The courses for the various licences and certificates are organised by the following clubs:

• Certificate of Competence A – Inland Waters: CNL and YCL.

• 
All other courses are organised on cruising yachts by the GLCR in the Luxembourgish language with course material in German, and by the Skipperclub Luxembourg in the French language.


For full details on course content, course schedules, examinations, etc., please click on the link of the respective club. Navigation licences issued by the Ministry of Economy and Foreign Trade are mandatory for operating a vessel flying the Luxembourg flag.

• Sea licence is the only mandatory licence authorising the operation of a pleasure craft flying the Luxembourg flag. It authorises the operation of boats and pleasure vessels flying the Luxembourg maritime flag in maritime waters without any area limitation (coastal and offshore).
The subjects covered in the courses mainly concern conduct on the water (rules of priority, navigation within buoyed channels, etc.) and safety (collision prevention rules, identification of vessel types and courses by day and night, advanced notions of navigation and meteorology, etc.). Important note: Depending on the type of practical examination taken, the MER licence authorises the operation of either motorboats only, or pleasure vessels powered by engine and/or fitted with sails.

• Licence Coastal PLUS introduced by Grand-Ducal Regulation of 8 March 2017, this licence authorises its holder to operate a pleasure boat or vessel up to 20 metres in length in maritime waters up to 6 nautical miles from the coast, and a personal watercraft up to 2 nautical miles from the coast.
Minimum age: 16 years on the day of the examination (parental authorisation required for minors).

Required Licences and Examinations According to Vessel Type

• Motor Pleasure Vessels sea licence with practical motor training.

• Sailing Pleasure Vessels sea licence or Coastal PLUS licence with practical motor and sailing training (manoeuvres under sail and engine in accordance with the Grand-Ducal Regulation).

Sailing Certificates of Competence (FLV) A, B and C are issued by the Luxembourg Sailing Federation (FLV).

• Certificate of Competence A – Inland Waters
. This certificate focuses on teaching dinghy-specific terminology, basic manoeuvres and nautical knots. The courses include a theoretical and a practical part, always followed by an examination.
The level achieved corresponds to that of a competent helmsman (rigging and derigging a dinghy, basic knots, basic sailing vocabulary, nautical safety, departure and return techniques, tacking, gybing, safe capsize recovery).

• Certificate of Competence A – Sea
. This certificate focuses on yacht-specific terminology, basic manoeuvres and nautical knots. Basic theoretical and practical courses are organised over one weekend.
The practical part is certified by skippers of at least B level, based on mastery of basic manoeuvres and the required experience of 150 nautical miles (5 to 7 days on the water).
The level achieved corresponds to that of a competent crew member.

• Certificate of Competence B. 
Accessible only to holders of the MER licence and the Certificate of Competence A – Sea. It covers advanced navigation knowledge (tides and currents), mastery of safety manoeuvres (man overboard), more in-depth meteorology, and rules of good seamanship (Seemannschaft).
To obtain the Certificate of Competence B, candidates must be at least 18 years old, have completed the 7 certified training modules (including a practical training course on the water), and provide proof of 700 nautical miles, including 350 in tidal waters (with at least 120 miles non-stop).
The level achieved corresponds to that of a coastal skipper.

• Certificate of Competence C
. Accessible only to holders of the Certificate of Competence B and aged at least 21 years. Courses are delivered in the form of 6 specific modules (e.g. meteorology, celestial navigation, electronics and communication and navigation instruments, etc.).
The experience required for obtaining the Certificate C is 3,000 nautical miles, including at least 1,500 in tidal waters, and at least 48 hours non-stop during passages exceeding 250 nautical miles.
These miles must be certified by C-level skippers.
The level achieved corresponds to that of an offshore skipper.

Required Documents to Be Submitted by the Candidate

• For Certificate A – Inland Waters:

  1 Certificate of successful completion of the theoretical part
  
  2 Certificate of successful completion of the practical part
  
  3 Swimming certificate “Freischwimmerschein”
  
  4 Passport photo
  
  5 Address and date of birth
  
  6 Copy of the membership card of an FLV-affiliated club
  
  7 Copy of the payment of €30 (FLV account: IBAN LU04 0019 1000 4029 0000 with BCEE)

• For Certificate A – Sea:

  8 Certificate of successful completion of the training weekend
  
  9 “Meilenbestätigung” (150 nautical miles)
  
  10 Passport photo
  
  11 Address and date of birth
  
  12 Copy of the membership card of an FLV-affiliated club
  
  13 Copy of the payment of €30 (FLV account: IBAN LU04 0019 1000 4029 0000 with BCEE)

• For Certificate B:
  
  14 Certificate of completion of the 7 modules
  
  15 Certificate of Competence A – Cruising Yacht
  
  16 MER licence and Certificate A – Sea
  
  17 “Meilenbestätigung” (700 nautical miles, including 350 in tidal waters, with 120 non-stop)
  
  18 Copy of the membership card of an FLV-affiliated club
  
  19 Copy of the payment of €30 (FLV account: IBAN LU04 0019 1000 4029 0000 with BCEE)

• For Certificate C:
  
  20 Certificate of completion of the 13 modules
  
  21 Certificate of Competence B
  
  22 “Meilenbestätigung” (3,000 nautical miles, including 1,500 in tidal waters with one non-stop passage of 250 miles)
  
  23 Copy of the payment of €30 (FLV account: IBAN LU04 0019 1000 4029 0000 with BCEE)

FLV Form: click here.