eFoil regulations & spots in Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic has no rule that names eFoils. Motorised personal watercraft on beaches are governed by the Ministry of Tourism (MITUR), whose Resolutions 02-2004 and 081/2015 prohibit the use and rental of jet skis and "artefacts of similar characteristics" (the notice lists JetLev, Flyboard and Jetovator) on the country's main tourist beaches, citing bather safety, noise and damage to marine ecosystems. The Dominican Navy (Armada de Republica Dominicana) publishes and helps enforce the notice alongside the National Police and the tourism police, CESTUR. Whether an electric foil board counts as a "similar artefact" has not been ruled on; a strict reading of "embarcaciones personales" (personal watercraft) would capture it.

Because the regime is a prohibition rather than a licensing scheme, there is no published operator licence, minimum age or registration procedure for recreational eFoils. Rental businesses operating outside the rules face "administrative, civil and personal sanctions" under existing law; the notices do not state fine amounts. Life-jacket and age rules seen in practice (18+, driving licence, vest worn) are rental-company policies, not statute.

The 2015 notice covers Boca Chica, Playa Caribe, Guayacanes, Juan Dolio, Villa del Mar, La Romana, Isla Catalina, Bayahibe, Boca de Chavon, Dominicus, Isla Saona, the whole hotel strip from Punta Cana to Boca de Maimon, Macao and Punta Palmilla (Samana), with press reports adding Cabarete, Sosua, Puerto Plata beaches and Bahia de las Aguilas. During Semana Santa MITUR issues an additional blanket ban on jet skis, banana boats and motor vehicles at all beaches and balnearios. Local guides report jet skis still operating at Miches, Boca Chica, Cabarete and Las Terrenas under local authorisation, and eFoil lessons are marketed in Samana Bay, so treatment differs beach by beach.

Enforcement is by CESTUR, the Armada and the police, concentrated at the listed resort beaches. Ride only with an established operator who can show local authorisation, avoid the resolution beaches (the Bavaro-Punta Cana hotel zone, Boca Chica, Juan Dolio, Bayahibe-Dominicus) and marked swimming areas, and expect the rules to be applied as if the board were a jet ski. Confirm current status with the local Armada post or CESTUR before launching a private board.