- From 16for pleasure-vessel certificates; commercial skippers must be 18GN R.705, regulation 16(1); GN R.731, amending regulation 19
- 1 NMCategory E: within 1 NM of shore and within 15 NM of an approved launch siteGN R.705, regulations 2 and 10
- Less than 15 NMfrom shore for Day Skipper Category C, in daylightGN R.705, regulations 2 and 10
- Less than 40 NMfrom shore in Category B; Coastal Skipper may make these passages by day or nightGN R.705, regulations 2 and 10
- 2 divisionsseparate certificates for vessels below 9 m and vessels of 9 m or moreSAMSA Marine Notice 13 of 2011, sections 10.3 and 11.3
The certificateWhat the certificate covers
This certificate qualifies you to skipper a motor-driven small vessel. It records where you may go, whether you may operate at night, which vessel length you are qualified for, and any extra permissions, such as sailing or surf launching. Your boat’s safety certificate also limits how it may be used.
Plan the passageMatch the category to your trips
Day Skipper is for daylight operation at sea. Coastal Skipper is the Category B qualification for coastal passages by day or night. NM means nautical miles; the category printed on your certificate is the limit that matters for your passage.
With the right certificate, you can
- Skipper a motor-driven small vessel within the category, vessel division and endorsements on your certificate
- Use a non-passenger vessel on inland waters in South Africa by day or night when the standard certificate wording and vessel description allow it
You still cannot
- Use a below-9-metre certificate for the 9-metre-and-over division
- Sail or surf-launch without the appropriate endorsement
- Ignore the restrictions on the vessel’s safety certificate, local navigation rules or passenger capacity
Before you applyWhat you need
For a pleasure-vessel certificate, you must be at least 16, physically able and of sound mental health. Commercial skippers must be at least 18. Your application needs identity documentation, 2 photographs, proof of sea service, the prescribed fee, and the applicable medical, eyesight and supporting-qualification evidence.
Day Skipper: experience routes
- Category C: approved training plus at least 25 logged hours; or 50 hours of tuition with a qualified skipper; or 100 logged hours
- Category B: approved training plus at least 50 logged hours; or 100 hours of tuition with a qualified skipper; or 200 logged hours
- For Category C, service may be on Category C or D vessels. For Category B, it must be on Category C or higher vessels. In both cases, it must match the vessel-length division.
Coastal Skipper: check your route early
- Every published Coastal Skipper route includes at least 50 logged night hours on vessels of the appropriate category and length division
- Coastal Skipper below 9 m needs a doctor’s fitness certificate and an eyesight certificate
- For Coastal Skipper 9 m or more, the required medical, eyesight, first-aid, firefighting, liferaft and radio qualifications differ for pleasure and commercial certification
- Ask an appointed examiner to confirm the sea service and supporting qualifications required for your vessel’s length and intended use before you arrange an examination
Your routeHow to get the certificate
- Choose the right scope
Choose the grade, category, vessel division, pleasure or commercial use, and any endorsements that match your boat and planned waters. Ask SAMSA to help you find an appointed examiner or accredited institution.
- Confirm your logged experience
Have the examiner confirm that your sea service counts for the certificate you want. An approved course can reduce the required experience, but it is not compulsory for every route.
- Prepare your documents
Gather your identity documents, photographs, sea-service record, medical and eyesight evidence, and any required supporting qualifications. Ask whether existing qualifications exempt you from an assessment.
- Take the assessments
Pass the written sections, oral assessment and practical examination required for your route. Commercial certification for vessels of 9 m or more requires examination by the appropriate SAMSA examiner.
- Check the result
After passing, obtain your official interim certificate while your national certificate is processed. Check the vessel description, category, limitations and endorsements, and keep the original or a certified copy available for inspection.
The assessmentWhat the examination tests
The written examination is divided into separate sections, each with its own required mark; there is no single overall pass mark. The modules that apply depend on your certificate route.
| Written section | Proportion of written-paper content | Required mark |
|---|---|---|
| Chartwork | 40% | 60% |
| Emergency procedures, seamanship and meteorology | 40% | 60% |
| Power, law and naval architecture, where applicable | 20% | 50% |
Elementary first aid is assessed separately and requires 60%, unless you hold an accepted Level II certificate from St Johns or the Red Cross, or a SAMSA-approved Elementary First Aid certificate. The practical and oral assessment cover manoeuvring, boat handling and emergency response, including a person-overboard response.
Published chargesSAMSA fees — 2024 schedule
These are SAMSA’s published charges effective 1 August 2024, excluding VAT. Confirm current fees with SAMSA or your examiner before booking. Training, external-examiner, boat-hire, medical and additional-course costs are outside this schedule.
| Charge | Below 9 m | 9 m or more |
|---|---|---|
| Theory examination | ZAR 360 | ZAR 820 |
| Oral examination | ZAR 360 | ZAR 637 |
| Practical examination | ZAR 360 | ZAR 637 |
| Certificate issue, additional to examination charges | ZAR 959 | ZAR 959 |
The route at a glanceDay Skipper and Coastal Skipper ladder
- Day Skipper — Category EDaylight. Within 1 NM of shore and within 15 NM of an approved launch site.
- Day Skipper — Category CDaylight. Less than 15 NM from shore.
- Day Skipper — Category BDaylight. Less than 40 NM from shore.
- Coastal Skipper — Category BDay or night. Less than 40 NM from shore.
Before you book
Useful for
- A clear national route for motor-driven small vessels
- Day Skipper options from close-shore Category E to Category B
- Coastal Skipper for Category B passages by day or night
Check first
- The category, vessel division and endorsements must match the trip and boat
- Commercial use has a higher minimum age and may need different supporting qualifications
- Your boat’s safety certificate may impose further limits
Choose the certificate that covers your planned trips, then have an appointed examiner check your experience before you book.
Topics tested
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Practice questions (with answers)
In IALA Region A, the port-hand mark colour is:
Show answer
Correct answer: B. Red, usually can-shaped
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.
Before she is finally past and clear, an overtaking vessel's bearing changes to resemble a crossing position. What is her duty?
Show answer
Correct answer: B. She remains the overtaking vessel and must keep clear
Rule 13(d): a later bearing change does not make the overtaking vessel a crossing vessel or relieve her duty until she is finally past and clear.
If in doubt whether a head-on situation exists:
Show answer
Correct answer: C. Assume it IS a head-on situation and alter to starboard
Rule 14(c): when in doubt, assume it IS a head-on situation and act accordingly.
Your power-driven vessel and another identified power-driven vessel are in sight in open water, crossing with risk of collision. She is on your starboard bow; neither is overtaking. Which duty applies to your vessel?
Show answer
Correct answer: B. Take early and substantial action to keep clear and, if circumstances admit, avoid crossing ahead
Rules 15 and 16 require your power-driven vessel to give way because the other power-driven vessel is crossing on your starboard side with risk of collision. A red sidelight alone would not establish vessel type or this duty.
A power-driven stand-on vessel acts under Rule 17(a)(ii) in a crossing with another power-driven vessel. If circumstances admit, she shall NOT:
Show answer
Correct answer: B. Alter course to port for a vessel on her port side
Rule 17(c) says a power-driven vessel taking action under Rule 17(a)(ii) in a crossing with another power-driven vessel shall, if circumstances admit, not alter to port for a vessel on her own port side.
The topmark of a West Cardinal mark is:
Show answer
Correct answer: C. Two cones point to point
Two separate black cones with their points facing each other. The cones must remain clearly separated.
You are entering a river where the chart shows the conventional direction of buoyage is upstream from the sea entrance. What should determine whether a lateral mark is port-hand or starboard-hand?
Show answer
Correct answer: C. The charted conventional direction of buoyage
Lateral marks are interpreted in the conventional direction of buoyage. The chart, not guesswork, determines which side is port-hand and which is starboard-hand.
You sight a cardinal mark with both cones pointing down and a light showing six quick flashes followed by one long flash. What is the safe action?
Show answer
Correct answer: C. Pass south of the mark
Two cones down and the 6+1 light rhythm identify a South Cardinal mark, meaning the safe water lies to the south of the mark.
The full guide
This national certificate lets you skipper a motor-driven small vessel: Day Skipper is for daylight sea trips within the limits on your certificate, while Coastal Skipper covers Category B coastal passages by day or night, less than 40 nautical miles from shore. Your vessel's safety certificate also sets limits.
The assessment includes chartwork, seamanship and collision avoidance, meteorology, emergency procedures and, where applicable, power, law and naval architecture. Practise COLREG rules, IALA buoyage, lights and shapes, and sound signals here. Study the remaining modules in the official material.
Who should take the South African skipper certificate
This route is for pleasure-vessel skippers from age 16 and commercial-vessel skippers from age 18. Choose a certificate that matches your vessel and the waters you plan to use.
How to prepare
Choose the certificate that covers your planned trips. Ask SAMSA to help you find an appointed examiner, then have the examiner confirm that your logged experience counts. For Coastal Skipper, ask the examiner to confirm the sea service and supporting qualifications required for your vessel length and intended use. Pass the written sections, oral assessment and practical examination, then check the limits and endorsements on your certificate.
Frequently asked questions
- What experience is needed for Day Skipper Category B?
- You need approved training plus at least 50 logged hours, 100 hours of tuition with a qualified skipper, or 200 logged hours. The service must be on Category C or higher vessels of the appropriate length.
- Can I use my foreign skipper's licence in South Africa?
- A non-permanent resident may use an appropriate foreign-government-authorised pleasure-vessel skipper certificate for 3 months after arrival in South Africa.
- Can I get a skipper's certificate if I am colour blind?
- Colour-blind applicants are limited to Day Skipper certification.
- Do I need a radio certificate for a VHF with digital selective calling (DSC)?
- Yes. A DSC-enabled VHF requires a Short Range Certificate. The older Restricted Radiotelephone certificate covers voice-only VHF, and new certificates are no longer offered.
- Can a pleasure-only certificate for a vessel of 9 m or more cover commercial work?
- No. It does not authorise commercial operation.
- Can I use this certificate to apply for an ICC?
- Eligible national certificates can support a power-only coastal-waters International Certificate of Competence application through South African Sailing. It does not automatically permit every vessel in the European Union.
Other exams
Reviewed by Ramon Curto, Nautical teacher at IECNPC · Last reviewed: