Boating is a sport you can start very young. But each licence has a legal minimum age. If you want your son or daughter to get started, or if you are young yourself, here is the guide to the minimum age to take the helm in Spain.
Age requirements by licence
| Boating licence | Minimum age | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Navigation Licence | 16 | With the consent of a parent or legal guardian |
| PNB (Basic Navigation Skipper) | 16 | With the consent of a parent or legal guardian |
| PER (Recreational Boat Skipper) | 18 | You must be an adult to sit the exam |
| PER extended to 24 m / Balearics | 18 | The extension is done once you are an adult |
This is set by article 13 of Royal Decree 875/2014: the general age is 18, reached on the day of the exam, and minors who are already 16 can obtain the Navigation Licence and the PNB with the written consent of their parents or guardians.
Why 16?
The law lets young people take on sailing responsibilities under the supervision and legal responsibility of their parents. It is their first contact with maritime law.
The PER: coming of age
To skipper boats up to 15 metres and go 12 miles offshore (the standard), the law requires you to be an adult (18).
Advice for parents
If your child is 16 and loves the sea, the best option is the PNB. It gives excellent training and a solid base for the PER when they turn 18.
The perfect gift!
From 16, with a parent’s consent, your child can get the Navigation Licence or the PNB. If you want them to have a base for the PER when they turn 18, the PNB is the best option. If you are after something simpler and quicker, the Navigation Licence takes a single day, with no exam.