- From 12minimum age for the exam
- 90 minsupervised digital theory exam
- 75%published pass mark
- SEK 650required exam fees, including VAT
- 3 NM ≈ 5.6 kmNFB’s daylight, good-visibility training scope from shelter
The certificateWhat Förarintyg covers
Förarintyg för fritidsbåt is NFB’s voluntary knowledge certificate for private recreational boating in Sweden. It gives you a practical grounding in chartwork, navigation, safety and the rules that make time on the water calmer and more considered.
Scope and limitsWhere the certificate fits
The syllabus focuses on Swedish waters, daylight and good visibility, within 3 nautical miles of the nearest sheltered place. These describe the training scope, not legal limits on when or where you may boat; navigation rules, good seamanship and responsibility for seaworthiness still apply.
What you learn
- Charts, symbols, scales, chartwork, positions, courses, bearings and passage planning
- System A buoyage, Swedish waterway signs, satellite navigation, chartplotters, compasses, logs and echo sounders
- Boat handling, anchoring, mooring, knots, engine checks, stability, fire prevention and safety equipment
- Weather, water levels, poor visibility, rough-weather precautions, distress communications and emergencies
- Collision rules, lookout, safe speed, giving way, lights, shapes, signals, Swedish maritime law and skipper responsibilities
Separate qualifications still apply
- A larger recreational boat needs a separate qualification when its maximum hull length is at least 12 metres and its maximum hull width is at least 4 metres. Both conditions must apply. [Swedish Ordinance (1970:344), section 1]
- A personal watercraft needs its separate operator certificate
- Commercially used vessels have separate competence requirements
Before you bookRequirements
What you need
- Be 12 or older on exam day
- Your own Mobilt BankID or Freja eID to buy the standard digital exam licence
- Photo ID, a computer or tablet, and access to your Mobilt BankID or Freja eID
- The East or West practice chart that matches your exam: 616/6163 or 931/9313
- Dividers, a navigation protractor, ruler, pencil, eraser and a separate calculator; a phone calculator is not permitted
- If you need assistance for dyslexia or a similar diagnosis, documentation of the diagnosis for NFB
NFB does not list a previous boating certificate, medical certificate or course as a requirement. You can study independently or choose an external preparation course.
Step by stepHow to get certified
- Prepare your way
Work through NFB’s Förarintyg syllabus. Self-study and an external course are both preparation options; NFB sets the requirements and examinations, but does not run courses.
- Buy your exam licence
Buy the exam licence using your own Mobilt BankID or Freja eID. It covers 1 attempt and is registered to you; choose East or West to match your practice chart.
- Book your supervised exam
Book and pay for an exam session with an NFB examination partner. Test that you can log in before you travel to the venue.
- Sit the exam
Take your photo ID, device, chart and navigation tools. The invigilator unlocks the exam after you identify yourself and log in.
- Get your certificate
After you pass, use NFB’s digital certificate service or order the optional physical card. Check your name and recorded certificates before ordering a card.
At the venueExam format
| Part | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Format | Supervised digital multiple-choice exam |
| Duration | 90 minutes |
| Pass mark | 75% correct |
| Results | On screen after marking |
Editing locks when the writing time ends; NFB allows additional time to submit, without publishing a duration. No compulsory practical exam is listed, although NFB recommends the separate Båtpraktikintyg practical assessment in daylight.
FeesWhat the exam costs
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| NFB digital examination licence | SEK 325 |
| Examination-session booking with the partner | SEK 325 |
| Total required exam fees | SEK 650 |
| Optional physical NFB certificate card | SEK 150 |
The instructor’s verdict
Good reasons to start here
- A focused foundation in navigation, rules and safety
- You can prepare through self-study or an external course
- A supervised exam with results shown after marking
Plan ahead
- The certificate does not assess practical boat handling
- You need to arrange your own chart and navigation tools
- The standard digital route relies on your own electronic identification
Förarintyg is a useful first step for recreational boating in Sweden. Pair the theory with time on the water; NFB recommends the separate Båtpraktikintyg practical assessment.
What to study
Free practice tests
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Practice questions (with answers)
In a Rule 15 crossing encounter, the give-way vessel shall, if circumstances admit:
Show answer
Correct answer: C. Keep well clear and avoid crossing ahead of the other vessel
Rule 15 requires the give-way vessel to keep out of the way and, if circumstances admit, avoid crossing ahead. Rules 8 and 16 require early, substantial and effective action; the safe choice of course or speed depends on the whole situation.
The stand-on vessel MUST take action to help avoid collision when:
Show answer
Correct answer: B. Collision cannot be avoided by the give-way vessel acting alone
Rule 17(b): once so close that the give-way vessel alone cannot avoid collision, the stand-on vessel shall take action that best helps avoid it. Rule 17(a)(ii) separately permits earlier action when the give-way vessel is not taking appropriate action.
Except where Rules 9, 10 or 13 otherwise require, a power-driven vessel underway shall keep out of the way of all these EXCEPT:
Show answer
Correct answer: C. Another power-driven vessel of larger size
Rule 18(a): power-driven vessels give way to NUC, RAM, fishing, and sailing vessels — but size alone does not determine priority.
In restricted visibility, your vessel detects another by radar alone forward of the beam and needs to alter course to avoid collision. The target is not being overtaken. So far as possible, avoid:
Show answer
Correct answer: C. Alter course to port
Rule 19(d)(i): when course alteration is chosen for a radar-only contact, avoid a port alteration for a vessel forward of the beam, other than a vessel being overtaken.
How does IALA Region B differ from Region A?
Show answer
Correct answer: B. The colours are reversed — red to starboard
Region A: port-hand red, starboard-hand green. Region B: port-hand green, starboard-hand red. Interpret both in the charted conventional direction of buoyage.
An East Cardinal mark shows how many quick flashes?
Show answer
Correct answer: B. 3 flashes
White lights, when fitted: North Q or VQ; East VQ(3) 5 s or Q(3) 10 s; South VQ(6)+LFl 10 s or Q(6)+LFl 15 s; West VQ(9) 10 s or Q(9) 15 s. The long flash lasts at least 2 s.
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.
The full guide
Förarintyg is Sweden’s voluntary boating knowledge certificate. It helps you learn the basics for recreational boating, but it does not by itself meet the qualification requirement for a boat whose maximum hull length is at least 12 metres and maximum hull width is at least 4 metres. Both dimensions must reach those thresholds.
The theory exam covers chartwork, navigation, buoyage, safety, weather, boat handling, collision rules and Swedish boating law. Practise COLREG rules, IALA buoyage, lights and shapes, and sound signals here; study the rest with NFB’s official syllabus.
Who can take Förarintyg?
Förarintyg is for recreational boaters who want to learn navigation, boating rules and safety for Swedish waters. You can take the exam from age 12.
How to get Förarintyg
Study NFB’s Förarintyg syllabus, then buy the exam licence with your own Mobilt BankID or Freja eID; it covers 1 attempt and is registered to you. Choose the East or West exam to match your practice chart, then book and pay for a supervised session with an NFB examination partner. Bring the required ID, device, chart and navigation tools, and achieve 75% correct in 90 minutes.
Förarintyg questions and answers
- Do I need to take a course before the Förarintyg exam?
- No. You can study independently or take a course with an external provider; NFB does not require a course or minimum teaching hours.
- Does Förarintyg include a practical test?
- No compulsory practical exam is listed. NFB recommends the separate Båtpraktikintyg practical boating assessment in daylight.
- Does Förarintyg expire?
- No. The certificate has no expiry date or periodic renewal. The separate exam licence covers 1 attempt within 12 months of purchase.
- Can I use Förarintyg for a personal watercraft?
- No. Personal watercraft have a separate operator-certificate requirement; Förarintyg does not replace it.
- How much does the Förarintyg exam cost?
- The NFB exam licence costs SEK 325 and the separate examination-partner session costs SEK 325: SEK 650 in total, including VAT.
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Reviewed by Ramon Curto, Nautical teacher at IECNPC · Last reviewed: