Sailing licence requirements by country
Do you need an ICC, a VHF certificate or a sailing résumé to bareboat charter? Sourced rules for Croatia, Greece, the Caribbean, Turkey, Italy, Spain and more.
Sailing résumé (no legal licence)
Sources differ
Sources: RYA, Anchor (formerly Helm), The Moorings, checked
Whether you can sail a charter boat yourself (bareboat) depends on the country and on the charter company. Where no licence is legally required, companies still ask for a sailing résumé. If you don't qualify, book a skipper.
Last checked: 27 Oct 2026. Rules change, and companies can be stricter than the law: always confirm with your operator.
Summary by destination
| Destination | What our sources say |
|---|---|
| Croatia | Licence required; VHF SRC on board |
| Greece | Licence required (ICC, Coastal Skipper, ASA 104, IPC…); Day Skipper not accepted |
| British Virgin Islands | No legal licence requirement; sailing résumé |
| Bahamas | Sources differ: résumé (Anchor) vs formal certification (Moorings) |
| Turkey | Required; ICC recommended |
| Italy | ICC recommended; VHF SRC on board; proof of qualifications |
| Balearic Islands | Required; ICC recommended; UK certificate rules changed after 2020, check with your operator |
| Thailand | No legal licence requirement; sailing résumé |
| French Polynesia | Sources differ: résumé (Anchor) vs formal certification (Moorings) |
| Belize | Proof of qualifications (Moorings) |
Sources: (RYA, checked 28 Oct 2026), (Anchor (formerly Helm), checked 27 Oct 2026), (The Moorings, checked 27 Oct 2026). Details and quotes are on each destination page.
What is the ICC?
The International Certificate of Competence (full title: International Certificate for Operators of Pleasure Craft) is issued under UN Resolution 40. The RYA stresses that it is "not a truly international qualification" and that "the onus is on ICC holders to determine its acceptability" in each country (RYA, checked 28 Oct 2026). In the RYA's table it is essential evidence in Croatia, required in Spain and Turkey, and recommended in Greece and coastal Italy.
VHF radio certificate
In Croatia and Italy, Anchor says someone on board (not necessarily the skipper) must hold a valid VHF Short Range Certificate (Anchor (formerly Helm), checked 27 Oct 2026).
Résumé-based destinations
In the Caribbean, the Bahamas, French Polynesia and Thailand, Anchor says no licence is required by law, but you must show a sailing résumé proving you have been in charge of a boat of similar size; some companies still ask for a licence (Anchor (formerly Helm), checked 27 Oct 2026). The Moorings sorts destinations into experience levels (the BVI is Level 1, Phuket Level 2) and lists the destinations where the skipper must show proof of qualifications (The Moorings, checked 27 Oct 2026).
No licence? Hire a skipper
A skipper costs roughly €150–300 per day (The Globe Sailor, checked 28 Oct 2026). See bareboat vs skippered.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a licence to charter a catamaran in Greece?
Yes. Anchor says the skipper needs one of: ICC, RYA Coastal Skipper or Yachtmaster (practical), ASA 104, SLC or IPC, or an equivalent, and that Greek port police no longer accept the RYA Day Skipper.
Do I need a licence to charter a boat in the BVI?
Anchor says there is no official licence requirement in the Caribbean; charter companies ask for a sailing résumé instead. The Moorings rates the BVI as its Level 1 destination.
Is the ICC accepted everywhere?
No. The RYA says the ICC is "not a truly international qualification" and that holders must check its acceptability in each country.