- 10 mADB 10: private boats up to this overall lengthRegulation, Article 5(2)
- 24 mADB 24: private boats up to this hull lengthRegulation, Article 5(4)
- No stated cruising limitno ADB distance-from-shore or daylight-only restriction; other rules still applyRegulation, Article 5(2) and 5(4)
- 30 daysto complete online theory once you start itRegulation, Article 8
- 90 daysto begin practical training after completing theoryRegulation, Article 8
The licenceWhat is the Amatör Denizci Belgesi?
Turkey’s ADB is its recreational licence for private boats. The two categories use different measurements: ADB 10 uses overall length, while ADB 24 uses hull length. Both are for private, non-commercial boating.
On the waterWhat your ADB allows
Choose the category that covers your boat. The ADB provisions set no maximum engine power and no separate sail or motor endorsement.
You can
- Operate a private boat for cruising, recreation, sport or amateur fishing
- Use a tourism-certified commercial yacht hired bareboat for recreation or sport, within your ADB length limit
- Use an electronically verifiable QR-coded e-Devlet printout instead of the physical ADB
Restrictions
- Do not exceed your category’s boat-length limit
- Do not use a private boat commercially or treat the ADB as a professional seafarer qualification
- Do not use someone else’s private boat without the owner’s Annex 1 authorisation
Before you applyWho can qualify?
- Be a Turkish citizen, a citizen of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, a foreigner of Turkish origin within Law No. 2527, or a foreign national with a Turkish residence permit
- Provide the notarised Annex 3 consent form if you are under 18
- If you hold ADB 10 and are under 18, operate only with an adult holding at least ADB 10 aboard and supervising
You normally need a medical report. You are exempt if you hold either:
- A driving licence covered by Turkish Road Traffic Law No. 2918
- A report issued within the past 2 years confirming fitness to drive, serve as an amateur seaman or work as a seafarer
Health requirement: Regulation, Article 7. Check the minimum age for your category with the issuing authority before applying. Article 6’s wording is unclear about how age is counted.
Pick the routeHow you qualify for each category
| Route | What the rules require |
|---|---|
| Starting with ADB 10 | Complete online theory, practical training and the online examination. |
| Upgrading to ADB 24 | Hold ADB 10 for at least 12 months, then complete the appropriate training and examination. |
| Eligible maritime qualification | Listed deck and engineering graduates of maritime faculties, higher schools and vocational higher schools, plus the specified naval schools and maritime vocational high schools, may request ADB 24 without training or examinations. See the official Article 6(2) list: https://eregli.denizticaretodasi.org.tr/tr/Media/ViewerWithName/141578?fileName=64_218__zel_teknelerin_donat_m_ve_zel_tekneleri_kullanacak_ki_ilerin_yeterlikleri_hakk_nda_y_netmelik.pdf |
Step by stepHow to get your ADB
- Choose your category and route
Check the eligibility, health, consent and age conditions, then choose ADB 10, the ADB 24 upgrade route, or the eligible-graduate ADB 24 route.
- Apply through ADBS
Create an account in the Ministry’s online application and examination system at adbs.uab.gov.tr and apply for your chosen category. Follow the approved application’s directions for theory and the practical-training appointment.
- Complete training if your route requires it
For the ordinary ADB 10 or ADB 24 route, complete online theory within 30 days of starting it. Begin category-specific practical training within 90 days of completing theory, through the administration or an authorised organisation.
- Pass the online exam
For the ordinary route, the examination module opens when theory and practical training are recorded electronically. Pass the online exam with at least 70 out of 100.
- Pay the duty and get your certificate
After passing, pay the current calendar year’s certificate duty. Get your certificate from the administration or an authorised harbour authority.
The online examinationADB exam format and pass mark
| Exam detail | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Answer options | At least 4 per question |
| Questions | At least 25 |
| Pass mark | At least 70 out of 100 |
| Retakes | 4 attempts total; at least 1 day apart |
After 4 failed attempts, repeat the relevant theory training. You do not need to repeat practical training. The regulation requires at least 25 questions but does not specify a fixed question count or an exam time limit.
Topics you will meet
- Chart navigation
- Collision prevention, basic seamanship and boat handling
- Meteorology, safety at sea, maritime communications and first aid
- International conventions, plus boat, engine and electrical knowledge
Certificate feeADB certificate fee in 2026
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| 2026 amateur seaman qualification certificate duty | 653,70 TL |
Choose by boat sizeWhich ADB category do you need?
| Category | Private boats it covers |
|---|---|
| ADB 10 | Up to 10 m overall length |
| ADB 24 | Up to 24 m hull length |
The practical choice
What works well
- Two clear categories for private recreational boating
- No stated cruising-area, distance-from-shore or daylight-only restriction in the ADB provisions
- A QR-coded e-Devlet printout can stand in for the physical certificate
What to watch
- Private boats cannot be used commercially
- The ordinary route includes theory, practical training and an online exam
- Article 6’s age wording needs confirmation from the issuing authority if you are close to the threshold
Choose ADB 10 for a private boat within its 10 m overall-length limit, or ADB 24 for one within its 24 m hull-length limit. If you are following the ordinary route, plan the theory and practical deadlines before you start.
Topics you can practise here
Free practice questions
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Practice questions (with answers)
To which vessels do the COLREGs apply?
Show answer
Correct answer: C. All vessels on the high seas and connected navigable waters
Rule 1 states the COLREGs apply to all vessels upon the high seas and in all waters connected therewith navigable by seagoing vessels.
According to Rule 2, departure from the COLREGs is permitted when:
Show answer
Correct answer: B. It is necessary to avoid immediate danger
Rule 2(b) allows departure from the rules when necessary to avoid immediate danger.
If fitted, the topmark of an isolated danger mark is:
Show answer
Correct answer: B. Two black spheres vertically
Isolated danger marks have two black spheres (balls) as topmark. (if fitted).
Safe water marks are used as:
Show answer
Correct answer: B. Fairway or mid-channel marks
Safe water marks are used as fairway, mid-channel, or landfall marks.
If fitted, the topmark of a special mark is:
Show answer
Correct answer: B. A yellow X-shape (cross)
Special marks have a yellow X-shaped (St. Andrew's cross) topmark. (if fitted).
Emergency wreck marking buoys are coloured:
Show answer
Correct answer: C. Blue and yellow vertical stripes
equal numbers and widths of blue and yellow vertical stripes; 4 to 8 stripes in total. 1 s blue + 0.5 s darkness + 1 s yellow + 0.5 s darkness; period 3 s.
At night a vessel engaged in fishing other than trawling has outlying gear extending more than 150 metres horizontally to starboard. Which extra light is required?
Show answer
Correct answer: A. An all-round white light in the direction of the outlying gear
Rule 26(c)(ii) requires an additional all-round white light toward outlying gear extending more than 150 metres for fishing other than trawling. The corresponding day shape is a cone with apex upward.
In thick fog another vessel is detected only by ARPA and is not in sight. Its bearing is steady and range is closing fast. Which rule governs the avoiding action?
Show answer
Correct answer: C. Rule 19 — restricted visibility, because vessels are not in sight
Rule 11 restricts Section II (including crossing, head-on and overtaking) to vessels in sight of one another. A target detected only on radar is not 'in sight'; Rule 19 governs instead.
The full guide
Turkey’s Amatör Denizci Belgesi (ADB) lets you operate a private boat for non-commercial use. ADB 10 covers private boats up to and including 10 m overall length, while ADB 24 covers private boats up to and including 24 m hull length. Other boating rules still apply.
The online theory exam covers chart navigation, collision prevention, seamanship and boat handling, weather, safety, maritime communications, first aid, conventions, and boat, engine and electrical knowledge. This site helps you practise COLREG rules, IALA buoyage, lights and shapes, and sound signals; study the rest of the syllabus with the official material.
Who can apply for the Amatör Denizci Belgesi?
The standard route is open to Turkish citizens, citizens of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, foreigners of Turkish origin covered by Law No. 2527, and foreign nationals holding a Turkish residence permit. You normally need a medical report, unless you hold a driving licence under Turkish Road Traffic Law No. 2918 or a qualifying report from the previous 2 years; applicants under 18 need notarised consent in Annex 3, and should check the minimum age with the issuing authority because Article 6 is unclear about how age is counted.
How to get an Amatör Denizci Belgesi
Start with ADB 10, or apply for ADB 24 after holding ADB 10 for at least 12 months. Eligible maritime graduates can request ADB 24 without training or examinations. For the standard route, apply through the Ministry’s online application and exam system (ADBS), complete online theory within 30 days, begin practical training within 90 days after theory, pass the online exam with at least 70 out of 100, pay the certificate duty, and get your certificate from the administration or an authorised harbour authority.
Amatör Denizci Belgesi questions
- How many times can I take the ADB exam?
- You have 4 attempts in total, with at least 1 day between attempts. After the 4th failure, repeat the relevant theory training, but not the practical training.
- Can I use a foreign boating certificate in Turkey?
- Turkish citizens and foreign nationals in Turkey may use it within its privileges for their own private boat, an authorised private boat, or a tourism-certified yacht chartered without a skipper. A harbour authority may ask the issuing administration to verify it.
- Do I need to renew an ADB issued before 17 July 2026?
- To keep the ADB 24 entitlement, complete ADB 24 theory and renew by 17 July 2031. Otherwise, the existing certificate is treated as equivalent to ADB 10.
- How long do I have to pay after passing the ADB exam?
- You have 2 years after passing to pay the certificate duty. If you do not validate the certificate in that time, the training and examination become invalid.
- Can I replace a lost or damaged ADB?
- Yes. Request a replacement online through ADBS, pay the current certificate duty, then apply to the administration or an authorised harbour authority.
Other exams
Reviewed by Ramon Curto, Nautical teacher at IECNPC · Last reviewed: