pointing out Villa d'Este, Villa Erba and George Clooney's Villa Oleandra. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included.
Check Availability
from $72.23
Lake Como: Classic Wooden Boat Cruise Tour
A one-hour shared cruise out of Como on a restored wooden boat capped at 8 passengers, with a glass of Prosecco and a captain who narrates the shoreline villas.
Check Availability
from $206.36
Lake Como: Private Boat Tour with Prosecco
A private motorboat from Como for up to 7 people, one hour past the first-basin villas with Prosecco or soft drinks. Priced per group, and fuel is billed separately at 50 euro per hour.
Check AvailabilityPrices, ratings and details are the platform's own. dollar figures are the listed prices — the platform bills in your account's currency.
Boat Rental in Como: Piers and Meeting Points
The rental piers and the ferry pier sit within a short stretch of the Como lakefront, so it is worth orienting before you book a slot.
Coordinates from OpenStreetMap Nominatim and Wikidata. Street-level pins mark the street, not the pier.
Where to Go Next
If the water has hooked you, these pages take the day further.
Como ferry
The scheduled Navigazione Laghi boats run from Piazza Cavour across the first basin and up the lake, from $3.46 (€3) for Cernobbio to $13.84 (€12) for Bellagio. The ferry is also the fallback if the weather grounds your rental.
Cernobbio
The first village down the west shore and the first landmark most rentals pass. Our Cernobbio guide covers what to do there once you have seen it from the water.
Como tours
For guided days out beyond the lakefront, our Como tours roundup compares city walks, golf cart tours and bike rides alongside the boat options.
Boat Rental in Como: Questions
Do you need a licence to rent a boat on Lake Como?
No, for the boats rented in Como. Article 39 of D.Lgs. 171/2005 requires a boat licence on inland waters only above 30 kW or 40.8 CV, and always on a jet ski. Every licence-free rental in Como is therefore a 40 HP boat. The one-hour self-drive speedboat is the clearest example, with a briefing and no licence needed. The full law is published in the Gazzetta Ufficiale.
How much does it cost to rent a boat in Como?
The four self-drive rentals list at $113.50 for a one-hour speedboat, $149.04 for a one-hour 40 HP boat for up to 5, $343.93 for a three-hour boat for up to 6, and $113.50 for a one-hour 40 HP rental. Fuel is extra on two of them, as the cost breakdown shows. Sharing matters, and for five people the 40 HP boat works out at $29.81 each before fuel, our sum.
How old do you have to be to drive a rental boat in Como?
Italian law sets 18 as the minimum age to command an imbarcazione without a licence, and 16 for a natante. The listings are stricter in practice: the 40 HP rental from Via Per Cernobbio requires drivers to be 18 or older. For a skippered alternative where age matters less, see the shared cruise with Prosecco.
Is fuel included in Como boat rentals?
Not on all of them. The 40 HP boat from Via Per Cernobbio and the Lungo Lario Trieste rental bill fuel at 25 euro per hour, paid on delivery. The three-hour boat takes a flat 50 euro cash payment for fuel instead. Only the base speedboat rental lists no fuel charge. Bring extra cash on the day either way.
Where do boat rentals start in Como?
From three points on the city lakefront. The three-hour rental boards at the public pier at Viale Geno 12, the Santa Margherita dock, near Como Lago station. The 40 HP rental starts at Via Per Cernobbio 18, and another at Lungo Lario Trieste 28. The base speedboat starts in Como, with the exact point set by the option you book. See the map of piers for orientation.
Is it worth renting a boat in Como or taking the ferry?
It depends on what you want. The ferry from Piazza Cavour costs $3.46 (€3) to Cernobbio and $13.84 (€12) to Bellagio, with a band 1 day ticket at $9.23 (€8), and someone else does the navigating. Renting costs more but puts you at the wheel, which the ferry never will. If being on the water is enough, take the ferry or the shared cruise. If steering is the point, the self-drive boats are the only option.
Can I rent a jet ski in Como without a licence?
No. Article 39 D.Lgs. 171/2005 requires a boat licence on a jet ski always, regardless of engine power, on inland waters as anywhere in Italy. That is why this page lists only licence-free motorboat rentals. If you want to drive something yourself without a licence, the 40 HP self-drive boats are the legal route, and the same law caps them at 40 HP for exactly that reason.
Self-Drive Boats on Lake Como, on Film
Three first-hand videos of renting and driving a small boat on Lake Como, useful for seeing the briefing and the boat size before you book.
Renting a boat in Lake Como - A must do activity!
A renter's view of the whole process, from the pier to the open water.
Video: MAD AdventuresDriving a Boat on Lake Como With NO License 🇮🇹
Driving a boat with no licence on Lake Como, the rule this page explains.
Video: Tom & LayWe rented a boat on Lake Como in Italy...
A group renting a boat on Lake Como, a sense of how many fit on board.
Video: PompsieVideos load from YouTube only when you press play.
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