Swiss Boat Licence Study Guide 2026

When you need a licence

Boat licences are issued by the cantonal navigation offices (Schifffahrtsämter), which work together in the vks. Federal rules are in the Inland Navigation Ordinance (Binnenschifffahrtsverordnung, BSV).

Boat	Most Swiss waters	Lake Constance
Motor boat	Licence above 6 kW (8 hp)	Licence above 4.4 kW (6 hp)
Sailing boat	Licence above 15 m² of sail	Licence above 12 m² of sail
No motor, no sail	No licence	No licence

The sail area in the boat certificate counts, not the sails you actually set. Even without a licence, you must be at least 14 to steer a motor boat of up to 6 kW. Crew members must be at least 16.

Category	Boats	Minimum age
A	Motor boats over 6 kW (not passenger or cargo)	18
B	Commercial passenger boats, more than 12 people	21
C	Cargo, push and tug boats	20
D	Sailing boats over 15 m²	14
E	Boats of special design, e.g. mowing boats	20

A sailing boat with both an engine over 6 kW and more than 15 m² of sail needs D and A. If you live in Switzerland for more than 12 months, exchange a foreign boat licence for a Swiss one. Report changes of address within 14 days.

The theory and practical exams

60 questions, each with 3 answers. More than one answer can be correct.
180 possible points. Each wrongly judged answer is 1 error point.
You pass with up to 15 error points.
Maximum 50 minutes, on a tablet or computer.
The same theory exam counts for all categories.

After the theory exam you have 24 months to pass the practical exam. There is no learner licence: in canton Zurich, practice trips need a person with the right licence category on board. For category A you also need an eyesight test no older than 24 months (unless you already hold a road or boat licence). Applicants over 75 need a traffic medical examination no older than two years.

Equipment on board

Item	Rule (sports boats)
Life jackets	One collared life jacket of at least 75 N, or a lifebuoy, per person; children under 12 need one that fits
Throw device	Over 30 kW: rescue device of at least 75 N with a 10 m floating line
Emergency flag	At least 60 × 60 cm
Anchor	Line or chain of three boat lengths or at least 20 m
Other	Horn, paddle or oar, boathook, mooring line, bailer or bucket; fire extinguisher depending on engine

On Lake Constance, life jackets for people of 40 kg or more need at least 100 N. Rowing boats on lakes may go without life jackets inside the shore zones.

Stand-up paddling and small inflatables

SUPs count as paddle boats. No motor is allowed.
Beyond 300 m from shore or on rivers: carry a life jacket or buoyancy aid of at least 50 N.
At night or in poor visibility: a visible white all-round light.
The owner's name and address must be on the board.
Inflatables under 2.5 m stay in the inner shore zone or within 150 m of an escort boat.

Rules on the water

Inner shore zone: up to 150 m from shore. Outer shore zone: 150 to 300 m. On Lake Zurich the speed limit in the shore zones is 10 km/h.
Scheduled passenger ships (Kursschiffe) have priority. Keep clear, especially ahead of them.
Swimmers should keep at least 100 m from landing stages. Slow down and keep away from people in the water.
Divers show the white and blue diving flag. Keep clear.
Switch on lights at night and in poor visibility.

Storm warnings

Orange light	Meaning
About 40 flashes a minute	Strong wind warning (gusts about 25–33 knots)
About 90 flashes a minute	Storm warning (gusts above 33 knots)

Only the lights you can see on the lake are binding. When a warning starts, head for the nearest safe shore.

Alcohol

Alcohol limits are the same as on the road. Between 0.5 and 0.8 per mille you can be fined and warned; from 0.8 per mille your boat licence is withdrawn. Boats moored in a harbour, at the shore or on a permitted buoy are exempt, but a boat anchored in open water is not.

Invasive mussels

Since 1 April 2025, owners of registered boats in canton Zurich must report a change of lake and have the boat cleaned at an approved station. Drying alone is not enough. Other cantons have similar rules, so check before you move a boat.