Do I need a licence to rent a boat in Greece?

• [Not verified] We could not find the Greek legal text (Hellenic Coast Guard or Ministry of Shipping) that sets who may skipper a bareboat charter. The Greek government pages we found cover licences for charter businesses and for high-speed craft, not the bareboat skipper.
• [Secondary source] Anchor says all bareboat charters in Greece require the skipper to hold one of: ICC, RYA Coastal Skipper (practical), RYA Yachtmaster (practical), ASA 104, the International Sailing License and Credentials (SLC) or IPC, or an equivalent from a recognised national body. (Anchor (formerly Helm))
• [Secondary source] Island Sailing says the skipper needs "a sailing licence issued by a statutory authority" and names the ICC for sail or an IPC as current examples. (Island Sailing)

This is the sailing (skipper) licence for a rented boat. Fishing from the boat needs a different licence: fishing rules in Greece.

[Secondary source] The ICC (International Certificate for Operators of Pleasure Craft, UNECE Resolution 40) is described by the RYA as "a certificate which is intended to provide evidence of competence when requested by officials in foreign countries"; whether it is needed and in what form is set by the boat's flag state and, if different, the coastal state, and the onus is on the holder to check. (RYA)

• [Not verified] We could not confirm a VHF certificate rule for Greece. Anchor names only Croatia and Italy for the Short Range Certificate, and Island Sailing does not mention radio.

• [Secondary source] Island Sailing says "the co-skipper should also be competent to assist the skipper" and must be over 18. This is a charter operator's statement, not a Greek legal text. (Island Sailing)
• [Secondary source] Anchor, a charter-industry guide, says you "might need to have at least one other able adult crew member, preferably with a competent crew certificate". This is general advice, not a rule it ties to any country. (Anchor (formerly Helm))

• Hire a skipper. [Secondary source] Island Sailing, a charter operator, says on its Greece qualifications page that skippered or crewed yacht charters "are ideal for those with little or no sailing experience". With a professional skipper in command, the licence question is the skipper's, not yours (our reading; confirm the booking is skippered, not bareboat). (Island Sailing) A skipper costs €150–300 per day (The Globe Sailor, checked 28 Oct 2026), so seven days adds €1,050–2,100 (our arithmetic: 7 × the listed daily rate, before the skipper's meals). For comparison, 12 Knots' average weekly asking price for a catamaran in Greece runs between €4,527 and €9,538 across the year (a mix of bareboat and crewed listings) (12 Knots, checked 27 Oct 2026). More: bareboat vs skippered.
• Licence-free boats. [Not verified] We could not confirm an official Greek rule for licence-free boats.
• What operators ask. [Secondary source] The RYA says evidence of competence is needed in Greece ("Yes. ICC recommended"). (RYA)

See catamarans for rent in Greece on SamBoat Or book with a professional skipper: See boats for rent with a skipper in Greece on SamBoat.

Check the licence rules above and the operator's own conditions before you book; listings and prices on SamBoat are SamBoat's own. We may earn a commission if you book through our links, at no extra cost to you (disclosure).

• The Greek legal text on bareboat skippers, so every certificate verdict is secondary.
• Whether Day Skipper is accepted today (Anchor contradicts itself).
• A VHF certificate rule.
• Whether a second crew member is required by law.
• Licence-free boats.

• [Secondary source]: From a charter company, marketplace or sailing body; not official and not the law.
• [Not verified]: We could not confirm it. We leave it open rather than guess.
• No label: Read in an official text (government, ministry, maritime authority or official gazette).

"Accepted within limits" means the official table accepts the certificate only for a boat size, area or radio condition stated in it. "Not defined" means the official text does not list certificates by name. Rules change and charter companies can be stricter than the law: always confirm with your operator before you travel.

• Anchor (formerly Helm): What qualifications do I need to charter a yacht? (secondary, not official), checked 27 Oct 2026.
• Island Sailing: Yacht charter Greece: qualifications (secondary, not official), checked 28 Oct 2026.
• RYA: Evidence of competence abroad (ICC) (national sailing body (reference)), checked 28 Oct 2026.
• The Moorings: Experience guide: Level 3 sail (secondary, not official), checked 27 Oct 2026.

Method: methodology. Data: JSON.

• Licence rules for every destination compared
• Greece yacht and catamaran charter: prices, season and licence
• Best time to charter in Greece
• Fishing rules in Greece
• True cost of a week in Greece: per person, all extras
• Snorkelling and diving in Greece
• Sailing licence requirements: what the ICC and other certificates are