Yacht licences: ISSA, RYA, IYT, state papers and ICC
A map of licence systems: what they are, what they are not, where to go next. We do not sell licences.
- ISSASchools associationOur ladder
- RYABritishTheir ladder
- IYTCanadianInternational line
- StateNationalLike a driving licence
- ICCUNECE 40International format
Why this page
Here we published a map of systems: what these certificates are, what they are not, and where to go next. We do not sell licences. If you need a certificate quickly without proof or working through the skills - do not come to us.
A short "do I need a certificate" scenario - Do you need a yacht licence. What the registration desk asks - document. The skill path on deck - How to become a skipper.
Who checked this: compiled and verified by FairHelm (Vadim Nareyko, ISSA instructor) from open association cards, company registries and the UNECE page - as of September 2026. UNECE annexes and association sites update; check live sources before you decide.
Three nearby levels: ISSA / RYA / IYT
This is not a "who is better" ranking. It is steps that sit next to each other in meaning. Figures are a guide from official cards; a given school may ask for more. Checked: September 2026.
| Sense | ISSA | RYA | IYT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | Yacht Crew - no prior experience required - then Inland / Inshore | Competent Crew - no experience required - ~5 days afloat - age guide 12+ | International Crew - from age 16 - no mandatory pre-course miles |
| Coastal skipper / charter without a hired skipper | Inshore Skipper - ≥1 sailing cruise - VHF/SRC - 16+ - ~7 days - up to 20 nm offshore, day and night | Day Skipper (practical) - typical entry 5 days / 100 miles / 4 night hours - basic sailing + Day Skipper theory - ~5 days - familiar waters by day | Bareboat Skipper - 16+ - International Crew or equivalent - VHF (IYT does not accept ISSA VHF) - by end of course 200 miles / 10 days - up to 20 nm, fair weather |
| Further offshore | Offshore Skipper - 28 days as skipper or watch leader - ≥2 passages - ≥2 areas - VHF/SRC + First Aid - 18+ - ~7-14 days - up to 120 nm | Coastal Skipper (course): entry guide 15 days / 2 as skipper / 300 miles / 8 night hours - Day Skipper handling - ~5 days. Separate Yachtmaster Coastal exam (Certificate of Competence) - a different mileage bar | Yachtmaster Coastal - 18+ - 25 days / 800 miles - 2 days as watch leader/skipper - 12 night hours on watch - up to 60 nm - recreational |
Sources: ISSA Yacht Crew, Inshore, Offshore; RYA Day Skipper, Competent Crew, Yachtmaster Coastal exam; IYT Bareboat, International Crew, Yachtmaster Coastal.
Our path - Yacht Crew → Inshore → Offshore; map - ISSA progression.
Where the organisations are registered (as of September 2026)
Checked against open company registers and official contact pages. Registered office and "head office" can differ - below is what the organisations themselves name as registered / head.
| Organisation | Full name | Registration / head office | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISSA | International Sailing Schools Association | Limited company in Cyprus, Nicosia, HE 378372; executive office in Warsaw | issa.global/about, contact |
| RYA | Royal Yachting Association | Company in England and Wales, no. 00878357; RYA House, Hamble | Companies House |
| IYT | International Yacht Training Worldwide | Canadian federal corporation; mailing Kelowna, BC; registered office Vancouver, BC | iytworld contact, Corporations Canada |
This is not a "who is better" ranking. It is where the legal person sits.
Permanent vs time-limited papers
| System | Timing guide | Note |
|---|---|---|
| ISSA (Inshore / Offshore steps) | Permanent | Does not cover commercial, instructor, or professional credentials |
| RYA (recreational courses / Day Skipper and neighbours) | Permanent | Commercial endorsement for paid work - revalidate every 5 years (RYA) |
| IYT | 5 years | Revalidation with IYT (renewal) |
| State licences | Set by the issuing country | Like a driving licence: local rules and renewal |
| ICC (Resolution 40 card) | RYA (UK) issues for 5 years with renewal | Other issuing bodies may differ - read your card and the issuing body |
Which is better - ISSA, RYA or IYT
"Which association is better" usually points the wrong way. First choose the instructor and the way of teaching. At sea, responsibility matters: the school where you train is already a first step and a demonstration of that responsibility.
Prefer courses with fewer people on board. In five days with eight students you learn little. On the other hand, one-to-one lessons teach crew work worse - and a skipper needs that. That does not cancel personal training: you may only sail with family and want to learn together - then that format fits.
An association paper confirms a step if you earned it. Choosing ISSA, RYA or IYT does not replace choosing how and with whom you learn on the water.
ISSA
ISSA - International Sailing Schools Association.
Our school follows its steps: Yacht Crew, Inshore Skipper, Offshore Skipper. Order - ISSA progression map. The certificate confirms a completed association step; it does not replace a national licence where the law requires one. What the paper gives and does not give - certificates.
RYA
RYA - Royal Yachting Association (United Kingdom).
This is a respected system with its own training ladder: we do not run it and we do not compare "who is better". If you already hold an RYA certificate, we congratulate you. If you want to train with us for a higher level - we accept those certificates at student intake.
Charter talk often names Day Skipper. Desk acceptance is still the base and the coast - see document.
IYT
IYT - International Yacht Training Worldwide. A Canadian company (see registration table above).
IYT Bareboat Skipper is close in sense to coastal charter without a hired skipper; our step is Inshore Skipper.
State licences
National certificates are issued by a state or its authorised body. In this ecosystem they carry real weight - close in role to a driving licence: state institutions take them seriously.
Charter companies and insurers may or may not accept them: training depth differs by country. There is no universal desk table.
ICC
ICC - International Certificate for Operators of Pleasure Craft - international certificate for operators of pleasure craft (also "international certificate of competence"). A format under UNECE Resolution No. 40, not a school brand.
Canon and annexes: UNECE ICC Resolution No. 40. An authorised body of an applying state issues the card (or a body the state has tasked). A school course may help you reach an ICC; a school certificate ≠ ICC.
Europe applying Resolution 40 (guide, open summaries, September 2026)
States commonly listed as applying Resolution No. 40: Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdom. Outside Europe, South Africa appears in the same mode. Check the live UNECE page - annexes update.
Still on earlier Resolution No. 14: France, Italy, Poland.
Europe / nearby not listed as applying 40 or 14 (guide)
UNECE members with sea access often absent from the 40/14 applying lists include, for example, Spain, Greece, Portugal, Sweden, Turkey, Denmark, Estonia, Cyprus, Malta, Slovenia and others. Full lists live with the resolution summaries; we do not invent a "secret signature".
Absence from the applying list ≠ "nobody will ask for an ICC". Spain, Greece and Portugal often do not apply Resolution 40 formally, yet visitors are still frequently asked for an ICC - on local terms. Practical step: ask the charter / insurer, or write to us with a scan.
What to do next
- Skill on deck: How to become a skipper.
- "Will they take my paper" at the desk: Document + form with attachment.
- Short "do I need a certificate" scenario: Do you need a yacht licence.
- Review your scan or choose a step: write to the school.