International Certificate of Competence

The International Certificate of Competence (ICC for short) is an invention of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, Inland Transport Committee, Working Part on Inland Water Transport.

Its aim is to provide the waterborne traveller to Europe with a document issued in their own country and recognised throughout Europe.
Each country issues the certificate to its own nationals.

The minimum age for the issue of the certificate is 16 years and all candidates must be physically and mentally fit with sufficient powers of vision and hearing.

The categories of ICC are as follows:
Inland or coastal waters
Power craft or sailing craft
Both categories of water
Both power and sail

Individual countries have their own rules on which certificate you require for your chosen activity and the actual practise of local maritime officials is often in variance to the national regulations!

ICC’s issued by the RYA are valid for boats up to 24m in length, just as the commercial endorsements are for Yachtmaster certificates.

There are exemptions from parts of the ICC test if you already hold a Certificate of Competence or RYA practical course completion certificate.

The test is of two parts, the written and the practical.

The practical test is showing the level of boat handling expected of a Day skipper course, in either power or sail. With maneuvers such as Man overboard, berthing, anchoring to be tested as well as your safety and pre sail briefing.

The written test for coastal waters covers safety, navigation, pilotage and knowledge of International regulations for the prevention of collision at sea.

Whilst the inland waters test covers the European code for inland waterways commonly known as the CEVNI. This is due to the European inland waterways being used as a serious transport system with large barges carrying hundreds of tons of cargo that expect pleasure users to know the regulations.

It is possible to take the test on your own boat.