Recreational boating licence: Federal Ministry of Transport sticks to planned association licence
Lasse Johannsen
· 20.01.2026
- Lending by DSV and DMYV will be cancelled from 2028
- Only recreational craft licences affected for the time being
- Examinations still possible everywhere
- New content regulations are still pending
- Little to nothing will change for the time being
- Pleasure craft licence remains ICC
- Planned new regulations criticised
- Ministry of Justice is still examining the intended practice
- Previous articles on this topic
There has been much speculation since the draft bill for an ordinance to reorganise regulations for recreational shipping was published towards the end of last year. Now the Parliamentary State Secretary Christian Hirte some questions answered - but many remain unanswered for the time being.
Lending by DSV and DMYV will be cancelled from 2028
One thing is certain: according to the statement, the so-called collateralisation will cease on 1 January 2028. German Sailing Association (DSV) and the German Motor Yacht Association (DMYV) may take examinations for the recreational boating licence for sea and inland waterways and issue the licences on behalf of the state. Instead, according to the new regulation, other professional associations will also be able to apply for recognition to issue recreational boating licences in future. These will then be recognised by the state as so-called association licences.
Only recreational craft licences affected for the time being
For the time being, however, the abolition of the licence only applies to recreational craft licences. Others, such as recreational coastal, recreational sea and recreational deep-sea boat licences, are not affected for the time being, nor are radio certificates.
Examinations still possible everywhere
There is now also certainty on a second point, which had caused the training centres great concern: According to the draft regulation, the practical examinations for the association licences should have taken place where the relevant licence is to be valid. These are the federal waterways on inland waterways and the maritime waterways in the maritime area of validity.
This would have meant that it would no longer have been possible to offer driving licences in many areas. This would have affected Lake Constance, for example, one of the largest water sports areas in Germany. However, the authors of the draft regulation did not realise this consequence.
New content regulations are still pending
The details of the recreational craft licence system will be regulated in an implementing regulation. However, this will only be drawn up once the new recreational craft ordinance has come into force. For this reason, many questions remain unanswered at present.
The following organisations also want to be involved in shaping the content of the future driving licence system Association of German Sports Boat Schools (VDS) and the Association of German Watersport Schools (VDWS) who also want to apply for recognition to be able to examine and issue recreational craft licences. The German Automobile Club (ADAC)which a few years ago put itself forward as a potential lender, is reportedly not interested in issuing association certificates.
Little to nothing will change for the time being
The new regulations will not change anything for licence holders, and little will change for prospective licence holders for the time being. The recreational boating licences will probably continue to be offered by all existing training centres and will continue to be mandatory for watercraft with an engine with more than 11.03 kW (15 hp). However, a different regulation for recreational craft with an electric motor is no longer planned.
Pleasure craft licence remains ICC
The recreational boating licences will also continue to be valid as an International Certificate of Competence (ICC) after the end of the awarding process. This is a globally recognised certificate of competence that was established many years ago by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE). It ensures minimum standards for safety, navigation and manoeuvrability and is intended to facilitate the mutual recognition of national driving licences within the UNECE states.
Planned new regulations criticised
In the past, the Federal Ministry of Transport's plans to revise the recreational boating licence system have attracted a great deal of criticism from those affected, including the transport ministers of several federal states. Concerns have been expressed primarily because a loss of quality in the driving licence system is feared as a result of the abolition of lending. In this context, the DSV also warned against price dumping for examination fees.
The background to the plan to refrain from awarding state tasks in the recreational boating licence sector is the long-standing criticism of the existing tendering practice by the Federal Audit Office. According to the Federal Ministry of Transport, there is also the political will to reduce bureaucracy.
Ministry of Justice is still examining the intended practice
At the suggestion of the DSV, the Federal Ministry of Justice is currently examining whether a state driving licence system can even manage without an instrument such as lending. A legal opinion on the issue commissioned by the DSV has been submitted there. However, the Ministry of Justice has not yet commented on this.
The ministry countered concerns that the quality level of recreational boating licences would fall after the abolition of the lending practice with a specially commissioned study, according to which no correlation could be established between the requirement to hold a licence and the number of accidents. Instead, the authors believe that the main cause of accidents on the water is the high volume of traffic and a lack of knowledge of the area. However, the study was controversial in the discussion surrounding the planned new regulation.
