Have you ever wondered whether your German boat license is valid abroad? Or whether you can rent or even buy a boat abroad? These questions often cause confusion.
In many countries you have to pay high fines if you have an invalid license.
Especially if an accident occurs on an international boat, an invalid boating license can be very expensive: the insurance will not pay, meaning you will be liable for high compensation.
In this article we would like to provide clarity for you and explain what you should know about boat licenses in different countries.
Legal regulations regarding boating licenses abroad
Basically, if you drive a boat under the German flag, you are subject to German law on the high seas. However, if you are in the territorial waters of a country such as Spain, you must provide the required certificates of competence. This applies both to driving your own boat and to renting a boat locally.
We have compiled the required qualifications for most countries in a clear format for you.
Internationally valid boating license: The ICC at a glance
In order to facilitate the recognition of national boating licenses abroad, the ICC (“International Certificate for Operators of Pleasure Craft” or “International Certificate of Competence”) was introduced.
In countries that recognize the International Boating License Certificate (ICC), you are allowed to navigate their waters if your national boating license is also valid in your home country. With the German inland sports boating license (SBF Binnen), you can therefore also navigate the inland waters of other participating countries - the same applies to coastal waters. German boating licenses generally meet the requirements of the ICC and are internationally recognized, so you do not need a separate ICC document, as is required for boating licenses from Switzerland or Austria, for example.
The following states officially recognize the ICC: Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Germany, England, Finland, France, Netherlands, Ireland, Italy, Croatia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Austria, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Switzerland, Czech Republic and Hungary.
In addition, the ICC is informally recognized in many other countries, so that it is often sufficient as proof to rent a boat or sail in the country's waters - even outside the EU, such as in the Caribbean, the Seychelles or Thailand.
Boating license regulations worldwide – overview of the most important travel countries
Find out which boat license rules apply in the most popular countries for boating holidays. The list includes key regulations for inland and coastal waters.
Germany
- Motorboats up to 15 HP and electric boats up to 10.2 HP, max. 15 m length, no license required
- SBF Inland: required for motorboats from 15 HP on inland waters
- SBF See: required for boats with 15 hp or more in the 3-nautical mile zone (5.6 km from the coast)
- Lake Constance:
- Maximum 6 HP for motorboats, 2.5 m total length and 12 m² sail area without a Lake Constance boating license or holiday license.
Finland
- boats up to 24 m do not require a license
- ICC (International Boating License) recognized.
France
- Boats up to 6 HP and 5 m length do not require a license
- ICC is accepted.
Greece
- Boats up to 30 HP do not require a license
- ICC valid.
Italy
- Boats up to 40.8 HP and 24 m length, max. 6 nautical miles from the coast no license required
- ICC and radio license required in many areas.
Venice
- Driving license and radio license mandatory.
Netherlands
- Boats up to 15 m long and max. 20 km/h without a license
- ICC recognized.
Croatia
- driving license requirement for all motorboats
- ICC and radio license required.
Montenegro
- Driving license required for all boats
- ICC valid.
Norway
- Boats up to 25 HP and 8 m length do not require a license
- ICC recognized.
Austria
- Boats up to 5.98 HP and 10 m length do not require a license
- ICC valid.
Portugal
- Boats up to 15 m and max. 12 km/h do not require a license
- ICC recognized.
Türkiye
- Boats up to 15 m and max. 12 km/h do not require a license
- ICC valid.
Switzerland
- Boats up to 8 HP and 12 m² sail area do not require a license
- ICC recognized.
- Lake Constance:
- Maximum 6 HP for motorboats, 2.5 m total length and 12 m² sail area without a Lake Constance boating license or holiday license.
Sweden
- Boats up to 12 m long and 4 m wide do not require a license
- ICC valid.
Spain
- Boats up to 15 HP and 4 m length (motorboats) or 5 m length (sailboats) no license required, max. 2 nautical miles from the coast
- ICC recognized.
United Kingdom
- No driving license requirement at sea
- Inland waters: Driving license required for all boats
- ICC valid.
This overview provides a quick overview of the driving license regulations in the most popular boat travel countries.
On the safe side with your international boating license
With the German sports boat license, you can drive and rent boats in most countries without any problems. However, international regulations can change at any time. We therefore recommend that you contact the official authorities before your trip to find out about the current boat license regulations in the respective country.
If you would like to rent a boat, it is also advisable to ask the charter company directly about the necessary requirements. This way you are well prepared and on the safe side.
Accident with a rented boat abroad? Our lawyers can help you with all questions relating to shipping law. We will enforce your claims for damages and clarify contractual issues when buying or renting a boat.
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