Licence navigator for charter
Three separate answers for one certificate: port or flag, charter base, and insurer. The navigator verdict is an orientation from public lists dated 16 October 2026 - not a guarantee from a named base and not a legal opinion. What usually surprises people is not the refusal itself, but where it lands: a paper the port accepts can still be rejected by the base after you pay the deposit.
Certificates side by side: where each one usually passes
This is not a school ranking. The table shows where a document is named on an official list, where bases accept it in practice, and where it usually falls short. ISSA Inshore and RYA Day Skipper are often treated as equals, but in the Croatian memorandum (snapshot 2026-10-14) Day Skipper is listed and ISSA is not.
| Scheme | Role | Med / charter note |
|---|---|---|
| ICC (Res. 40) | UNECE international evidence format | Croatia if coastal + limits; GR/TR often ask the base |
| RYA Day Skipper | RYA practical; ICC is separate | On the HR table; GR/TR daylight limit is a risk |
| RYA Coastal | Higher area than Day Skipper | Often clearer where Day Skipper is disputed |
| ISSA Inshore / Offshore | ISSA school-association steps | Not found on HR MoU (2026-10-14) - not an ICC |
| IYT | International Yacht Training line | HR lists specific card titles |
| National | PZŻ, SBF See, PER, GIMS... | Only when that exact title is named on a list |
This is not a school ranking or a promise from any base. The table shows each scheme’s role and typical Mediterranean practice from sources dated 2026-10-16. Your exact verdict for the three inputs is in the calculator below.
Next step at the school: the Inshore Skipper course or the free VHF DSC trainer. The navigator does not issue a licence and does not book a base.
Three inputs
Verdict on three axes
Port / flag
Usually not enough
Charter base practice
Usually not enough
Insurance expectation
Usually not enough
SRC / VHF radio certificate
Yes: if the yacht carries VHF, the Croatian MoU and many bases ask for a separate radio certificate for the person operating the set.
Your next step at FairHelm school
Do not mix these up
- Port or flag rules, the charter base’s list, and the insurer’s expectation are three different checks. A green light on one does not move the others.
- An ICC under UNECE Resolution No. 40 is evidence of competence in a recognisable format. It is not a world passport; limits printed on the card still apply.
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The navigator is a reference built from public sources as of 16 October 2026. It is not legal advice and not a base guarantee. The final answer comes from the flag or port authorities, the charter base and the insurer. Get written confirmation before you pay.
How the verdict is built
Three parties check one certificate. Port and flag look at the law and inter-state lists; in Croatia that is the MMPI memorandum. The base follows its own contracts and may ask for more than the law does. The insurer writes its terms into the policy; we found no general wording such as “we accept this certificate”, so the insurance answer never rises above “ask”. “Accepted” appears only when a source names the document outright. “Often accepted - ask the base” means there is practice but no written rule. Green on one axis is not a base guarantee. If VHF is aboard, the navigator flags the radio certificate separately.
FAQ
- Is this a guarantee that the base will accept my certificate?
- No. The navigator verdict is an orientation from published lists and practice - not a promise from a named base and not a booking. Before you pay a deposit, get the base’s written answer for the exact title on your card.
- Is an ICC an international licence for a yacht?
- No. An ICC is a certificate under UNECE Resolution No. 40. It is recognised by countries that adopted the resolution or listed the ICC themselves, not worldwide. Croatia’s memorandum accepts an ICC marked for coastal waters.
- If I hold RYA Day Skipper, do I already have an ICC?
- No. Day Skipper lets you apply to the RYA for an ICC, but the card is not issued automatically. In Croatia Day Skipper is on the memorandum. In Greece and Turkey it is riskier: the base decides.
- Is ISSA Inshore enough to charter a bareboat in Croatia?
- Usually not. ISSA does not appear in Croatia’s MMPI memorandum (snapshot 2026-10-14). Check an ICC marked for coastal waters, RYA Day Skipper, or a national certificate from the list. If VHF is aboard, you also need a radio certificate.
- If the base accepts my certificate, will the insurance cover me too?
- Not necessarily. The insurer reads its own terms, not the base’s decision. Before you pay, ask the base or a broker for written confirmation under that exact policy.