Building a new houseboat | Hire and Drive Licences | Show-out Licences | Show-out Examination Checklist
There are currently approximately 300 hire and drive houseboats under commercial survey in South Australia. These vessels are inspected on a two yearly basis out of the water on the various slipways on the River Murray. The department is working with vessel owners and managers towards meeting survey requirements due to low river levels.
Construction, operation and inspection of houseboats (139KB)
Building a new houseboat
If you intend to build or have a builder construct a new houseboat for commercial use in South Australia, guidelines are available for download. The fact sheet above outlines the requirements. Please follow the steps to make sure that your new houseboat gains a certificate of inspection.
Application Process:
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Submission of Application for Initial Survey of a Commercial Vessel (106KB) form.
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In addition to the application form, three copies of detailed plans / drawings are required for assessment and approval by the Commercial Vessel Survey Naval Architects.
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Construction cannot commence until you receive a copy of the stamp approved plans from the department.
Please note - changes may need to take place in order for survey to be approved, this will occur at your own expense.
Construction Process:
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Once the owner / builder has received copies of the stamp approved plans, please coordinate with the Survey Coordinator mutually convenient dates and times for each stage of construction to be inspected by a DPTI Marine Surveyor. Stages of inspection are outlined on attachment 3 of the Houseboat Handout (143KB) fact sheet.
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For information relating to black and grey water requirements - please refer to the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) website - www.epa.sa.gov.au .
Issuing of Certificate of Inspection
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Upon completion of all inspections by the Marine Surveyor and once all USL requirements have been met, a Certificate of Inspection will be issued for the vessel by the department. This certificate is valid for two years and then, an out of water inspection by a Marine Surveyor is required for renewal.
Important Note: DPTI recommend that even if you are building a new houseboat for private use only that you still have it built to commercial survey. You may intend to sell the vessel in the future and hire and drive houseboats that are not built to commercial survey must undergo strict inspection processes and do not always pass.
Hire and Drive Licences (101KB)
All commercial hire and drive houseboats must belong to and be identified by a Hire and drive licence number (ie: HDx-x). Anyone who manages a hire and drive houseboat and does not have a licence can apply for one through Commercial Vessel Survey using the application form available for download above. Hire and drive licences are not transferable unless a business has been sold along with the licence.
There is no fee for this service.
Show-out Licences (94KB)
When hire and drive houseboats are leased for hire, a qualified person must perform a ‘show out’ to the hirer. It is at this time that the hirer/s are shown emergency and manoeuvring procedures and any other information relevant to the vessel they will be using. An application form can be downloaded from the link above and must be submitted to Commercial Vessel Survey. Once the application has been processed, the Survey Coordinator will contact the applicant to arrange an ‘examination’ to take place onboard a houseboat. The Surveyor assigned to conduct the showout examination will go through the items listed on the Showout Examination Checklist which can be downloaded here Checklist.
There is no fee for this service.
Exemption for Un-flued Gas Heater onboard Hire and Drive Houseboats (OTR)
The Office of the Technical Regulator (OTR) requires that commercial hire and drive houseboat owners / operators apply in writing for an exemption to retain an un-flued gas heater where combined living and sleeping accommodation exists. Please note that this form must be completed and returned to OTR (NOT to DPTI). If you have any queries regarding this application form, please contact the OTR on PH: 08 8226 5722.
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