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Follow these steps to get your boat licence.
Eligibility
You must be at least 16 years of age to apply for a boat operator's licence.
Children aged between 12 and 16 may apply for a special permit to operate a recreational vessel.
Before you begin
Evidence of identity
To apply you'll need to provide documents showing evidence of age and identity.
Medical conditions
You must disclose any medical conditions including disability and the need to wear glasses or contact lenses. The eyesight and medical standards for a boat operator's licence are the same as for a motor vehicle driver's licence.
To disclose a medical condition, you must fill out your details and get your doctor or optometrist to complete and sign the medical and eyesight certificate to operate a recreational vessel (278.0 KB PDF).
How to apply
- Step 1
Book a theory test
To book, phone Service SA on 13 10 84.
- You must pay a $54 fee when you attend the Service SA centre for your booking. The fee is charged each time you attempt the test.
- Test bookings can be made at specific Service SA centres between 9:30 am and 4 pm, Monday to Friday. Our Elizabeth and Marion centres also offer test bookings on Saturdays.
- Step 2
Prepare for the theory test
The theory test consists of a series of multiple-choice questions based on information in the South Australian Recreational Boating Safety Handbook.
- Step 3
Take the theory test
Attend the Service SA centre you've booked for a boat operator's licence theory test. Take with you:
- evidence of identity that verifies your full name, date of birth, signature, current residential address and evidence of change of name if you've changed your name or it's different from the documents presented
- a completed application for a boat operator's licence (473.2 KB PDF)
- if you have disclosed a medical condition, a completed medical and eyesight certificate (278.0 KB PDF).
At the Service SA centre you'll complete the theory test and if successful:
- pay the boat operator's licence fee of $51
- be issued your boat licence on the spot.
Successful test results are valid for 6 months from the date of issue. If you have an appropriate qualification or current interstate boat licence you can present this instead of completing the boat theory test.
Boat licence test exemptions
You don't need to sit a boat licence theory test if you have:
- an interstate licence to operate a motorboat, which is current or expired less than six months ago or a Western Australian (WA) Recreational Skippers Ticket.
- a commercial certificate of competency such as a coxswain or master certificate issued by a state or territory authority or the Australian Maritime Safety Authority current or expired less than 6 months ago
- undertaken an approved course and received one of the following certificates:
- Basic Seamanship Certificate issued by the Australian Coastguard
- Certificate of Completion of Seamanship course issued by the South Australian Sea Rescue Squadron
- Certificate of Completion - Start Power Boating issued by organisations affiliated with Australian Sailing
- Certificate of Completion - Powerboat Handling issued by organisations affiliated with Australian Sailing
- Certificate of Competency issued by the Australian Cruise Academy College on Murray
- a certificate showing completion of a South Australian boating licence course provided by the South Australian Boating Licence Course, which is a registered training organisation
- a certificate of Satisfactory Course Completion for SA Recreational Boat Operators Licence Course provided by ABC - Australian Boating College South Australian Division.
- a certificate showing completion of the Boating Safety Education Course provided by Surf Life Saving South Australia.
Only the organisations listed above provide a government-approved training program and issue certificates that are accepted instead of the theory test, and certificates are only valid for 6 months from successful completion of the course. The government approves the training module content only. No assessment is made of the conduct, fees and charges of training providers.
If you have any doubts about a private boating licence course, contact the provider and find out whether the training program is approved and what kind of certificate will be issued on completion.
