Licences, radio certificates and exam procedure in Germany · Führerscheininformationen und Prüfungsordnungen
There are no English exams and no interpreters for German boating licences and radio certificates. That is why our question catalogues show every official German question with a direct English translation. This page is a summary for orientation; the binding rules are published on ELWIS by the German waterways administration.
Sportbootführerschein Binnen (SBF Binnen)
| Required for | Motor boats with more than 11.03 kW (15 hp) on federal inland waterways; on the Rhine above 3.68 kW. Sailing boats on the waters around Berlin. |
|---|---|
| Variants | Motor (from 16), sailing (from 14), or both combined |
| Requirements | Medical certificate (eyesight, hearing), photo, identity document; under 18 consent of a parent |
| Theory exam | Multiple choice from the official catalogue; motor: 30 questions, at least 24 correct |
| Practical exam | Mandatory manoeuvres (man overboard, berthing, unberthing), further manoeuvres chosen by the examiner, knots |
| Time limit | Theory and practical must be passed within 12 months |
Sportbootführerschein See (SBF See)
| Required for | Motor boats with more than 11.03 kW (15 hp) on the German maritime waterways (North Sea and Baltic coast) |
|---|---|
| Requirements | Minimum age 16, medical certificate, photo, identity document; no other licence needed |
| Theory exam | 30 multiple-choice questions (at least 24 correct) plus a chartwork task |
| Practical exam | Manoeuvres, steering by compass, taking bearings, knots |
Sportküstenschifferschein (SKS)
| Recommended for | Skippering yachts in coastal waters up to 12 nautical miles from the shore; often asked for by charter companies |
|---|---|
| Requirements | SBF See and at least 300 nautical miles logged on yachts after the SBF See; minimum age 16 |
| Theory exam | Written open questions on navigation, maritime law, seamanship and meteorology plus a chartwork task |
| Practical exam | On board a yacht at sea, including manoeuvres under sail and engine |
Funkbetriebszeugnisse: SRC, UBI, LRC
| SRC | VHF marine radio including DSC. Minimum age 15, no boating licence needed. Theory: 24 questions, at least 19 correct; practical exam on a radio set including English radio texts. |
|---|---|
| UBI | VHF radio on inland waterways (ATIS). Full exam, or a shorter supplementary exam for SRC holders. |
| LRC | Worldwide marine radio (MF, HF, satellite). Requires the SRC or is taken together with it. Theory: 14 questions, at least 10 correct. |
Fachkundenachweis für Seenotsignalmittel (FKN, „Pyroschein“)
| Entitles you to | Acquire and store pyrotechnic distress signals of subclass T2, e.g. red rockets and red parachute rockets. Red hand flares (T1) can be bought from 18 without it. |
|---|---|
| Exam | A short written exam from the official catalogue, usually taken together with the SBF See or SKS |
| Note | Signal pistols fall under weapons law and need a firearms ownership card |
Exams are held all over Germany and at some places abroad. The official dates of the German Sailing Association (DSV), sorted by place:
No. All theory and practical exams for German pleasure craft licences and radio certificates are held in German. English question papers do not exist and interpreters are not permitted. Only the radio texts in the SRC exam are in English.
On federal waterways a licence is required for motor boats with more than 11.03 kW (15 hp); on the Rhine already above 3.68 kW. Below these limits no licence is needed, but you must still know and follow the traffic rules. Local rules on some lakes may differ.
Foreign skippers can often use a licence from their home country, especially an International Certificate of Competence (ICC). The rules depend on the type of licence and the waterway, so check with the waterway authority (WSA) or ELWIS before your trip.
No. A radio certificate (SRC, UBI or LRC) is only needed if you operate a radio on board. A VHF radio is strongly recommended for safety at sea.
For motor yachts on German inland waters the SBF Binnen, for the coast the SBF See. For sailing yachts at sea many charter companies ask for the SKS and an SRC, sometimes together with an ICC.
All information without guarantee. Binding information: ELWIS (German waterways administration). Also useful: our glossary of German nautical terms.