For all motor boats of 6 HP and over (4.5 kW), including personal watercraft, you must have a permit.
Various permits
The ‘carte mer’ (sea licence) is required for boats with a motor of 50 HP and less. Over 50 HP, the ‘mer côtier’ (coastal permit) is required. The coastal permit allows you to sail from port to port, go water-skiing or jet-skiing. The ‘carte mer’ and the ‘permis côtier’ allow day sailing up to 5 nautical miles from shelter. To sail further out, the ‘permis mer hauturier’ (high sea permit) is needed.
Other information
1 nautical mile = 1852 metres, 1 Knot = 1 nautical mile/hour.
You have to be 16 or over to take your boat permit test. Boat permits are valid for life.
If you already have a ‘permis Côtier’, you can pass an additional test to get the ‘permis hauturier’.
In order to use a VHF, you need to have the Certificat Radio Restreint (Controlled Radio Certificate).
Various permits
