Valid qualifications to operate a Lista Séptima boat

If you own or want to use a Lista Séptima boat —the registry of private-use recreational vessels in Spain— you have probably wondered which qualification you need to operate it. The answer depends on length, whether it is power or sail, the area where you plan to navigate, and whether you are towing motos náuticas.

In this article we review every current Spanish recreational boating qualification under Royal Decree 875/2014: what each one allows, its limits, and how to obtain it. For background on what Lista 7ª means, start with our guide to Lista Séptima.

On Zarpar many owners list their Lista 7ª boat without a skipper included: on those bookings you operate the vessel with your own qualification. That is why, when you book, we ask you to prove your title (Licencia de Navegación, PNB, PER or higher) so we can check you can take that boat out safely and within the law. It is not red tape for its own sake: it is the same requirement the law imposes on bareboat charter.

Recreational qualifications are not professional licences: they authorise operation of vessels and motos náuticas flagged or registered in Spain for recreational activity only, not commercial passenger or cargo transport or non-sport fishing (article 4 of RD 875/2014).

Legal framework in two minutes

The reference text is RD 875/2014, of 10 October, regulating nautical qualifications for the operation of recreational vessels. It is supplemented by, among others, RD 238/2019 (habilitaciones anejas and motos náuticas) and RD 259/2002 (safety rules for motos náuticas).

Each title grants two types of scope (article 7):

• Basic (básicas): inherent to the title; you obtain them by passing the exam and mandatory practical training.
• Supplementary (complementarias): require additional practical courses (sail in annex V; mainland–Balearic navigation in annex VI).

You must carry your valid tarjeta or Licencia de Navegación on board whenever you go to sea (article 6.4). Tarjetas are valid for 10 years (5 if you are over 70) and are renewed with a new medical certificate, as stated by MITMA.

Title hierarchy

Licencia de Navegación, PNB and PER can be obtained directly. Patrón de Yate requires PER; Capitán de Yate requires Patrón de Yate (article 6.2).

    flowchart BT
    Licencia["Licencia de Navegación"]
    PNB["PNB"]
    PER["PER"]
    PY["Patrón de Yate"]
    CY["Capitán de Yate"]
    Licencia --> PNB
    PNB --> PER
    PER --> PY
    PY --> CY
  

When NO qualification is required

Article 10 of RD 875/2014 sets out cases where no recreational qualification is required. Motos náuticas are always excluded from this exemption.

For official maritime-sport competitions, neither age nor qualification is required to train or take part.

Quick comparison table

Patrón de Moto Náutica (legacy titles)

Until 2019 there was a qualification specific to motos náuticas, regulated by RD 259/2002, with three categories by engine power:

They can no longer be obtained. Under RD 875/2014, «Patrón de Moto Náutica» ceased to exist as a standalone title. Those issued before 1 July 2019 remain valid and renewable (single transitory provision of RD 259/2002, as amended by RD 238/2019).

What is it called now? There is no new title with that name. To operate a moto náutica for private use today you need one of the recreational qualifications in the table —Licencia de Navegación, PNB, PER, Patrón de Yate or Capitán de Yate— which include motos náuticas in their scope (articles 8 and 11 of RD 875/2014). The power bands (A/B/C) are gone: with any of those titles you may operate motos of any power, subject to RD 259/2002 safety rules (bathing zones, distance from shore, etc.). What differs between titles are the general navigation limits (for example, Licencia de Navegación only allows daytime trips within 2 miles of port).

Which qualification do I need? (guide diagram)

    flowchart TD
    Start["Operating a Lista 7ª boat?"]
    Start --> Exempt{"Art. 10 exemption?"}
    Exempt -->|Yes motor ≤5m/15HP or sail ≤6m| OkExempt["Navigate with 2nm daytime limits"]
    Exempt -->|No| Eslora{"Length and type?"}
    Eslora -->|Motor ≤6m 2nm zone| Licencia["Licencia de Navegación"]
    Eslora -->|Motor ≤8m 5nm zone| PNB["PNB"]
    Eslora -->|Motor ≤15m coast 12nm| PER["PER"]
    Eslora -->|Motor ≤24m up to 150nm| PY["Patrón de Yate"]
    Eslora -->|Motor ≤24m no limit| CY["Capitán de Yate"]
    Eslora -->|Sail| VelaCheck["PER/PY/CY + sail practicals by length"]
  

Licencia de Navegación

What you can do

The Licencia authorises operation of recreational vessels up to 6 metres and motos náuticas with engine power appropriate to the craft, in daytime navigation and no farther than 2 nautical miles from a port, marina or place of refuge (article 11). It is the simplest entry point: ideal for small weekend boats near the harbour.

Limitations

• Daytime only; no night navigation.
• Maximum 6 m length for power vessels.
• 2 nautical miles from port or refuge.
• Issued by nautical schools or sailing and motonáutica federations, not by DGMM exam.

How to obtain it

There is no theoretical exam before the administration: the school or federation issues the licence after training.

Patrón para Navegación Básica (PNB)

What you can do

Basic scope (article 8.d):

• Operation of power vessels up to 8 metres, no farther than 5 nautical miles from a port, marina or place of refuge.
• Operation of motos náuticas within RD 259/2002 limits.

Sail supplementary (article 9.d): sail up to 8 metres, same 5-mile limit, after sail navigation practicals.

Limitations

• Maximum length 8 m (power or basic sail).
• 5 miles from refuge; no offshore passages.
• With basic PNB only you cannot operate sail until you complete supplementary sail practicals.

How to obtain it

Patrón de Embarcaciones de Recreo (PER)

What you can do

Basic scope (article 8.c):

• Power up to 15 metres, between the coast and a line 12 nautical miles parallel, or inter-island navigation within the Balearic or Canary archipelagos.
• Motos náuticas per RD 259/2002.

Supplementary (article 9.c) —extra practicals required—:

• Sail up to 15 m (12 nm coast) or up to 24 m (12 nm coast, inter-island or mainland–Balearic).
• Power up to 24 m (12 nm coast, inter-island or mainland–Balearic).

Practical example: a 12 m sailboat in Mallorca requires PER + sail practicals. An 18 m power boat on the Catalan coast requires PER + extension practical to 24 m.

Limitations

• Without supplementary scope, power remains at 15 m and 12 nm from coast (except inter-island within archipelago).
• Mainland–Balearic passage requires annex VI practical (24 h passage, 4 h at night).
• Sail practicals in annex V are valid once for all higher titles.

How to obtain it

Patrón de Yate

What you can do

Basic scope (article 8.b):

• Power up to 24 metres, in the zone between the coast and a line 150 nautical miles out.
• Motos náuticas per specific regulations.

Sail supplementary (article 9.b): sail up to 24 m in the same 150 nm zone.

This is the usual title for coastal cruising on medium and large Lista 7ª boats without ocean crossings.

Limitations

• Does not authorise navigation beyond 150 nm from the coast (Capitán de Yate is required for that).
• Requires PER before sitting the exam.
• Passage practicals: minimum 36 h of 48 total, with day and night watches.

How to obtain it

Capitán de Yate

What you can do

Basic scope (article 8.a):

• Power up to 24 metres with no geographic limits.
• Motos náuticas per RD 259/2002.

Sail supplementary (article 9.a): sail up to 24 m, also without geographic limit.

The highest Spanish recreational title: what you need for ocean passages with your Lista 7ª boat.

Limitations

• Maximum length 24 m (RD 1435/2010 limit for recreational vessels).
• Requires prior Patrón de Yate.
• Same passage practical requirements as PY (48 h, watches, etc.).

How to obtain it

Common requirements (all titles except Licencia de Navegación)

Psychophysical examination: at a CRC centre, valid 2 years (article 21). If your driving licence was renewed less than 2 years ago, you may prove fitness with a copy of the licence plus colour vision check.

Theoretical exams: convened by the Dirección General de la Marina Mercante or autonomous communities with transferred powers (Andalucía, Asturias, Baleares, Canarias, Cantabria, Cataluña, Ceuta, Galicia, Melilla, Murcia, País Vasco and Valencia).

Key supplementary practicals:

• Sail (annex V): minimum 16 h; once only, valid for all titles.
• Mainland–Balearic (annex VI): 24 h passage (4 h at night); PER motor and sail extensions only.

Special cases

Autorización federativa: no longer issued (since 2015). Valid ones may be renewed or exchanged for Licencia de Navegación with 4 additional hours of practical training.

Foreign qualifications for charter: additional provision 3 of RD 875/2014 allows charter of Spanish vessels by holders of a title from their country of nationality or residence (EEA or annex IX countries), within that title’s scope.

Habilitaciones anejas (RD 238/2019): allow PER, PY and CY to carry out very limited commercial activities (excursions with up to 6 passengers, supplies to other boats, etc.) on lista 6ª or recreational vessels, within 5 miles. They do not replace the qualification needed to operate your Lista 7ª boat in private use.

Qualifications and Lista Séptima: private use and charter

For private use, the rule is simple: whoever operates the vessel must hold a qualification whose scope covers the boat (length, power/sail) and the planned area. That applies whether you are the owner or sailing a friend’s boat.

For temporary charter of a Lista 7ª boat (under RD 339/2024), the crew member who operates without a professional skipper must prove a valid recreational qualification —legal basis in additional provision 3 of RD 875/2014—. On Zarpar, when you book without a skipper, we check that your title (Licencia de Navegación, PNB, PER or higher) is compatible with the specific boat: «having PER» is not enough if the listing is a 16 m sailboat and you have not done sail practicals, or if you plan to sail outside what your tarjeta covers. More detail in the definitive Lista Séptima charter guide.

What about professional qualifications?

Professional holders from the merchant navy, fishing or other authorised bodies may operate recreational vessels according to their professional title’s scope, carrying the professional tarjeta on board (article 5 of RD 875/2014). Patrón Profesional de Embarcaciones de Recreo (PPER), for example, is the route for commercial skippering or enrolling as skipper on a charter with a professional captain.

We will cover this in depth in a future article.

Official references

• Current recreational qualifications (MITMA)
• Habilitaciones anejas (MITMA)
• Basic regulations (MITMA)
• Theoretical exams (MITMA)
• RD 875/2014 (BOE)
• RD 238/2019 (BOE)
• RD 259/2002 (BOE)