Patrón de Yate: what it allows and how to get it
The Patrón de Yate, Spain’s yacht skipper licence, covers motor boats up to 24 m and up to 150 nautical miles from the coast. To sit it you need the PER; then you must pass a 40-question theory exam, complete 48 hours of practical training and pass a medical check.
What the Patrón de Yate allows
- Motor boats up to 24 m, up to 150 nautical miles from the coast.
- Jet skis, within their own limits.
- With the sailing practical training: sailing boats up to 24 m in the same area.
Who can sit it
- You need the PER. The PNB and the licencia de navegación do not count: the licence immediately below is required.
- You must be 18 on the day of the exam.
- A medical check at a Centro de Reconocimiento de Conductores (CRC); the report is valid for 2 years.
- The short-range radio course (12 hours) taken for the PER also counts for this licence.
The exam
40 multiple-choice questions, four answers each, in 120 minutes at most. You pass with 28 correct answers and within the mistake limit for the topics that have one: navigation theory (at most 5 mistakes) and chart work (at most 3).
| Topic | Questions | Max. mistakes | What it covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Safety at sea (Seguridad en la mar) | 10 | — | Transverse stability, safety equipment, abandoning the vessel and the Salvamento Marítimo rescue service. |
| Meteorology (Meteorología) | 10 | — | Isobars, fronts, lows and highs, wind, humidity, clouds, fog, waves and ocean currents. |
| Navigation theory (Teoría de navegación) | 10 | 5 | The terrestrial sphere, compass error, courses, nautical publications, time, radar, GNSS, electronic charts and AIS. |
| Chart work (Navegación carta) | 10 | 3 | Compass error, courses and distances, lines of position, known and unknown current, dead reckoning, rhumb-line sailing and tides. |
You can pass by module (one general, one navigation): a module you have passed is kept for the next two exam sessions.
Practical training and radio
Practical training is 48 hours at sea with a boating school, at least 36 of them on passage, with one full day watch and one full night watch for each student. Adding the sailing training brings the total to 72 hours (60 on passage) with 2 day watches and 2 night watches. The radio course lasts 12 hours and is taken once.
What it costs
Official exam fee in the regions that have their own article on this site:
| Region | Patrón de Yate exam |
|---|---|
| Murcia | €69.44 |
| Valencian Community | €83.97 |
On top of the exam fee come the issue of the licence and card, the medical check, the practical training and the radio course. The issue fee depends on the administration: check its official website. Other regions set their own exam fee.
Where this course fits
This course prepares you for the PER theory exam, the first step towards the Patrón de Yate. The Patrón de Yate syllabus is not part of the course. For the PER, Topic 1 is free with an account and the full course starts at €7 per seat per month, billed annually.
Start freeFrequently asked questions
What can I skipper with the Patrón de Yate?
Motor boats up to 24 m, up to 150 nautical miles from the coast, and jet skis. With the sailing practical training, also sailing boats up to 24 m.
Do I need the PER to get the Patrón de Yate?
Yes. The Patrón de Yate requires the licence immediately below it, the PER. The PNB and the licencia de navegación do not count.
What is the difference between the PER and the Patrón de Yate?
The PER covers motor boats up to 15 m and 12 miles from the coast (up to 24 m with the navigation practical training); the Patrón de Yate covers up to 24 m and 150 miles. The PER exam has 45 questions and the Patrón de Yate exam 40; the practical training goes from 16 to 48 hours.
What is the Patrón de Yate exam like?
40 multiple-choice questions in 120 minutes. You pass with 28 correct answers and within the mistake limit for navigation theory (at most 5 mistakes) and chart work (at most 3). The topics are safety at sea, meteorology, navigation theory and chart work.
How much does the Patrón de Yate cost?
The official exam fee is €69.44 in Murcia and €83.97 in the Valencian Community. On top come the issue of the licence, the medical check, the 48 hours of practical training and the radio course, which each centre or administration charges for.
Official sources (in Spanish)
- BOE: Real Decreto 875/2014, titulaciones náuticas de recreo (texto consolidado)
- Ministerio de Transportes: Patrón de Yate
- Región de Murcia: tasas de los exámenes náuticos (procedimiento 525)
- Generalitat Valenciana: calculadora de tasas de exámenes náuticos
Data checked against the official sources in October 2026.