Before you can sit the SBF exam, you have to meet a few formal requirements and submit some documents. Here’s everything you need to know – from the age limit to exam registration.
Minimum age
| License | Minimum age |
|---|---|
| SBF Inland under engine | 16 years |
| SBF Inland under sail | 14 years |
| SBF Coastal | 16 years |
Important: You can already register for the exam at 15 years and 9 months – on the exam day itself you don’t yet have to have reached the minimum age, but you do by the time the license is handed over.
Physical fitness
You need a medical certificate for boating license applicants. This is a special form that you can download from the DMYV (German Motor Yachting Association) or DSV (German Sailing Association).
What is checked?
- Eyesight: Sufficient visual acuity – with a visual aid (glasses/contact lenses) if needed. The eye test can also be done by an optician.
- Color vision: You have to be able to distinguish colors – important for recognizing lights and buoys.
- Hearing: Sufficient hearing – with a hearing aid if needed.
The doctor fills out the form and confirms your fitness. A visit to your GP is enough. The certificate is valid for 12 months – so don’t have it issued too early.
Cost: Between €30 and €65 depending on the doctor. Many opticians offer the eye and hearing test free of charge.
Reliability
You have to prove your reliability. There are two ways to do this:
- Copy of your car driving license – if you have a car license, a copy is enough. You show the original on exam day.
- Police certificate of good conduct – if you don’t have a car license, you apply for a “certificate of good conduct for submission to an authority” (document type O) at your local residents’ registration office.
Under 18, no proof of reliability is usually required – instead a declaration of consent from a legal guardian is enough.
Checklist: documents for exam registration
Here are all the documents you need:
- Application for admission to the exam (form from the DMYV or DSV)
- Medical certificate (filled out and signed by the doctor)
- 1 passport photo (biometric, 35 × 45 mm)
- Copy of car driving license or police certificate of good conduct
- Exam fee (bank transfer or, depending on the examination board, cash)
- For minors: declaration of consent from a legal guardian
Where do I register?
The exam is administered by the examination boards of the DMYV and DSV – not by the boating schools. There are exam locations throughout Germany.
How registration works:
- Find an exam date: On the website of your regional examination board (e.g. DMYV exam center NRW, Bavaria, Schleswig-Holstein, etc.) you’ll find the next dates.
- Gather the documents: Get all the documents from the checklist above.
- Submit your registration: By post or online (depending on the examination board) – usually one to two weeks before the exam date (the exact deadline is set by the examination board).
- Transfer the exam fee: Together with the registration or as instructed by the examination board.
- Wait for confirmation: You’ll receive an admission to the exam – with that you’re registered.
Important: You don’t need any proof of course attendance. Registration is open to anyone who meets the formal requirements – whether you attended a course or prepared with an app.
Exam fees (as of 2026)
| Exam | Fee |
|---|---|
| SBF Inland (theory + practice) | approx. €131 |
| SBF Coastal (theory + practice) | approx. €148 |
| Combined Inland + Coastal | approx. €179 |
| Theory retake | approx. €37–49 |
| Practice retake | approx. €57–75 |
(Source: DMYV fee schedule. Prices may vary slightly by examination board.)
Common registration mistakes
Expired medical certificate
The certificate is valid for 12 months. If you got it too early and the exam is postponed, it can expire. It’s best to get it 2–3 months before the exam date.
Wrong type of certificate of good conduct
You need a “certificate of good conduct for submission to an authority” (document type O) – not the simple certificate for private purposes (document type N).
Forgotten passport photo
Sounds trivial, but it happens regularly. The passport photo has to be biometric (35 × 45 mm) – like for an ID card.
Missed deadline
Documents usually have to arrive one to two weeks before the exam date, depending on the examination board. Anyone who submits too late has to wait for the next date.
Conclusion
The requirements for the German boating license are manageable: minimum age 16 (engine) or 14 (sail), a medical certificate, a passport photo and proof of reliability. Registration goes directly through the examination board – attending a course is not a requirement. Anyone who ticks off the checklist and meets the examination board’s registration deadline quickly handles the formal side – then all that counts is the preparation.