Sailing licences and certificates compared
All training systems teach the same rules of the sea. They differ in the names of the levels, in who issues the document and in where it is accepted. This guide sorts out the four kinds of document and compares the main training schemes and national licences.
- There are four kinds of document: a national licence issued by a state; a training certificate of a school network or association; the ICC, an international certificate under UNECE Resolution 40 issued by governments or the bodies they approve; and a radio operator's certificate such as the SRC.
- Whether the law asks for a licence depends on the country, the waters and the boat: none for a private sailing yacht in the United Kingdom or at sea in France; in Germany only with an engine of more than 11.03 kW; in Italy beyond 6 miles from the coast; in Spain a title for all but small boats close to the shore.
- To charter a yacht you are usually asked for a skipper's certificate of at least day-skipper level and a VHF operator's certificate. The ICC helps, but it does not by itself entitle you to charter: the company and the local rules decide.
- The levels line up across the schemes: crew → day or inshore skipper → coastal skipper → offshore → ocean.
Four kinds of document
| Document | Who issues it | What it shows |
|---|---|---|
| National licence | A state authority, or a body it appoints | That you may skipper a boat where that country's law requires a licence — above all on its own waters and on boats under its flag |
| Training certificate | A training organisation: a national federation or an international school network | That you completed its course and passed its assessment at a given level; charter companies and some authorities accept them, to different degrees |
| ICC — International Certificate for Operators of Pleasure Craft | Governments that apply UNECE Resolution 40, or bodies they approve | That you met a standard — an exam or a national licence — that other countries applying the Resolution can rely on |
| Radio operator's certificate (SRC or a national equivalent) | The radio authority, or a body it appoints | That you may operate a marine VHF radio with DSC |
A training certificate is not a licence in itself, and the ICC is not a course: it is issued on the strength of a national licence or an exam. Many skippers carry several documents — a national licence with an ICC, a training certificate and a radio certificate.
The levels compared
The schemes use different names, but the steps are similar. The grouping below is ours, made from what each scheme publishes about its levels; no official equivalence table exists. Syllabuses, sea time and assessment differ, and an equivalence on paper is not a recognition.
| Level | American Sailing (ASA) | ISSA | IYT Worldwide | RYA | US Sailing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew — sailing under a skipper | ASA 101 Keelboat Sailing | Yacht Crew | International Crew | Competent Crew | Basic Keelboat |
| Day / inshore skipper — near the coast, moderate weather; the usual level for bareboat charter | ASA 103 Coastal Cruising, ASA 104 Bareboat Cruising | Inshore Skipper | International Flotilla Skipper, International Bareboat Skipper | Day Skipper | Basic Cruising, Bareboat Cruising |
| Coastal skipper — coastal passages by day and night | ASA 106 Advanced Coastal Cruising | — | Yachtmaster Coastal | Coastal Skipper, Yachtmaster Coastal | Coastal Passage Making |
| Offshore and ocean — passages far from the coast; ocean passages with celestial navigation | ASA 108 Offshore Passagemaking, ASA 107 Celestial Navigation | Offshore Skipper, Master of Yacht | Yachtmaster Offshore, Yachtmaster Ocean | Yachtmaster Offshore, Yachtmaster Ocean | Offshore Passage Making, Celestial Navigation |
The main training schemes
American Sailing (ASA) — American Sailing Association
An association of sailing schools founded in 1983, with schools mainly in the United States. Its numbered courses run from ASA 101 Keelboat Sailing to ASA 104 Bareboat Cruising — described by the association as skippering a 30–45 ft keelboat on a multi-day cruise in coastal waters in winds up to 30 knots — and on to ASA 106 Advanced Coastal Cruising and ASA 108 Offshore Passagemaking. The United States does not issue the ICC; for holders of ASA 104 the association offers its own International Proficiency Certificate (IPC), which it describes as similar to the ICC and made for charter companies in the Mediterranean. The IPC is not the UNECE ICC. Website: americansailing.com
ISSA — International Sailing Schools Association
An international association of sailing schools. Its yacht levels are Yacht Crew, Inshore Skipper — yachts up to 24 m within 20 nautical miles of the shore, by day and night, in moderate weather, as ISSA describes it — Offshore Skipper (up to 120 miles offshore) and Master of Yacht. Certificates are issued through accredited schools; they are association certificates, not government licences. Website: issa.global
IYT Worldwide — International Yacht Training
A private training and certification organisation; it states that it is based in Canada and works through partner schools in many countries. Its recreational line runs from International Crew through International Flotilla Skipper and International Bareboat Skipper — yachts up to 24 m, coastal waters up to 20 miles offshore, fair conditions — to Yachtmaster Coastal (up to 60 miles offshore), Offshore (up to 150 miles) and Ocean; a separate professional line covers the Master of Yachts certificates. IYT states that holders of its skipper and Yachtmaster certificates can obtain an ICC from IYT if they are UK nationals or residents, or nationals of a country that does not apply the Resolution. Website: iytworld.com
RYA — Royal Yachting Association
The national governing body for boating in the United Kingdom. Its sail cruising scheme runs from Start Yachting and Competent Crew through the Day Skipper and Coastal Skipper courses to the Yachtmaster Coastal, Offshore and Ocean certificates of competence, which are awarded after an independent exam. The RYA describes Day Skipper holders as able to take charge of a 30–45 ft yacht on day trips in familiar waters, and Yachtmaster Offshore holders as competent to skipper a yacht up to 150 miles from harbour, by day or night. Courses run at recognised training centres in the UK and abroad. The certificates are not government licences; for work on British-flagged commercial vessels they can be commercially endorsed. In the UK the RYA issues the ICC on behalf of the government. Website: rya.org.uk
US Sailing — United States Sailing Association
The non-profit national governing body for the sport of sailing in the United States, which also runs a keelboat and cruising certification system: Basic Keelboat, Basic Cruising and Bareboat Cruising, then Coastal Passage Making and Offshore Passage Making — the last requiring a passage of at least 600 nautical miles. For holders of Bareboat Cruising it issues an International Proficiency Certificate (IPC), valid for five years; it too is a certificate of the association, not the UNECE ICC. Website: ussailing.org
National federations and schools
Many countries have schemes of their own, often linked to the national licence — the German water-sports associations, for example, run the SKS, SSS and SHS certificates. They are described with the national licences below.
The ICC — International Certificate of Competence
- What it is. An international certificate for operators of pleasure craft, created by UNECE Resolution No. 40. It names the kinds of craft (sail, power, length) and the waters (inland, coastal) it covers.
- Who issues it. A government that applies the Resolution, or a body it approves, to its own nationals and residents — on the strength of its national licence or an exam. Minimum age 16. Some issuers also serve nationals of countries that do not issue the ICC.
- How long it is valid. Set by the issuer — for example five years in the United Kingdom.
- Where it counts. The countries that apply the Resolution include, according to the status published by UNECE in 2019, Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czechia, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, among others. Where a country has not adopted it, charter companies may still ask for one.
- What it is not. UNECE says that the ICC complements rather than replaces the rules of the flag state, that it is not a global qualification and that it does not by itself entitle you to charter a boat. It does not cover radio: the radio certificate is separate.
National licences
What the law of each country asks of the skipper of a private pleasure yacht on its waters (rules for foreign visitors and for chartered boats can differ):
| Country | Licence | Needed for a sailing yacht? | Also |
|---|---|---|---|
| Germany | Sportbootführerschein See and Binnen (SBF); the SKS, SSS and SHS certificates for coastal, near-sea and offshore waters are voluntary | Only if the yacht has an engine of more than 11.03 kW (15 hp; electric motors 7.5 kW) — or under sail on certain Berlin waters | The SBF is issued as an ICC. Radio: SRC at sea, UBI inland. A reform proposed in 2025 would replace the licence with certificates issued by recognised associations from 2028; in autumn 2026 it had not been adopted. |
| France | Permis plaisance: option côtière (up to 6 miles from a shelter), extension hauturière (beyond), option eaux intérieures | No licence at sea, even with an auxiliary engine; on rivers and canals an engine of more than 4.5 kW needs the inland option | Motor boats over 4.5 kW (6 hp) need the permis. A fixed VHF, or a handheld VHF with DSC, needs the CRR radio certificate unless you hold the permis; outside French waters always. France issues no ICC for the sea. |
| Netherlands | Klein Vaarbewijs I and II (inland waters) | Inland only: for boats of 15 m or more, or able to go faster than 20 km/h; the KVB II on the large waters (IJsselmeer, Wadden Sea, Oosterschelde, Westerschelde …). The rules cover inland waters only | A Klein Vaarbewijs issued since 2010 comes with an ICC. Radio: Marcom-B or the Basiscertificaat Marifonie (CBR). |
| Italy | Patente nautica: category A — within 12 miles of the coast or without limit, for motor or for sail and motor; category B for yachts over 24 m | Beyond 6 miles from the coast, yes; within 6 miles not, if the yacht is up to 24 m and its engine stays below the legal limits (for example 30 kW / 40.8 hp); over 24 m always (category B) | A VHF radio is compulsory beyond 6 miles; the operator's certificate is the certificato limitato di radiotelefonista. Italy does not issue the ICC. |
| Spain | Nautical titles: Licencia de navegación (up to 6 m, 2 miles from shelter, by day), PNB (sail up to 8 m, 5 miles), PER (with the sail attribution up to 15 m — or 24 m — within 12 miles), Patrón de yate (up to 24 m, 150 miles), Capitán de yate (up to 24 m, no limit) | Yes, except sailing boats up to 6 m used for sport within 2 miles of the departure point by day — since 1 October 2026 that exemption no longer covers rented boats | The short-range radio course is a compulsory part of the PER, Patrón de yate and Capitán de yate. Spanish-flag boats may be rented to holders of a recreational title from an EEA country (and some others). Spain does not issue the ICC. |
| United Kingdom | None for private pleasure craft; certificates of competency are required only on pleasure vessels of 80 GT or more and 24 m or more, and commercial use is regulated separately | No, for private use | The RYA issues the ICC on behalf of the government. Radio: the SRC and an Ofcom ship radio licence for the set. |
| Russia | Удостоверение на право управления маломерным судном — the small-craft licence (small craft: up to 20 m and up to 12 people) | Required to skipper a small craft; sport sailing boats up to 9 m with neither an engine nor a cabin are outside state registration | Check the engine limits, the waters the licence covers and the issuing authority (the State Inspectorate for Small Craft, GIMS) before you rely on details. Russia does not issue the ICC. |
Rules change and have exceptions (boat length, engine power, inland waters, commercial use). Before you sail, check the current rules of the country and of the flag of the boat.
Chartering a yacht
- Bareboat (without a hired skipper): you are usually asked for a skipper's certificate or licence of at least day-skipper level, a VHF operator's certificate held by you or a crew member, and sometimes a sailing CV.
- Who decides: the law of the country and the flag of the yacht, then the charter company and its insurer. Croatia, for example, publishes an official list of the foreign certificates it recognises for Croatian-flagged boats; it accepts ICCs valid for coastal waters and asks for a radio operator's certificate when the boat carries a VHF.
- Greece, Italy, Spain, Turkey: no official list of accepted foreign certificates was found. Charter companies commonly ask for an ICC or a skipper certificate of at least day-skipper level, and their lists differ — ask the company in writing which documents it accepts for your cruising area, and by when to send them.
- France: the law asks no licence of the skipper of a sailing yacht at sea; charter companies set their own requirements for experience, certificates and radio.
- No accepted document? Charter with a hired skipper — no licence is needed for that — and log the miles towards your own certificate.
Radio certificates
To operate a marine VHF radio you need an operator's certificate, and the radio itself needs a ship station licence with a call sign and an MMSI from the radio authority of the flag state.
- SRC — Short Range Certificate: VHF and DSC in sea area A1, within range of the coast stations. In Europe its exam follows a syllabus harmonised by the CEPT, which also recommends that administrations recognise each other's certificates.
- LRC — Long Range Certificate: adds MF/HF and satellite radio, for sea areas A2–A4.
- Country by country: United Kingdom — the SRC, administered by the RYA, and an Ofcom ship radio licence for the set; Germany — the SRC at sea and the UBI on inland waters; France — the CRR, which the French radio authority treats as the SRC; Netherlands — Marcom-B and the Basiscertificaat Marifonie, issued by the CBR; Italy — the certificato limitato di radiotelefonista; Spain — the short-range radio course is a compulsory part of the PER, Patrón de yate and Capitán de yate titles.
- Training organisations also run VHF courses of their own: check whether the certificate you will get is issued or recognised by a radio authority. VHF radio and the SRC.
How to choose a course
- Start from where you will sail. The flag of the boats you will use and the countries you will visit decide which document counts.
- Ask the school which certificate you will receive, who issues it, and whether it can be the basis for an ICC or a national licence in your country of residence.
- Compare the practical part: days aboard, night sailing, hours at the helm, students per instructor, and whether an instructor or an independent examiner assesses you.
- Look at the next step: which level the certificate leads to and how much logged experience that level requires.
- Ask the charter companies in the area you want to sail which documents they accept.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a licence to sail a boat?
It depends on the country, the waters and the boat. For a private sailing yacht: none in the United Kingdom and none at sea in France; in Germany only with an engine of more than 11.03 kW; in Italy beyond 6 miles from the coast or with a larger engine; in Spain a nautical title for all but small sailing boats close to the shore; in the Netherlands a Klein Vaarbewijs on inland waters for boats of 15 m or more or faster than 20 km/h. Charter companies almost always ask for a certificate.
What is the ICC?
The International Certificate for Operators of Pleasure Craft under UNECE Resolution 40. A government that applies the Resolution, or a body it approves, issues it on the strength of a national licence or an exam. It complements the rules of the flag state, is not a worldwide licence and does not by itself entitle you to charter.
Which sailing licence is recognised internationally?
None is valid everywhere. The ICC is meant for use between the countries that apply Resolution 40; elsewhere, and at charter companies, acceptance varies, and national licences count first of all at home. Ask the authority and the charter company of your cruising area.
What is the difference between RYA, IYT, ISSA and ASA certificates?
They teach the same subjects in similar steps, but they are different organisations, with their own names for the levels, course formats and experience requirements. The RYA is the UK's national governing body and issues the UK ICC on the government's behalf; IYT Worldwide and ISSA are international training networks; American Sailing (ASA) and US Sailing are American, and their International Proficiency Certificates are not the UNECE ICC. All of them issue training certificates, not government licences.
Can I sail a yacht without a licence?
Yes, where the law asks for none — a private sailing yacht in UK waters or at sea in France, for example — and on a chartered yacht with a hired skipper. Charter companies, however, hand a yacht without a professional skipper only to holders of a certificate they accept.
How much does a sailing licence cost?
It depends on the country and the school: a theory course, a practical course of about a week, the exam and certificate fees, and a radio course. National licences have official fees; training certificates are priced by the schools.
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