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Find your boating licence

Choose a country and compare what each licence lets you do and how to get it.

Find your country
A stylized world map with small pleasure boats and navigation markers, illustrating boating requirements around the world.
Boating requirements in 24 countries around the world.

United States

Recreational
Good to know

No federal licence for recreational boating. Many states require a boater education card, usually depending on your date of birth; carrying paying passengers needs a USCG licence.

The card proves you passed a NASBLA-approved safety course covering the Navigation Rules, aids to navigation (IALA Region B) and safe operation. Requirements are set state by state — several apply only to operators born after a cut-off year — so check your state before you launch.

Authority: U.S. Coast Guard · state boating agencies (NASBLA)

Source: U.S. Coast Guard Boating Safety Division — State boating laws · read on September 9, 2026

Nautical theory topics — and where to study them

A navigation desk viewed from above with a nautical chart, dividers, parallel ruler, hand-bearing compass, pencil, mug and tablet showing a quiz.
Radio, safety and specialist certificates

Radio, safety and specialist certificates

These certificates support a qualification or an assigned duty. They do not by themselves give command authority. The combination you need depends on the vessel, equipment, flag and role.

SRC / LRC

Radio operator certificates commonly associated with leisure boating: short-range or long-range equipment. Confirm local recognition and equipment coverage.

ROC / GOC

Professional GMDSS radio operator certificates. The restricted or general route depends on the ship's radio arrangements and operating area.

STCW safety and security

Basic survival, fire safety, elementary first aid and personal safety training, with security training appropriate to assigned duties.

Specialist training

Additional training may cover tankers, passenger ships, survival craft, advanced firefighting or medical duties, depending on the job.

GMDSS / VHFIMO — STCWRYA
Before choosing a professional course
  1. Identify the vessel's flag, operating area, type and the role you want to hold.
  2. Check the required sea service, approved training and assessment route with the issuing authority.
  3. Confirm the accepted medical certificate and any fitness conditions for that role.
  4. Check recognition, commercial or flag-state endorsements, restrictions and renewal requirements.
  5. List the radio, safety, security and specialist certificates needed for your duties.

Commercial skippers and yachts

Small commercial craft, charter operations and professional yacht command.

Deck crew, officers and masters

Deck ratings, watchkeeping officers, chief mates and masters in merchant shipping.

Engineering and electrical roles

Engine ratings, engineer officers, chief engineers and electro-technical qualifications.

Fishing vessels

Fishing crew, skippers and engineering routes under the relevant national system.

Professional inland navigation

Boatmasters and crew for commercial rivers, canals and other inland waterways.

More about licences

Recreational boating: the quick answers

A conceptual illustration of a small tender with a tiny outboard beside a much longer motorboat with a large engine, moored at one pontoon with a measuring band below.

In most of Europe it depends on the boat

Licence requirements can depend on engine type and power, boat size or speed, and the waters you use. Check your country's section for its thresholds, exemptions and licence tiers.

A small motorboat on a calm lake among pine-covered shores, with a wooden jetty, beach and two yellow buoys.

Canada, the USA and Australia

Canada requires accepted proof of competency for motorised pleasure craft, subject to exemptions; the PCOC is one accepted document. In the USA and Australia, requirements vary by state or territory.

A wooden sailing dinghy and a rowing boat on a calm estuary, with green hills and a stone quay in the distance.

When you may still need proof

Some countries have no general licence for ordinary private pleasure boats. Size limits, local rules and other conditions can still apply; boating abroad or hiring a boat may require evidence of competence.

Cardinal marks: 1 north, 2 east, 3 south, 4 west. Colours and separated cone topmarks indicate the side on which to pass.

Start with the safety fundamentals

Collision rules, buoyage, lights, shapes and sound signals are useful foundations. The required syllabus and assessment differ by qualification, so check the issuing authority's programme.

A conceptual illustration of a charter sailing yacht at anchor in a turquoise bay below a rocky headland with a few white houses, while another yacht heads out to sea.

Boating abroad: the ICC

The International Certificate for Operators of Pleasure Craft (ICC) provides evidence of competence under UNECE Resolution 40. It is not a worldwide boating licence: acceptance depends on the applicable flag-state and coastal-state rules.

Before travelling, confirm which certificate the relevant authority and charter operator accept for your boat, cruising area and intended use. A national qualification is not automatically valid abroad.

Read the ICC guide

Why boating licences differ so much from country to country

Each country sets its qualification requirements. Engine power, hull length, speed, navigation area, age and use can all matter; inland rules can differ from those at sea.

Boat length alone does not tell you which licence you need. Check the conditions together, including any sailing or auxiliary-engine requirements, and use the official source for your intended trip.

We keep this page to what the authorities publish and date every source. Prices, course fees and exam dates vary by region and school, so we leave those to the official pages linked in each section.

Keep going

Boating licence — frequently asked questions

Can I work with a recreational boating qualification?
A recreational qualification alone does not establish permission to work. Some systems offer commercial endorsements or a route to professional certification. Check the vessel flag, activity, role and operating limits with the authority before choosing a course.
Does STCW basic safety training qualify me as a master?
No. Basic safety training covers supporting safety skills. Command requires the appropriate national certificate of competence or professional authorisation, with the sea service, approved training, assessment and medical fitness required for that role.
Do I need a licence to drive a boat?
It depends on the country, boat, waters and use. Some places require a licence above a threshold, others require evidence of competence, and some leave ordinary private pleasure boating unlicensed. Local rules and exemptions still matter; check your country's section and its official source.
Is there an international boating licence?
There is no worldwide boating licence. The ICC is evidence of competence under UNECE Resolution 40. Its acceptance depends on the rules applicable to the boat and the waters; it does not automatically replace a national qualification.
Do I need a licence for a jet ski?
Personal watercraft can have their own qualification, age and operating rules, even where some boats need no licence. Check the authority's rules for personal watercraft in the country and waters where you will use it.
How old do you have to be to get a boating licence?
Minimum ages vary by country and qualification. Younger operators may face supervision, power or area restrictions. Check the particular tier and any consent requirements, rather than assuming one age applies to every boat.
Is my boating licence valid abroad?
Acceptance is not automatic, including within Europe. Check the boat's flag-state rules and those of the country you will visit. Confirm the certificate and cruising area with the relevant authority and charter operator, and check any separate radio qualification.
What does the boating licence theory exam cover?
Many qualifications include collision avoidance, buoyage, lights, signals, navigation, weather or safety. The scope, local rules, question format and pass criteria vary; some entry qualifications use training rather than a theory exam. Follow the official syllabus for your qualification.
Can I study for a boating licence online for free?
You can study this site's maritime theory lessons and practise its quizzes free, without an account. They support your preparation; they do not replace the full official syllabus, required practical or radio training, or the authority's assessment.
Do sailing boats need a licence?
Sailing is not a universal exemption. Requirements can depend on the country, boat dimensions, navigation area and whether an auxiliary engine is fitted or used. Check the rules for the particular sailing boat and route.

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