A special qualification has just come into force in our country that allows young people, starting from the age of 16, to drive a pleasure boat. The new license thus joins the regular nautical license for adults, but what happens abroad? How are navigation titles regulated?
The nautical “mini license” for young people is finally becoming operational in Italy. Better known as the “D1 Nautical License”, the new title came into force in recent months through Decree 133/2024 of the Ministry of Transport and then with Circular no. 6378 which specifies the methods for obtaining it. This is a great innovation for our Nautical Code which, like what has been happening for years in road regulations, makes it easier for minors under 18 to enter the nautical world and makes them responsible with a license just for them.
The “D1 Nautical License” is in fact a qualification that can be obtained from the age of 16. It allows navigation exclusively during the day within 6 miles from the coast with “vessels” (units up to 10 metres), from the age of 18 with boats up to 12 metres in length, or with jet skis within one mile from the coast, if such units are equipped with engines with a power not exceeding 85 kW equal to 115.6 HP.
How to get the nautical “mini license”
The new D1 license can be obtained by attending a training course in nautical schools that consists of a theoretical teaching phase, one of individual practical exercises and passing the final aptitude quiz test covering various subjects. These include hull theory, engine, safety, maneuvers and conduct, COLREG and maritime signaling, weather, navigation and regulations.
As with the car license, it is also possible to take the exam as a private individual at the Civil Motorization offices. In this case, is necessary to present a certificate of completion of the mandatory practical exercises.
Those who have obtained the D1 license can subsequently obtain the Category A nautical license (within or beyond 12 miles), by taking a supplementary theoretical exam on topics not included in the training course and a practical navigation test.
Nautical license, essential for navigating in Italy
The new D1 Nautical License thus enriches our Nautical Code. This Code provides for other types of licenses for navigation, depending on the type of navigation you intend to practice and the boat you use. In general, for recreational boating, the most common qualification is the Category A Nautical License. This license is for the command and management of pleasure boats and vessels. This qualification is divided into 2 categories:
- Nautical license within 12 miles from the coast
- Nautical license without limits from the coast
With these licenses it is possible to drive sailboats, motorboats and sailboats equipped with an engine. There is also the possibility of requesting a license limited to motorboats only which requires a shorter and simpler exam.
When is a boating license mandatory and when is it not?
We remind you that in Italy a boating license is mandatory in the following cases:
- To drive any type of boat beyond 12 miles from the coast and/or with an engine power greater than 30 kW (40.8 Hp);
- If you want to drive a boat with power greater than 40.8 Hp, 750 cc (2-stroke engine), 1,000 cc (4-stroke engine), 1,300 cc (4-stroke inboard), 2,000 cc (diesel engine);
- To drive a jet ski regardless of the distance from the coast;
- When driving boats used for water skiing.
Without a boating license, in Italy you can still drive a pleasure craft less than 24 meters long and with a lower displacement than those mentioned above, as long as you navigate within 6 miles from the coast.
Nautical license: how does it work in the rest of Europe?
We have seen, how does the nautical license work in Italy, and abroad? What do other European countries provide, for example, in terms of nautical pleasure? Where is it mandatory to have this title? And when is a title issued in one country also valid in another?
It is important to specify that for several years there has been talk of creating an international nautical license. Such a license could facilitate the circulation of pleasure boaters in the member countries of the European Community. A bit like what happens with the road driving license. For now, this “passepartout” style title remains just a chimera.
The reality is that each European country in terms of nautical licenses has its own laws and bureaucratic paths to become holders and the recognition of the titles of other States are still few. Let’s see then the discipline of the nautical license in the main European countries.
France
In France, no license is required to sail a boat. Residents can easily obtain a coastal or offshore navigation license starting at age 16 for sailing boats or motor boats with an engine of more than 6 hp. To obtain it, you must pass a theoretical-practical exam for coastal navigation, which allows you to access a second exam, only theoretical, for offshore navigation.
England
England also boasts a rather facilitated discipline for yachtsmen. Those who sail purely for pleasure can take command of a boat without any qualification. However, if they want to carry out any professional or commercial activity, they must obtain the Yacht Master qualifications (Costal, Offshore and Ocean). These three patents, created in 1971 and managed by the Royal Yachting Association (RYA), require solid prerequisites and complex qualifications that are obtained through long and detailed exams aimed at demonstrating the possession of specific skills and certificates in the field of navigation (VHF, GMDSS Short Range, first aid, etc.).
Spain, Portugal and Croatia
Other countries, however, adopt a more rigorous approach, similar to that of Italy. In Spain, for example, a boating license is mandatory to sail on a sailboat of 6 meters or more or on a motorboat of over 5 meters and with a power greater than 11.26 kilowatts. In Portugal, a boating license is also required to drive any type of sailboat or motorboat, as is in Croatia, where, however, a license for the VHF radio is also required..
So if you plan to sail abroad, before leaving, we recommend that you always consult the consulate or embassy of the country you are going to, to get the best information on the legislation in force and any latest updates, to avoid incurring any sanctions.
