Sailing licenses valid in Spain (including Balearics and Canary Islands)

What documents are required to rent a yacht in Spain? This is an important issue for skippers planning to charter a yacht in Spain. If you are thinking of sailing around Balearic Islands or Canary Islands please check your sailing licence.

Licences issued in Germany

German Sailing Federation licences:

Except in those cases where the card itself indicates otherwise, all titles of the D.S.V. include the handling of motorboats and sailboats.

A - INLAND WATERS - Inland water navigation.
R - LOCAL WATERS - Navigation in view of the coast
BR – COASTAL - Not more than 12 miles from the coast.
BK - GRAND CABOTAGE - Unrestricted within the Mediterranean Sea and up to 30 miles from the coast outside the Mediterranean Sea.
C - MARITIME NAVIGATION - No restrictions.

Federal Titles:

SPORTBOOTFÜHRERSCHEIN BINNEN - Not more than three miles from the coast.
SPORTKÜSTEN-SCHIFFERSCHEIN - Not more than 30 miles from the coast.
SPORTBOOT-FÜRERSCHEIN SEE SPORTBOOT-FÜRERSCHEIN - Navigation in view of the coast.

Licences issued in United Kingdom

RYA (Royal Yachting Association):
COASTAL SKIPPER - Boats up to 24 m. long, not more than 20 miles from the coast.
YATCHMASTER OFFSHORE - Boats up to 24 m. long, not more than 150 miles from the coast.
YATCHMASTER OFFSHORE with commercial endorsement - Boats of up to 200 gross tons, not more than 150 miles from the coast.
OCEAN YACHTMASTER - Boats up to 24 m. long, without limitations.
YACHTMASTER OCEAN with commercial endorsement - Boats up to 200 gross tons, without limitations.
INTERNATIONAL CERTIFICATE FOR OPERATOR OF PLEASURE CRAFT - Boats up to 24 m. long.

Other sailing licences valid in Spain by country of origin are listed in the file below. Please click to download.

  Sailing licenses valid in Spain PDF

Source: Real Decreto 875/2014, de 10 de octubre, por el que se regulan las titulaciones  náuticas  para  el  gobierno  de  las  embarcaciones  de recreo Ministerio de Fomento.