How to get the Spanish boat licence (PER)

The PER is the Spanish recreational skipper licence. You can take it directly, without holding the PNB (Patrón para Navegación Básica, the basic licence) first: pass the theory exam, do the practical training and the radio course, and pass a medical check.

What the PER allows

Motor boats up to 15 m, up to 12 nautical miles from the coast, and sailing between the Balearic Islands and between the Canary Islands.
Jet skis.
With the sailing practical training (16 hours): sailing boats up to 15 m.
With the navigation practical training (24 hours, 4 at night): boats up to 24 m and the crossing between the mainland and the Balearic Islands.

Steps

Age. You must be 18 or over on the day of the exam.
Medical check. At a driver medical centre (Centro de Reconocimiento de Conductores, CRC). The report is valid for 2 years.
Theory exam. 45 multiple-choice questions in Spanish in 90 minutes. You pass with 32 correct answers and within the mistake limits of the must-pass topics: Buoyage (2), Collision regulations (COLREGs) (5) and Chartwork (2).
Basic practical training. 16 hours of safety and navigation training with a boating school.
Radio course. Short Range Certificate, 12 hours. You do it once for all licences.
Licence. Apply to the administration that examined you within 24 months of the final results being published, passing the basic practical training or completing the radio course. The card is valid for 10 years (5 from age 70); the licence itself does not expire.

How much it costs

Official fees for the exam and for issuing the licence:

Region	Exam	Licence
Murcia	€52.06	€46.50
Valencian Community	€62.97	€36.68

The medical check, the practical training and the radio course are charged by each centre or school.

Prepare the theory with this course, explained in English: topic 1 is free and the full course costs €49 (€0.27 per day of access), one-off payment.

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Exam dates in your region

PER exam in Murcia 2026: dates and fees – Sessions, registration, fees and what to bring.
PER exam in the Valencian Community 2026: dates and fees – Sessions, registration, fees and what to bring.

And without a licence?

From 1 October 2026, without a licence you may skipper motor boats for private use up to 5 m and 15 hp, or sailing boats for sporting use up to 6 m: in daylight, no more than 2 nautical miles from the departure port, marina or beach, from age 18, excluding jet skis. To skipper a rental boat you need a licencia de navegación or an appropriate licence.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need the PNB before the PER?

No. You can take the PER directly. With the PNB you only sit the specific part of the PER: topics 7 to 11.

How much does the PER cost?

Official fees are €52.06 for the exam and €46.50 for the licence in Murcia; €62.97 for the exam and €36.68 for the licence in the Valencian Community. On top of that come the medical check, the practical training and the radio course, charged by each centre.

Does the PER expire?

No. The card does: it is renewed every 10 years (every 5 from age 70) with a new medical check.

Is my foreign boat licence valid in Spain?

For a hired boat or one under the Spanish flag, only if it was issued by your country of nationality or residence and that country is in the EU or the European Economic Area, or if your licence is listed in Annex IX of Royal Decree 875/2014 (some UK, Swiss and Canadian certificates, for example). Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Morocco and the United States are not on the list: you need a Spanish licence.

Can I hire a boat without a licence?

Not since 1 October 2026: to skipper a hired boat you need a licence (Royal Decree 1188/2025). The licencia de navegación covers boats up to 6 m, by day and within 2 miles of a port or shelter; the PER covers boats up to 15 m and up to 12 miles offshore.

Official sources (in Spanish)

Data checked against the official sources in October 2026.