Nautical licences - Obtaining

In order to obtain a nautical licence, it is necessary to sit an examination consisting of a theoretical test and a practical test before an examination board made up of a single examiner appointed by the Director of the Civil Motor Vehicle Service and, for the practical test for obtaining nautical licences relating to sailing and mixed propulsion units, an expert sailor appointed by the Italian Sailing Federation or the Italian Naval League.

The licence is valid for ten years from the date of issue or validation. The duration is reduced to five years for those who have reached the age of 60 at the time of issue or validation.

Nautical schools in the province are listed in the following document:

Nautical licences are divided into the following categories:
- A: command and conduct of vessels, pleasure craft and jet skis (divided into: within twelve miles from the coast and without any limit from the coast). At the request of the interested party, it may be issued for the command and conduct of motor units only.
- B: command of pleasure vessels
- C: nautical direction of pleasure boats and yachts
- D: special licence for the command of pleasure boats and watercraft. The category D, type D1 nautical licence is a special licence for the command and conduction of vessels and recreational craft and personal watercraft.

A boating licence for recreational craft not exceeding 24 metres in length is always mandatory

- for navigation beyond six miles from the coast
- for driving jet skis
- when an engine with more than 30 kw or 40.8 horsepower is installed on board the unit
- when an engine with a displacement greater than 750 cc is installed on board if with two-stroke carburetion, or 1000 cc if with four-stroke carburetion outboard or if with direct injection, or 1300 cc if with four-stroke carburetion inboard, or 2000 cc if with diesel cycle.

Within six miles from the coast you must in any case: be at least 18 years of age to drive boats (over 10 metres in length); 16 years of age for boats (10 metres or less in length); 14 years of age for sailing boats with a sail area of more than 4 square metres as well as for rowing boats sailing more than one mile from the coast.

Anyone taking command of pleasure craft longer than 24 metres must hold a recreational vessel licence.

With reference to the Trento Motorizzazione, it is pointed out that only the nautical licence that enables navigation within 12 miles from the coast can be obtained. Examinations are held annually in the period from April to September.

The D1 nautical licence is restricted

• To daytime navigation;
• To boats or pleasure craft with a maximum length of 12 (twelve) metres - limited to 10 (ten) metres until the age of 18;
• For navigation in inland waters and/or within six miles from the coast
• for driving jet skis (within one mile from the coast)
• when an engine with more than 30 kw or 40.8 horsepower is installed on board the unit
• when an engine with an engine capacity not exceeding
  • 1,900 cc if carburetted or direct injection two-stroke outboard,
  • 2,400 cc if carburetted or fuel-injected four-stroke outboard non-supercharged,
  • 1,500 cc if carburetted or fuel-injected four-stroke outboard supercharged
  • 1,700 cc if carburetted or fuel-injected non-supercharged inboard four-stroke
  • 1,200 cc if carburetted or fuel-injected four-stroke inboard supercharged
  • 2,400 cc if non-supercharged inboard Diesel cycle,
  • 2,000 cc if supercharged inboard diesel cycle,

or in the case of jet skis, a:

• 1,000 cc two-stroke,
• 1,700 cc if non-supercharged four-stroke
• 1,200 cc if supercharged four-stroke,

in all cases with power not exceeding 85 kW or 115.6 hp.

The category D type D1 nautical licence is obtained following attendance of a training course, supplemented by practical exercises in navigation and motor manoeuvres carried out at a nautical school, and following the passing of a final aptitude quiz test.

The service is open to all interested parties.

• make an appointment at the Civil Vehicle Registration Offices, see section "digital channels"; or send the documentation to the certified e-mail address motorizzazione.civile@pec.provincia.tn.it
• complete and submit the documentation listed in the "Documentation to be submitted" section.

After submitting the application form, in order to be admitted to the theory test the candidate must submit

• Declaration of willingness to take the examination (within six months of submitting the application, otherwise the application will be archived)
• Attestation of having carried out at least five hours of manoeuvres in total, performing the programme set out in Annex D to Ministerial Decree 10 August 2021, prot. no. 323 on pleasure boats or vessels used for professional instruction, attested by a nautical school.

The theory test for the nautical licence may be taken thirty days after the date of submission of the application for the examination.

The copy of the application complete with the visa of the Civil Motorization, constitutes, accompanied by a personal identity document, authorisation to practise on pleasure craft provided that a person who has held a licence for at least three years is on board. This document shall be valid for three months, extendable for a further three months. Examination sessions may not be held until thirty days after the date of issue of the licence to practise.

Please note that the examination sessions for the nautical licence, taking place on Lake Garda, are seasonal and take place from April to September. It is advisable to submit your application with this time frame in mind (submission of applications by mid-August at the latest).

Those who hold a licence limited to motor navigation can extend their licence to sailing by taking only the practical test.

For payment, it is necessary to use PAGOPA via 'il portale dell'automobilista', see:

PAGOPA INSTRUCTIONS

The PAGOPA code associated with the fee for "Patente Nautica Attainment" is:

• T048 "Examination for obtaining category A and C boating licences" (AMBITO TRENTO).
• N160 "Fees for the issue of the nautical licence printout" (NATIONAL AMBIT)

• model "application for admission to the nautical licence examinations" (if applicable, use the model for the D1 licence)
• model "declaration of willingness to take the examination for the nautical licence";
• medical certificate with photo of the applicant's physical fitness for navigation issued by authorised doctors(click here for list)
• two passport-size photos
• photocopy of a valid identity document;
• payment receipts made through PAGOPA.

The application must be submitted bearing in mind that the practical examinations only take place between April and September and that the theory test for the nautical licence can be taken thirty days after the date of submission of the application.