One of the most common questions around the German boating license: where exactly is my license valid? The answer isn’t always intuitive – especially in the river estuaries on the coast and abroad there are pitfalls. Here’s the complete overview. If you just want to quickly find out which license you need for your plans, see our licenses overview.
The basic rule
- SBF Inland is valid on inland waterways – rivers, canals and lakes inland.
- SBF Coastal is valid on maritime waterways – the coastal waters of the North and Baltic Sea as well as the lower reaches of certain rivers.
The exact boundary is set by the Maritime Traffic Regulations (Seeschifffahrtsstraßen-Ordnung, SeeSchStrO), § 1. It defines precisely, for each river, the point from which the SBF Coastal applies and where the SBF Inland takes over.
Where exactly does Coastal switch to Inland?
Elbe
From the mouth to the Port of Hamburg you need the SBF Coastal. The boundary is at Elbe km 638.98 (right bank, Tinsdal) or km 633.35 (left bank, Finkenwerder). This also applies to the side arms of the Elbe (Wischhafener Süderelbe, Ruthenstrom, Bützflether Süderelbe) and the rivers flowing into the Elbe such as the Krückau, Schwinge and Lühe.
Special case Port of Hamburg: In the Port of Hamburg itself you may navigate with either license – both SBF Coastal and SBF Inland are accepted. Above the Port of Hamburg, the SBF Inland applies.
Trave (Lübeck)
From the Baltic to the Lübeck lift bridge the SBF Coastal applies. Above the lift bridge you need the SBF Inland.
Warnow (Rostock)
The Warnow falls within the scope of the maritime waterways up to Rostock – so SBF Coastal.
Weser and Ems
The lower reaches of the Weser and Ems are also part of the maritime waterways. The exact boundaries are in § 1 SeeSchStrO.
Kiel Canal
The Kiel Canal connects the North and Baltic Seas and is part of the maritime waterways – you need the SBF Coastal.
Overview table: which license where?
| Waters | License required |
|---|---|
| North Sea, Baltic Sea (coast) | SBF Coastal |
| Elbe up to Hamburg | SBF Coastal |
| Port of Hamburg | SBF Coastal or Inland |
| Elbe above Hamburg | SBF Inland |
| Trave up to Lübeck lift bridge | SBF Coastal |
| Warnow up to Rostock | SBF Coastal |
| Kiel Canal | SBF Coastal |
| Rhine, Danube, Mosel | SBF Inland |
| Müritz, Chiemsee, Lake Constance* | SBF Inland |
| Berlin waters (Havel, Spree) | SBF Inland |
*Lake Constance has its own regulation – there the Lake Constance Boating License (Bodenseeschifferpatent, BSP) is required.
SBF abroad: where is the German license valid?
The ICC on the back
Since 2018 the German boating license in credit-card format has been issued with the ICC (International Certificate of Competence) on the back. This is an internationally recognized document under UN Resolution No. 40.
Important: If you still have an old paper-format license, it does not contain an ICC. You can have the license re-issued in the new format by the DMYV or DSV.
Where is the ICC officially recognized?
The ICC is officially recognized by over 30 countries, including the most important charter destinations:
| Region | Recognition |
|---|---|
| Croatia | Officially recognized |
| Greece | Officially recognized |
| Italy | Officially recognized |
| France | Officially recognized |
| Spain / Mallorca | Officially recognized |
| Turkey | Officially recognized |
| Netherlands | Officially recognized |
| Caribbean, Seychelles, Thailand | Unofficially accepted (sufficient to charter) |
Valid for life
The German SBF with ICC is valid for life – no renewal, no re-issue needed. That’s an advantage over the licenses of some other countries, which have to be renewed regularly.
When do I need both licenses?
If you want to navigate both coastal and inland waters, you need both licenses. A typical scenario: you charter on the Baltic during your summer holiday (SBF Coastal) and go out on the Müritz at the weekend (SBF Inland).
The combined exam saves around €100 in exam fees – and the 72 basic questions are identical for both licenses, so you only learn them once.
Conclusion
The boundary between SBF Coastal and SBF Inland runs at the river mouths – not along the coastline. Anyone navigating the Elbe up to Hamburg needs the SBF Coastal. Abroad, the German SBF with ICC is recognized in over 30 countries and valid for life. Anyone who wants to navigate flexibly on all waters should consider the combined exam.