Information on all common licenses

Here you will find all information about the most important driving licenses, licenses, patents and ship radio. Other legal and statutory interpretations are possible despite exact research and the legal regulations of each country can be changed at any time.

ATTENTION!! Driving licences and radio patents that were issued a long time ago may no longer be valid!

• recreational craft license - inland
  -is prescribed for the navigation of recreational craft with a propulsion engine of more than 11.03 kW (15 hp) useful power on federal inland waterways with the exception of the Rhine. It applies to recreational craft of less than 15 m in length. On the Rhine, a Sportbootführerschein-Binnen is already required if the motorised sports boat has more than 3.68 kW (5 hp) useful power. On the waters listed in Annex 2 of the Inland Sport Boat Licence Ordinance, the Inland Sport Boat Licence "under sail" is required for sport boats that are operated exclusively under sail.
  
  
• recreational boating license-See
  -for the navigation of recreational craft for non-commercial purposes with a propulsion engine of more than 11.03 kW (15 hp) on maritime waterways. It applies without length limitation. Anyone wishing to drive a motorised recreational craft with a net power of up to 11.03 kW without a licence must be 16 years of age if the net power is more than 3.68 kW (5 hp).
  
  
• sports coaster licence
  -Official recommended licence, which can be acquired by the holders of the Sport Boat Licence-See. The licence is valid for coastal waters up to 12 nautical miles from the mainland. This licence can be obtained for yachts with a propulsion engine or for yachts with a propulsion engine and under sail. It is required for the commercial operation of a recreational craft in accordance with the provisions of the German Recreational Craft Ordinance (See-Sportbootverordnung).
  
  
• recreational marine certificate
  - Official recommended licence, which can be acquired by persons who are holders of a recreational craft licence-sea and who meet the requirements of § 6 paragraph 2
  - The licence is valid on coastal waters (waters of all seas up to a distance of nautical miles from the mainland coast). The licence is valid on coastal waters (waters of all seas up to 30 nautical miles from the mainland coast as well as the entire Baltic and North Sea, the English Channel, the Bristol Channel, the Irish and Scottish Seas, the Mediterranean Sea and the Black Sea). The licence can be obtained for yachts with a propulsion engine or for yachts with a propulsion engine and under sail. It is compulsory for the commercial navigation of a recreational boat in accordance with the requirements of the Marine Recreational Craft Ordinance.
  
  
• recreational marine license
  -Official recommended licence which can be acquired by holders of the recreational craft licence with corresponding nautical mileage certificate in accordance with § 6 paragraph 3 of the Recreational Craft Licence Ordinance. The licence is valid for worldwide navigation and can be acquired for yachts with propulsion engine or for yachts with propulsion engine and under sail. It is required for the commercial operation of a recreational craft in accordance with the provisions of the German Recreational Craft Ordinance (See-Sportbootverordnung).

The two associations Deutscher Motoryachtverband e.V. (German Motor Yacht Association) and Deutscher Segler-Verband e.V. (German Sailing Association) are responsible for the admission to the examination, the examination inspection and the issue of the above certificates of competency. (DMYV) and Deutscher Segler-Verband e.V. (DSV). (DSV) have been commissioned by the Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Affairs (BMVBS).

(Source: Federal Waterways and Shipping Administration)

Older patents without GMDSS are valid on yachts with VHF marine radio without additional GMDSS function. It is irrelevant from which authority the patent was issued. In Austria, the old patent "Pomorski Radio Telefonist" could be confirmed.

For newer yachts (from 2002 onwards), equipment for VHF with GMDSS function is mandatory. The patents SRC and LRC are prescribed. It is completely irrelevant from which authority/country the patent was issued. The patents are recognized worldwide. Therefore, a transcription or recognition is not necessary.