Boat License Requirements Greece

To charter a yacht in Greece, there must be at least one certified skipper on board and one experienced crew member (both over 18 years old). The skipper should be competent at handling a yacht in close quarters, anchoring and mooring in varying conditions. He also should be able to use navigation and pilotage skills to plan the day’s sailing and know your position at any time.

The Skipper should be accompanied by at least one crew member (First Mate) of “Competent Crew” level or a similar/equivalent certification from any recognized sailing association.*

As a yacht skipper, you are REQUIRED to have a sailing license or a certificate from a recognized sailing association AND/OR an ICC or IPC as detailed below:

Skipper in Greece is REQUIRED to have one (1) of the following licenses

Boat Licensing in Greece Suitable in Greek Waters

ICC (International Certificate of Competence) or complete the ICC Assessment form to prove competence from previous experience.

IPC (International Proficiency Certificate), America Prerequisites: ASA 104 or US Sailing “Bareboat Cruising Course”

USA – US Sailing “Bareboat Cruising Course”, ASA “104 Bareboat Cruising Course” or above.

CANADA - CYA "Intermediate Cruising Standard" or higher or "Canadian Pleasure Craft Operator Card".

As of March 2019, the Greek Port Authority no longer accepts RYA Day Skipper certificates.

A copy of all sailing certificates must be sent to the base and received at least 4 weeks before the start of the charter. It is also required that skippers take their original copies of certificates with them, as they will be asked to present them with their boat paper to the port authorities on arrival.

*If the First Mate does NOT have a sailing license, they must fill out a sailing resume/CV to confirm that they have the necessary skills to sail in Greece aboard a charter vessel. They must also fill out a Declaration of Honor to provide a legal declaration to the Greek Port Authorities that said crew member is competent to crew aboard a chartered yacht.

Subject to applicable Greek legislation, qualifications are to be approved by the local Port Authority on the day of departure. Charterer is at all times liable for suitability of his qualification and certification

Day Skipper Certificates may be rejected by the Port Authority and Charterers are therefore advised to ensure they have an International Certificate of Competence (ICC). Typically, any holder of “Day Skipper” certificate can obtain their ICC from the yachting association that issued their Day Skipper certificate and the process usually requires nothing more than a simple application.

How to get an ICC if I am from Canada?

Canada can issue ICC's. If you want to be able to apply for one, you'll need to have finished the RYA Day Skipper Theory & Practical course. If you already have sufficient practical skill and theoretical knowledge (similar to RYA or higher), you could also take a one-day ICC assessment. These typically take about 6 hours and cost about $600. This is the cheapest way IF you already have the experience that's required.