Miami Boat & Yacht Rental: Group Size & Capacity Limits Explained

Planning · By The VCYC Team · August 20, 2026 · 8 min read

USCG regulations cap most Miami charter yachts at 13 passengers. Learn which boats handle larger groups, how capacity maps to boat size, and what to do with 14–20 guests.

The USCG 13-Passenger Rule: Why Most Miami Yachts Can't Take Larger Groups

USCG regulations cap most uninspected charter yachts in Miami at 13 passengers — including children and infants — with no exceptions. Vice City Yacht Club operates one inspected vessel, Motor Mile (75ft), that legally accommodates up to 20 guests for $4,000 (4 hours), $5,950 (6 hours), or $7,950 (8 hours). All other boats in the fleet are capped at 13, and splitting larger groups across multiple vessels is the only compliant option.

The 13-passenger limit applies universally across the charter industry and stems from USCG safety regulations governing uninspected vessels. Uninspected vessels are those that do not undergo the annual Coast Guard stability and safety inspections required for larger passenger operations. The limit exists to ensure safe weight distribution, adequate life-saving equipment, and appropriate crew licensing. This is federal maritime law, not a company policy or insurance preference. Every legitimate charter operator in Miami adheres to the same cap. Boats that claim to accommodate 15, 18, or 20 passengers without an inspected-vessel designation are operating outside USCG compliance.

The regulation applies regardless of the yacht's physical size. A 100-foot yacht with three staterooms and a spacious flybridge is still capped at 13 passengers if it operates as an uninspected charter vessel. The only way to legally exceed that limit is to operate as an inspected passenger vessel — a classification that requires annual hull inspections, additional crew certifications, documented stability tests, and stricter safety equipment standards.

Which Vice City Yacht Club Boats Handle Larger Groups (14–20 Guests)

Vice City Yacht Club operates one inspected vessel that legally accommodates groups larger than 13: Motor Mile, a 75-foot yacht certified for up to 20 passengers. Pricing is $4,000 (4 hours), $5,950 (6 hours), and $7,950 (8 hours). Motor Mile's inspected-vessel status means it has passed annual USCG stability and safety inspections and operates under stricter crew licensing requirements.

The boat departs from central Miami marinas and handles the same routes as the rest of the fleet — Haulover Sandbar, Nixon Sandbar, Star Island tours, and Biscayne Bay cruises. A typical 6-hour charter reaches Haulover or Nixon Sandbar with approximately 30 minutes of cruising each way and the rest anchored.

Every other yacht in the Vice City fleet — from the 26-foot BALI to the 135-foot Matrix — is capped at 13 passengers or fewer. Larger yachts offer more space, premium finishes, and additional staterooms, but they do not increase passenger capacity beyond the USCG limit.

If your group is 14 to 19 guests and Motor Mile is unavailable or outside your budget, the only compliant solution is to charter two boats.

How Group Size Maps to Boat Categories: Real Capacity by Length

Capacity does not scale linearly with boat length. Smaller vessels often accommodate 8 to 12 passengers, while mid-size and large yachts consistently cap at 13. Here is how the Vice City fleet breaks down by size and capacity:

25–45 feet: 8 to 13 passengers This category includes sport boats and day cruisers for smaller groups. Pricing ranges from $650 to $2,450 for 4 hours, and from $950 to $3,650 for 6 hours. Examples include BALI (26ft, up to 11 guests, 4h $650, 6h $950), Ibiza (37ft, up to 13 guests, 4h $1,000, 6h $1,400), VanDutch (40ft, up to 12 guests, 4h $2,450, 6h $3,650), and Azimut (45ft, up to 13 guests, 4h $1,450, 6h $1,850).