Everything you need to know about the motorboat exam
On this page, you will find information on the following topics:
Motor boating on inland waters abroad
How much does the motorboat exam cost?
Overview of the costs for the motorboat examination
Questions and answers: Motorboat licence cat. A
Motor boating in Switzerland
If you want to sail a motorboat on Swiss waters, including border waters, a category A motorboat licence is required for an engine power of 6 kW (approx. 8 hp) or more. On Lake Constance, the licence is compulsory for engines of 4.4 kW (approx. 6 hp) and above. Anyone wishing to navigate the stretch of the Rhine between Stein am Rhein and the Schaffhausen-Feuerthalen road bridge with motorised vessels of more than 4.4 kW must pass an additional skipper's examination and demonstrate in-depth knowledge of the fairway
To obtain your motorboat licence, you must pass a theoretical and a practical motorboat examination. The theory exam is identical for motorboats and sailing boats. The exam is taken on a computer or tablet. Once you have passed the theory exam, you must demonstrate your driving skills in the practical motorboat test. To be optimally prepared, you will need about 15 to 25 boating lessons.
Motor boating on inland waters abroad
If you want to drive a motorboat on inland waters abroad, you must clarify which regulations apply in the respective country. If you have a Swiss motorboat licence cat. A, you can drive a boat on most inland waterways throughout Europe. However, we recommend that you apply for an international boat master's licence from the shipping office in your canton of residence. These international boat masters' certificates are issued based on ECE Resolution No. 40. Countries that have signed ECE Resolution No. 40 recognise the international boat master's certificates issued by the cantons. All relevant information, in particular the list of countries that have signed ECE Resolution No. 40, can be found under the following link: ECE-Resolution Nr. 40
Motor boating at sea
The motorboat licence cat. A is only valid on inland waters. To be allowed to drive a motorboat on the sea, you need a coastal certificate or the offshore certificate for motor vessels.
How to get the motorboat licence cat. A
If you want to obtain a motorboat licence cat. A, you have to apply for a skipper's licence and take a theoretical as well as a practical exam.
Application for a boat master's licence
First, you must submit an application for a boat master's licence to the shipping office in your canton of residence, stating that you wish to obtain a boat master's licence cat. A for motorboats. If you wish to take the practical examination in a canton other than the one in which you live, you must submit a justified application to the shipping office in your canton of residence. However, the theory exam can only be taken in the canton of residence. You can find the application form for a navigation licence on the website of the navigation offices. Complete the form in full. Please note that one application must be completed for each licence category.
You must enclose the following with your application:
- Copy of the residence permit (Niederlassungsbewilligung)
- Eye test (not older than 24 months, issued by an authorised optician or ophthalmologist)
- Coloured passport photo
- A medical certificate is compulsory for applicants over 65 years of age
After the application has been processed, you will receive a permit with a photo. This permit must be presented at the theory and practical examination. The application is valid for two years.
Theory exam
The theoretical motorboat examination for the cat. A licence is identical to the theoretical sailing exam cat. D and is taken on a computer or tablet and is taken at the responsible shipping office. In the exam, you have to answer a questionnaire with a total of 60 questions within 50 minutes. One or two answers can be correct. Each incorrect answer results in one demerit point. If all three answers are ticked or none of the three possible answers are ticked, three demerit points are awarded. To pass the theoretical motorboat exam, you must score at least 165 points out of a total of 180 points. We recommend that you use BoatDriver's tried and tested online course to prepare for the theory exam, as this will guarantee your success. We offer a money-back guarantee on your exam success!
Practical exam
The practical motorboat examination can only be taken after passing the theoretical examination. The practical examination determines whether the applicant can safely navigate a vessel according to the traffic regulations, as well as under special circumstances. The practical motorboat examination lasts one hour.
The following topics will be examined:
- To belay and to leave/push off
- Anchoring
- Knots
- Tacking
- Manoeuvres on the jetty
- Manoeuvres in boxes
- Bow pole manoeuvre
- Course and location determination
- Man-over-board manoeuvre
- In addition, the candidate can be questioned orally about the basics of ship handling.
To be optimally prepared for motorboat practice, you need an experienced boating school. Since you need about 15-25 boating lessons for practical training, we recommend that you choose a school near you. Tips on how to find a suitable boating school can be found on the page \"Boating schools in Switzerland\".
How much does the motorboat exam cost?
If you want to drive a motorboat with more than 6 kW (approx. 8 hp) in Switzerland, you need a Cat. A licence. On Lake Constance, you need a licence for boats with more than 4.4 kW (approx. 5 hp).
The motorboat test consists of a theoretical and a practical test, whereby the theoretical test must be passed before the practical test.
Now, the question arises as to how much the complete motorboat examination costs. We have compiled the costs for you using the example of the canton of Zurich.
The costs for registration and eye test
If you decide to take the motorboat examination, you must submit an application for a boat master's licence and an eye test to the shipping office in your canton of residence. In the canton of Zurich, there are no costs for processing the application. The cost for the eye test amount to approximately CHF 20.–.
The cost of the theory exam
For the theory exam containing just under 500 questions, you can prepare yourself with various learning materials. We at BoatDriver have been offering learning materials for over 15 years. Thanks to years of experience, we have made exam preparation easier than any other provider. And because we are convinced of the solution, we guarantee exam success with the money-back guarantee. The cost of the online course for the theory exam is just under CHF 30.–. The examination fee for the theory exam at the shipping office is CHF 40.–.
If you have already passed the sailing exam Cat. D, it's not necessary to take the theory exam again, you can start with practical training right away. However, please note that you should still study the theory, as the theory may also be tested during the practical exam.
The costs for the practical motorboat exam
For the practical training, you usually need between 15 and 25 boating lessons. One lesson costs an average of CHF 100.–. This means that the entire practical training costs between CHF 1,500.– and 2,500.–. The boat rental at the practical exam will amount to approx. CHF 80.–. The examination fee for the practical motorboat exam is about CHF 140.–. Finally, you have to pay about CHF 50.– for the issuing of the navigation licence.
The costs for the motorboat examination in the overview
| Costs theory training | |
| Study materials |
CHF 30.–
|
| Kosten praktische Ausbildung | |
| 15 to 25 boating lessons |
CHF 1'500 to 2'500
|
| Boat rental practical exam | CHF 80.– |
| Fees*/eye test | |
| Theory exam | CHF 40.– |
| Practical exam | CHF 140.– |
| Issue of boat master's certificate | CHF 50.– |
| Eye test | CHF 20.– |
| Total Kosten Motorbootausweis Kat. A | CHF 1'860 to 2'860 |
* Canton of Zurich
Please note that the costs for the motorboat examination can vary. Depending on the canton you take the exam in, there are different processing and examination fees. In addition, the costs for the practical training depend on the respective candidate and the corresponding boating school. The information is to be understood as an example.
Questions and answers: Motorboat licence cat. A
What is the minimum age for the motorboat licence cat. A?
How much does it cost to get a boating licence?
How much horsepower is a boat allowed to have without a licence in Switzerland?
Is the motorboat exam difficult?
How does the motorboat exam work?
Which boating licence exam do you take first?
Is it possible to take the boating licence exam online?
How long does the training for the boat licence take?
How long does the examination take?
How many boating lessons does one need?
From what age can I drive a motorboat?
What knots do you need to know for the boating exam?
What does the practical motorboat test look like?
How do I prepare for the boating exam?
Why do I need to take a motorboat exam?
What is the minimum age for the motorboat licence cat. A?
Boats with less than 6 kW propulsion power (Lake Constance 4.4 kW) that do not require a licence may be operated from the age of 14. To obtain the motorboat licence cat. A, the skipper must be at least 18 years old. Further information on the motorboat licence can be found at the top of this page.
How much does it cost to get a boating licence?
For information on the cost of the motorboat exam, see the section \"How much does the motorboat exam cost\"
How much horsepower is a boat allowed to have without a licence in Switzerland?
In Switzerland, a motorboat up to a maximum engine power of 6 kW (Lake Constance 4.4 kW) may be operated without a licence if you are at least 14 years old. This corresponds to about 8 hp (Lake Constance approx. 6 hp). To skipper a boat with an engine power of more than 6 kW (Lake Constance 4.4 kW), you need a category A skipper's licence. The minimum age to obtain said licence is 18 years.
Is the motorboat exam difficult?
The motorboat test consists of a theory test and a practical test. The theory test comprises just under 500 questions. Since up to two answers can be correct, you must read the questions and answers carefully to ensure that all correct answers are actually ticked. As it features all the official exam questions, we recommend that you use BoatDriver's online course to prepare for the theory exam because then your exam success is guaranteed. We offer a money-back guarantee on your exam success. You can find more information about the theory exam in the section \"How to get a motorboat licence cat. A\".
The practical examination in Switzerland is demanding compared to abroad. The test lasts a full hour. This is also the reason why 15 to 25 boating lessons are necessary until you are ready for the exam. To shorten the training time, it makes sense to study the knots and driving manoeuvres before the practical training.
How does the motorboat exam work?
The theory test is taken at the shipping office of the canton of residence, either on a computer or on a tablet computer. You have 50 minutes to answer the questionnaire with 60 questions. We recommend the tried and tested BoatDriver online course for preparation. The practical test lasts one hour and determines whether the applicant can safely navigate a boat according to the traffic regulations as well as under special circumstances.
Tips on how to find a suitable boating school can be found on the page \"Boat Schools in Switzerland\".
Which boating licence exam do you take first?
If you have a motorboat licence cat. A, you may drive a motorboat on inland waters, but not at sea. To navigate a motorboat at sea, you need at least a coastal licence. It does not matter which of the two licences you obtain first. If you first obtain the motorboat licence cat. A first, fewer driving hours are required for the coastal licence - vice versa is also the case.
Is it possible to take the boating licence exam online?
You can prepare for the theory test with an online course. We recommend the tried and tested online course for the theory exam. However, the theory exam itself can only be taken on site at the shipping office of the canton of residence. Preparation for the practical exam can also be done using the online course for motorboat practice.
How long does the training for the boating licence take?
For the preparation for the theory test, you have to reckon with approx. 10 hours. It usually takes 15 to 25 lessons to be ready for the practical test. If time permits, we recommend doing the entire training within one to three months.
How long does the boating examination take?
The theory test lasts 50 minutes, the practical test lasts one hour. You can find more information on this in the section \"How to get the motorboat licence cat. A.
How many boating lessons does one need?
For motorboat training, you usually need between 15 and 25 hours of driving to be ready for the exam. You can find more information on this in the section \"How to get the motorboat licence cat. A\".
Which category is Motorboat?
Motorboat is category A and entitles the holder to drive motorboats of more than 6 kW (Lake Constance 4.4 kW). It is an inland licence that entitles the holder to drive motorboats on lakes, rivers and canals.
From what age can I drive a motorboat?
Motorboats without a driving licence (up to 6 kW, Lake Constance up to 4.4 kW) may be operated from the age of 14. Boats with more than 6 kW (Lake Constance 4.4 kW) require a driving licence and may be operated from the age of 18.
What knots do you need to know for the boat exam?
At the practical exam, you have to master the following knots:
- Reef knot
- Sheet bend
- Clove hitch
- Two half-hitches
- Figure of eight knot
- Anchor bend
- Bowline
- Bitter
We recommend practising the knots before the practical training. This can save driving lessons. The BoatDriver motorboat learning kit already includes a knot set with lines and cleat.
What does the practical motorboat test look like?
The practical motorboat test lasts one hour and the following can be tested:
- To belay and to leave/push off
- Anchoring
- Knots
- Tacking
- Manoeuvres on the jetty
- Manoeuvres in boxes
- Bow pole manoeuvre
- Course and location determination
- Man-over-board manoeuvre
In addition, the candidate can be questioned orally about the basics of navigation. You can find more information on the practical examination in the section \"How to get the motorboat licence cat. A.
How do I prepare for the boat exam?
Preparation for the theory exam can be done in self-study, best with BoatDriver's proven online course. The course contains all official theory questions. If you have any questions that need answering, a BoatDriver expert will be available free of charge.
To prepare for the practical motorboat exam, it is advisable to practise the knots in advance. If you already know them when you get on the boat, you will save time and money. The motorboat learning kit includes a knot set with detailed instructions.
It can also be helpful if you familiarize yourself with the manoeuvres before the practical lesson, then many things will become clearer during the driving lesson. With the online course for motorboat practice, you learn the manoeuvres in advance.
Why do I need to take a motorboat exam?
If you want to drive a motorboat in Switzerland with more than 6 kW engine power (Lake Constance 4.4 kW), then you need a motorboat licence cat. A. If you wish to drive a motorised boat at sea, you need at least a coastal licence like the German Sportbootführerschein See.
Where is the motorboat licence cat. A?
The category A motorboat licence is valid in Switzerland on all waters authorised for navigation. Except for the stretch of the Rhine between Stein am Rhein and Schaffhausen, the licence is also valid on the border waters. If you want to drive a motorboat on the stretch of the Rhine between Stein am Rhein and Schaffhausen, you need the Hochrheinpatent. Abroad, the motorboat permit category A is valid on inland waterways in accordance with the laws of the respective country. At sea, the motorboat permit cat. A is not valid at sea. If you want to drive a motorised boat or a jet ski at sea, you need a coastal licence like the German Sportbootführerschein See.
Where do I have to take the boat exam?
The theoretical examination has to be taken at the shipping office in your canton of residence. The practical examination should also take place in your canton of residence. However, it is also possible to submit a justified request for the practical examination to be taken in another canton. The practical examination starts at the examination jetty of the respective body of water.
Stand: 31.01.2023 (NF)
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