💷 Exams and costs

Who trains and who examines?

• No state examination boards. Training and assessment take place at training centres recognised by the RYA: sailing schools, clubs and commercial centres in the UK and abroad.
• Courses (Powerboat, Day Skipper, Coastal Skipper) are assessed continuously by the instructor. If you reach the standard you receive a course completion certificate.
• Certificates of competence (Yachtmaster Coastal, Offshore and Ocean, Advanced Powerboat) require an exam with an independent examiner who has not trained you.
• ICC assessments are carried out at recognised centres and affiliated clubs.

Where and when?

• There are no central exam dates. Each training centre sets its own course and exam dates; you find centres through the RYA's online search.
• Most candidates take the Yachtmaster exam at the end of a preparation week at a centre, which provides the boat and arranges the examiner.
• In the UK you can also request an examiner directly from the RYA and use your own or a chartered boat. Allow at least 10 working days for an examiner to be allocated.
• Exams outside the UK must be arranged through a recognised centre.
• You apply and pay the exam fee through the RYA's online application service or with the paper form.

Costs

The exam fees are set centrally by the RYA and are the same at every centre. Course prices are set by each centre and vary widely. The figures below were published for 2026; check the current price before you book.

After the exam

• If you pass, the examiner sends your paperwork to the RYA, which issues the certificate.
• If you fail only part of a Yachtmaster exam, the examiner can offer a partial re-examination.
• For work on commercial vessels a commercial endorsement is needed, which requires further documents such as a medical certificate and sea survival training.