Boating Licences & Certificates

Sailing boats without an engine are not subject to a nationwide boating licence requirement in Germany. There are, however, boating licence obligations regulated by federal county law that may apply outside of federal waterways or on inland lakes. For example on waterways in Berlin you require a sailing licence from 3 m² sailing area upwards and in Saxony from 6 m² upwards. On Lake Constance a Lake Constance boatmasters licence D is required for a sail area of 12 m² or more. It is also up to the owners of a waterway or lake (e.g. city administration) to issue individual boating licence requirements. In addition, many commercial boat hire companies require the presentation of a boating licence as proof of your boating competence.
Currently, a recreational boating license is required on all federal waterways (with two areas of validity: inland waterways and maritime waterways/coastal waters) if the net power is greater than 11.03 kW (15 hp) for combustion engines or 7.5 kW (10.2 hp) for electric motors. For inland waterways, the inland pleasure craft license is only valid up to 20 m boat length (without rudder and bowsprit).

As before, the non-commercial operation of a recreational craft with a power of up to 3.68 kW (5 hp) is permitted on maritime waterways without age limit. The parents' duty of supervision remains unaffected. The skipper must be at least 16 years old for a net power of 3.68 kW (5 hp) up to a net power of 11.03 kW (15 hp). Only from an effective power of 11.03 kW (15 hp) for combustion engines and from 7.5 kW for electric motors is a recreational boating license required. On federal inland waterways, the age limit of 16 years also applies to the license-free operation of pleasure craft up to 11.03 kW (15 hp) and under 20 in length. From an effective power of 11.03 kW (15 hp) for combustion engines and from 7.5 kW for electric motors, the inland pleasure craft license is required. A sports boat license is no longer required for sailing surfboards in inland areas.

Each country has its own driving licences and regulations for navigating sailing as well as motorboats boats. However, in the territorial waters of other states, the skipper requires at least the boating licence required in his home coastal waters. While the port authorities within Europe usually mutually recognize the boating licences for the coastal area, you have to check the validity of your licences outside Europe individually with the local authorities.

No boating licence is officially required for sailing on the high seas once you are outside territorial waters. Independent of the legal regulations, however, charterers of sailing yachts or insurance companies often require proof of additional knowledge of the skipper and sometimes also of the coskipper. Such additional knowledge can be provided, for example, by voluntary higher licences for the corresponding cruising area or by nautical mileage certificates.