Croatia’s New 2025 Anchoring & Dinghy Rules — What Cruisers Should Know
- Editor
- Oct 5
- 4 min read
If you’re planning to sail in Croatia next season, you’ll notice a few new rules waiting for you. The country has updated its anchoring, navigation, and dinghy regulations for 2025 — and while most are common sense, there are a few small changes that could surprise visiting cruisers.
Croatia is still one of the most beautiful and welcoming cruising grounds in the Med. The water is clear, the bays are well protected, and the coast is full of islands you can reach within a short sail. But with thousands of boats visiting each summer, the authorities want to reduce crowding, protect seagrass, and make small-boat traffic safer.
So here’s what’s new — and what you need to know before you drop anchor.
Anchoring Distances and Restrictions
In 2025, Croatia introduced clearer definitions about how close boats can anchor to the shore, marinas, and swimming zones.
You can no longer anchor within 150 meters of marked swimming areas.
In busy tourist bays, anchoring is limited to designated zones where depths and seabed type are suitable.
Anchoring over Posidonia seagrass is strictly forbidden — both to protect the ecosystem and to avoid fines.
Most charts and Navionics layers are being updated with these zones, but not all are correct yet. When in doubt, always check with the local harbor office or the nearest konoba pier.
For cruisers used to dropping the hook “wherever there’s space,” this change will take some adjustment. But in practice, many of the new zones are just slightly offset from the crowded swim lines, making things safer for everyone.
Tender and Dinghy Operations
Another small but important change in 2025 is about how tenders and dinghies are used.
The new rules (under Croatia’s Small Vessel Safety Ordinance – SSVO 2025) require tenders to be:
Registered to the mother vessel.
Clearly marked with the main boat’s registration number.
Operated by a person holding at least a boat operator’s license (category B or higher).
And there’s a new rule for safety at night:If you use your dinghy after sunset, you must show a white light visible in all directions, even if you’re just going to shore. The law aims to reduce collisions in busy anchorages — something many local harbors have been asking for.
It’s also now clear that tenders must not carry more people than their plate allows — enforcement has been light in the past, but fines are increasing, especially in popular marinas like Hvar, Vis, and Dubrovnik.
What About Anchoring Fees?
Croatia has always had a mix of mooring fields, private buoys, and free anchoring zones. The new framework doesn’t change this completely but gives local authorities more control to manage collection and environmental standards.
In many bays, mooring buoys are now part of official concession zones, where fees include waste collection and seagrass protection contributions. While this means fewer “free” anchor spots, it also helps protect sensitive seabeds — and you’ll get better waste and water services in return.
If you prefer anchoring over paying, you can still do it easily — just check that the seabed is sand and not marked as a no-anchoring area. The rule of thumb remains: if there’s a line of buoys and a small sign onshore, it’s probably a concession zone, and anchoring right next to it may result in a visit from the harbor patrol.
Speed Limits and Navigation Near the Coast
Another detail that often catches visitors:
The speed limit within 300 meters of shore is 5 knots.
Within 150 meters of swimming zones, reduce to no wake speed.
Jet skis and fast tenders are only allowed to plane in areas marked for them.
These limits are enforced more actively in 2025, especially with drones and coastal patrols around the Kornati and Split regions.
Why These Rules Matter
At first, these changes may sound like more bureaucracy — but the truth is, Croatia’s coasts have been under pressure for years. Anchors damage seagrass meadows, noise disturbs dolphins, and crowded anchorages create safety risks for swimmers.
By setting clearer zones and standardizing tender use, the government hopes to balance freedom for cruisers with environmental care. For most yacht owners, nothing here will limit your experience — it just helps keep the bays cleaner and safer for the next season.
And the upside? Clearer rules mean fewer misunderstandings with local authorities and more peaceful nights at anchor.
⚓ Practical Tips for 2025 Cruisers
Update your nav apps and charts before summer — look for new shaded zones.
Keep a copy of your tender registration on board.
Always carry a white all-round light in the dinghy.
Ask local harbor offices or mooring attendants before dropping anchor in new areas.
Remember: sand holds better anyway — and keeps the seagrass alive.
The Sea Is Still Yours
Croatia is still one of the best places in the world to cruise. These new 2025 anchoring and dinghy rules don’t take that away — they simply remind us that sharing the sea also means caring for it.
If you follow the rules, use common sense, and treat each bay with respect, you’ll still find endless places to drop the hook, swim, and watch the sunset.
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