How to Use Your Personal Motor Boat in Venice (if you’re not George Clooney):

Boat traffic is highly regulated and licensed in Venice. If your plan is to sail to Venice as we are doing this summer in our Antares catamaran and take your dinghy up the canals, be aware of the rules.

If your dinghy motor is 9.9 hp or less, you don’t need a license.

If your dinghy motor is 10 hp or more powerful, you will need to rent official number plates from the City of Venice. You do this by following these steps:

1. To have a temporary permit boat license plate (for less than 30 days) that allows you to use Venice’s lagoons with a motor over 10HP (7.36 kW), you have to fill out “Allegato B” – Parts A & B
   Link to download Form You Need to fill out: modulo rilascio contrassegno LV provvisorio
2. Take that document, filled out, to the ATP of Venice, located in Piazza San Marco near Museo Correr.
   Tourist office – Santa Croce
   Info IAT – Piazzale Roma – APT
   Piazzale Roma Garage ASM – 30135 Venice
   Phone: (+39) 0415298711
   Fax: (+39) 0415230399
   Email: info@turismovenezia.it
   Website: www.turismovenezia.it
   Open 9:30 to 16:30 every day
   Closed December 25 and January 1
3. Pay 10 EUR + 30 EUR deposit for the plates. You will have 30 days to return the plate to receive your deposit back.
4. For more information here is the website: http://www.sistemiterritorialispa.it/DatiFiles/PaginePersonalizzate/13/contrassegnoprovvisorio.asp
5. At the Ufficio IAT, on the west side of Schiavoni Park, just south of Piazza San Marco, you can pick up the nautical charts and guide to the entire lagoon. The charts are free and can be a lifesaver. The charts show all allowed anchorages and free moorings in the entire lagoon. In addition, the charts also suggest the most scenic route to take through the lagoon and the booklet describes points of interest.

If you want, contact Giulia at Marina Vento di Venezi, Isola della Certosa, Tel: 39 0415208588 Email: marina [at] ventodivenezia.it and she will complete the whole procedure for you for a fee of 80 EUR.

That takes care of getting your boat licensed.

Now, to get you licensed. That’s a whole other cup of tea, and requires complying with Italy’s New Nautical License Law. We will right a separate blog post on that, but meanwhile here is our translation of the law. http://www.nautica.it/norme/patenti.htm

Update: April 2014The law on boating has abolished the distinction of recreational craft in relation to the means of propulsion (sail or engine), but the boat licenses continue to be issued for the command of the sailing boats and motor. For this purpose, the regulation implementing the code has reintroduced the category of motor units defining them as: “those units in which the ratio between the sail area in square meters. Of all the sails that can be bordered at the same time in navigation, including the staple genoa sail and staysail, excluding the spinnaker, and engine horsepower or kilowatt is lower, respectively, to 1 or 1.36. the nautical code sets out three categories of boat licenses:

Category A: command and supply of boats and pleasure boats;
Category B: command of pleasure boats;
Category C: direction nautical boats and pleasure craft.

Such clearance is issued to carriers of certain diseases listed in Annex I of the Regulation to the code. According to the direction nautical means the fulfillment of all the operational decisions, their command of a unit, which may not understand the manual actions. But the owners of C license shall carry another person aged under 18 years, able to perform manual functions for the conduct of the medium water and the Safety of Life at Sea, and the unit must be equipped with an electronic device that allows, in case of falling into the sea, in addition to the identification of the person, the deactivation of the automatic pilot and the engine to stop. For the rest, the qualification follows the same regulation as other licenses. The physical requirements necessary to achieve certification of Category C are contained in Annex 1 – para 2 – the regulation.

Regulation has filled a gap in the previous legislation on the lack of the minimum visual acuity necessary to achieve the nautical license that is now established in 10/10 total reached by slow, with no less than 3/10 without correction for the best eye. Also, as in the past licenses of categories A and B, they were denied to monocles subjects now, whether they have a natural visual acuity of at least 5/10 at least 8/10 and correctly, can be issued. The regulation also allows the use of corrective appliances auditory, not allowed in the past.

Let’s review briefly the regulation of qualifications for the control and conduct of pleasure craft (boats and ships), called nautical licenses, including those for Class C.
The boat license is required in the following cases:

For sailing with boat and boats in inland waters and in the maritime waters within six miles of the coast, when installed on board a motor with a power greater than 30 kW (equal to 40.8 hp) and, anyway, with a cylinder capacity exceeding 750 cc, if carbureted two stroke or 1000 cc, if carbureted 4-stroke outboard, or if direct injection; or 1300 cc, if carbureted 4-stroke inboard or 2000 cc, though a diesel engine; this means that if the maximum power is normal, that is equal to or less than 40.8 hp, but the engine capacity exceeds those listed above snaps the obligation of the license, and vice versa;
For all units in the navigation over six miles from the coast, regardless of the engine;
for the conduct of personal watercraft, regardless of engine power;
for water skiing exercise, regardless of the engine power.

Licenses and shipping distances
Once again we draw the reader’s attention on the fact that, under the new regulations, for the license and the safety equipment, the principle of navigation in relation to the distance from the coast, ie the type of license to possess is not reported the approval of the unit on which it is located, but the actual distance when you go to actually navigate, provided that no powered vehicle can be driven without a license when the maximum power exceeds 30 kW etc., although the distance is less than 300 meters from the coast.

For these reasons, at the time of any check, you have to prove only to be in possession of the license necessary for the navigation actually performed, even if the boat is enabled by greater distances.

The legislation also endorsed certain principles established by judicial rulings: it is possible, in fact, lead a unit with unlimited navigation license even with the lower driver’s license, that is, within 12 miles, but it requires that you do not exceed this limit; the rudder can also be a person without a qualification, but on board there must be another person with a license for navigation in progress, which has responsibility for the conduct and management of the marine unit. To complete the regulatory framework for licenses have yet to be issued the decrees concerning the examination of programs to achieve the qualifications in command of ships and pleasure boats; in the meantime the old programs remain valid.

Finally, another very important innovation regards the immediate issue of the license once the examinations exceeded.

exam question

The application form reproduced in a separate box, is multi-purpose, i.e. can be used for self-certification of personal data to the request for admission to the examinations, for the validation of qualifications for the issue of the license request to those who they are in possession of maritime professional licenses, for issuing a duplicate of licenses as well as for communications related to the change of residence.
sail and motor license types (together), limiting to only one motor
In relation to the distance from the coast, the licenses are of three types:

within 12 miles from the coast;
without any limit;
for pleasure ships.

Motor units and those sailing with M.A. and the motor-sailing, have lost the legal regime that characterized. With the reform of the nautical no longer exists the distinction of recreational craft in relation to the means of propulsion.
The boat license is unique and enables the command of pleasure boats (up to 24 meters), sailing with an auxiliary motor and motor.
On request, the license can be limited to the control of motor units within twelve miles of the coast or without limits. Since the exam is common theoretical program, the sailor with the only practical exam acquires both enables (sailing and motor).

Those who have obtained a limited license (engine only), may extend the authorization also for sailing, only by supporting the practice exam. This applies to driving licenses within 12 miles of the coast without limits.

If, however, you’ll want to achieve superior driving license, that is within 12 miles with no limits, you will have to take an additional exam on theoretical subjects not included in the syllabus of the already awarded license.

Who has obtained a license for pleasure vessels (units greater than 24 m.), Can also command the units to be shorter boats, sailing and motor, including those sailing with an auxiliary motor.

To be awarded a license for pleasure craft, you must hold, for at least three years, of authorization to navigation without limits (sailing and motor).
Old licenses from 6 to 12 mg
The holders of navigation licenses, which enable to sail within 6 miles from the coast, both motor and sail with M.A., may command pleasure boats up to 12 miles without having to comply with any administrative formalities. The old licenses will be replaced at the first validation.

Age required to attain licenses

To achieve the nautical license must be at least 18 years, while the conductive units without license minimum ages are as follows:

14 years for no motor boats, sailing with a sail area of more than 4 square meters as well as units rowing, sailing within a mile from the coast;
16 years for motor boats, for sailing boats with an auxiliary motor and the motor-sailing with less power engines 30 kW (equal to 40.8 HP) and relative displacements;
18 years for sailing boats with an auxiliary motor, motor-sailing, and for those with an engine power of 30 kW and relative displacements that sail up to six miles offshore, and for jet skis or personal watercraft. To conduct the latter means the license is always required.
for ships it is not a minimum age but must possess a boating license without limits (sailing and motor) for at least three years.

It is independent of age for those participating in the courses of schools of sports federations and the Italian Naval League, or training and competitive activity, provided that such activities are conducted under the responsibility of the schools and participants are covered by insurance for the civil liability for damage caused to persons on board and third parties.

Physical Requirements

They can not get the boat license those who are suffering from physical or mental illnesses, organic or mental impairments deficiencies, anatomic or functional that prevent you from safely perform transactions in the license to be achieved or to be validated. The judgment in this regard is entrusted to a public doctor, with functions in the medical-legal matters which it can issue eligibility certificates only when it finds and declares that they do not affect the safety of navigation in which the license enables. If in doubt, or when they are to judge physical handicaps or any corrective prostheses, the judgment of suitability can be a Local Medical Committee, which also judges in respect of disabled and handicapped persons and those for whom a request is made by the sea or by the prefect. All expenses of the various procedural process are the responsibility of the parties concerned. The certification must have a date prior to 6 months from the application for examination.

Against the judgment of the medical commission and the loss of physical and psychological requirements, you can be used within 30 days, the Minister of Infrastructure and Transport – D.G. for Navigation and Maritime Transport and the inland waterways – which, by the investigations, makes use of peripheral health organs of the State Railways.

Moral Requirements

They can not get a driver’s license applicants that have been declared habitual offenders, professional or trend, or who have been sentenced to a term exceeding three years and other conditions provided by art. 37 of the Regulation to the nautical code (laws n.1423 / 56 as amended by Law No. 327/88 575/65, no. 685/75 and subsequent amendments, Presidential Decree no. 309/90 and DPRN 43/73) unless, in the meantime, there have been no rehabilitation measures.

License suspension

The boat license may be suspended temporarily if there are not the necessary physical and psychological requirements. The recovery of the suitability still has to be attested with a new medical certificate.

They are also due to suspension:

conducting or recreational unit control when drunk or under the influence of other intoxicants or narcotics (sleep max 6 months);
acts of imprudence or inexperience that could compromise public safety and cause damage (sleep max 3 months);
the request of the prefect, for reasons of public safety (suspension max 6 months).

Finally, the license is suspended because when he starts a criminal prosecution for manslaughter, serious or very serious culpable for crimes against public safety etc. in art. 40 of the Regulation to the code. The suspension is recorded on the license.

Alternative job titles to the driving license
Those who are in possession of a professional title or recreational maritime or inland waterway and fitted with a seaman’s book in the regular course of validity (STCW’78 and subsequent legislation. Amendments, not having left navigation for over 10 years and visit medical biennial valid), can control and conduct recreational units, within the limits set out in Annex III to the Regulation to the code. The same staff, including pilots of the port, can achieve without examination nautical licenses within the limits laid down in that Annex III.
Issuing of licenses – without exams
Article. 32 of the Regulation to the marine code lays down detailed rules for the release of nautical licenses, without examination, the personnel of the Armed Forces, the Police, the Police and the Fire Department, in permanent service or firm fixed or troop volunteers stops in short, enabled the command or the conduct of vessels by the Navy or in possession of specialization in command of the naval units issued by the Guardia di Finanza to their staff.

To this end, the Officers of the General Staff and of the Harbour in permanent service, the officers of the Guardia di Finanza in possession of the master specialization of naval units issued by their commands, non-commissioned officers of the Armed Forces and police forces holding a qualification to conduct deep-sea vessels or of the patent for the conduct of vessels of the Navy without any limit from the coast or from the mother, released by the Navy and have commanded this type of units for at least one year, can achieve, no examinations, a boating license for driving boats or one for pleasure boats. The requirements you can produce evidence from the extract of military service or by a declaration of membership command.

Those who are in possession of one of the enable signals indicated to the subsequent letters a), b), c), d), e), f), g), h), i) and j) can achieve the licenses for the command of the sun powered recreational boats, for navigation without limits.

On the basis of the training courses, the aforementioned personnel, holding a patent enabling the command of naval unit, it can obtain a license for pleasure boats (within 12 miles, or unlimited). The securities and recognized valid patents are as follows (the frequency of courses claims are invalid):

Enabling the command of naval units of high ground of the Harbour;
Enabling the conduct of the floats (M. M.) used for navigation over 6 miles from the coast;
Enabling the command of the Force naval units of the Carabinieri in offshore sailing;
Enabling the lead / conduct of the units / vessels (A.M.) for navigation over 20 miles from the coast;
Enabling the command of coastal vessels of the Harbour;
Enabling the Naval Command Unit of the Carabinieri in coastal shipping;
Enabling the lead / conduct of dell’E.I means. sailing within 20 miles from the coast;
Enabling the lead / conduct of the units / vessels (A.M.) for navigation within 20 miles from the coast;
License enabling the command of the naval units of G.d.F. for officers and specialized inspectors respectively “Commander of naval units” and “Nocchieri A.C.”;
License enabling the command of naval units of the G.d.F. for superintendents, pinning and special financiers “Nocchieri a.c.m.”;
Enabling the conduct of the floats (M. M.) used for navigation within 6 miles from the coast;
Enabling the command / pipeline dell’E.I vessels. for navigation within 6 miles from the coast;
Enabling the conduct of minor units of the Coast Guard Corps within 12 miles of the coast;
Enabling the conduct of racing “boats”.

Those who are in possession of qualifications issued by the Navy for navigation within six miles of the coast and those issued by the Guardia di Finanza for the conduct of marine resources can get a driver’s license without examination, for navigation within 12 miles. The right to obtain licenses must be exercised within five years from the date of termination of service, provided that they meet the physical and moral requirements. The application must be submitted to the Harbour Office or the District having the maritime constituency in the province in which they serve.
Procedure for obtaining a driving license – home where submit the application
The Department of Transportation, Navigation and Information Systems and Statistics, with circular no. 0017383 of 26.2.2010, amended the procedures for access to maritime and provincial offices of the operator, responsible for issuing navigation licenses. The demand to achieve licenses for operation of recreational vessels must be submitted to the Harbour Master of the place of residence. To achieve the nautical license within 12 miles from the coast, the application may be submitted to the Harbour (Compamare), the Maritime District Offices (Circomare) and the Provincial Offices of Motor Vehicles. To achieve licenses without limit, however, it is only the competence of Compamare and Circomare. Candidates, however, are not free to choose the examination in their welcome, as was the case before the entry into force of the regulation, but they are bound to their residence and domicile. In the past, the distortion phenomenon of migration candidates (from north to south) from its territorial headquarters to the more flexible sites (even distant several hundred km.) Drew attention to the central organs to some remedies for this phenomenon. Regulation at the nautical code has taken steps to limit the territorial scope within which the candidates can submit the application to the relevant offices to the issue of driving licenses. But this space proved to be too restricted by the new rules, so with the circular aforementioned access to examination centers has been changed as follows:

with regard to the provincial offices of the DMV, they may submit an application and supporting subsequent examinations residents or domiciled candidates in the respective province or in a neighboring province or in another province recompressed in the same region of the province of residence or domicile of the applicant. A summary of the questions may be submitted in the provinces suits their region.
with regard to the peripheral maritime offices, they may submit an application to take the exams at each captaincy candidates resident of Port or Maritime District Office or domiciled in one of the provinces included in the territorial jurisdiction of the respective maritime Offices or maritime departments bordering with it.
the circular continues: “the residence or domicile of the applicant should be certified in the manner prescribed by law. Such certification must be attached to the instance of the exams admission”.

To understand the contents of the letter. b) it is necessary to name a few, as the circular seems reserved only for “insiders”; In fact, few are aware that the territorial jurisdictions of the Maritime Directions extend, for maritime purposes, even to the inner provinces to the State and that only by consulting the Presidential Decree no. 1250/1956 and amendments, you can identify the territorial boundaries and the limits of competence. Let us explain the concept better.

A candidate resident in Enna (inner province) or Messina can submit the application to all the Harbor and Maritime District Offices of Sicily as these are included in the jurisdiction of the maritime Directorates of domicile (Catania) or in the neighboring (Palermo). A candidate resident in Fiumicino (Maritime Management) or in Rieti (inner province) may submit the application to the Compamare of Civitavecchia, Rome and Gaeta as well as at the Circomare Anzio. This is the general rule. Let us now see what other sites the same applicant may submit the application for extension effect to neighboring maritime Directorates. To the north (the direction of Livorno maritime borders that of Fiumicino): Compamare Marina di Carrara, Viareggio, Livorno and Portoferraio or at Circomare Piombino and Porto S. Stefano. To the south (bordering the Fiumicino airport is Naples): Naples, C.di Stabia, Torre of the Greek and Salerno or at Circomare Agropoli, Ischia, Palinuro, Pozzuoli, Procida, Terracina and Torre Annunziata. In summary, the candidate has a choice of locations where the exam that covers a broad range over 600 km.

The same circular continues: “the residence or domicile shall be certified in the manner prescribed by law. Such certification must be attached to the instance entrance exams”. In this regard it is noted that the examination application form (pre-ordered on the basis of self, of Presidential Decree 445 \ 2000 and approved with a special circular) Could be used for the conduct of all practices concerning the sailing licenses namely : self-certification of personal data, communicating the change of residence, the admission examination to achieve the nautical licenses (a, B, C, and recreational vessels), the release of the boat license to military personnel and personnel with a maritime professional qualification, the issuance of the duplicate of the license (lost or damaged), the validation of the license and, ultimately, to replace the old license with the new model. The bureaucracy has no limits. It was just another self-certification required of residence or domicile to be attached to the application for examination? We hope that this was a bureaucratic and soon to be correct error.

Applications shall be made in duplicate, one on stamped paper, accompanied by a medical certificate issued by a public doctor with medical-legal functions, two passport photos and attestation of payment of the admission fee for the exams.

The second copy of the application, dated and registered, is returned to the applicant and constitutes, with proof of ID, provisional authorization for the practical work boat. It is valid for three months, extendable for a further 3. The exam can not be sustained if they are not passed at least thirty days from the date of submission of the application.

Within the period of validity of the candidate must book (in writing or by fax) to take the exam at the office which made the request, delivering a stamp and proof of payment of the printout.

Within 45 days of the reservation he will be called upon to support the exams. If it will be declared fit, the license will be issued at the end of the tests themselves. Those who do not pass the exam, theoretical or practical can repeat the test, a one-time, without having to pay fees or taxes.

The candidate absent once can resubmit the request to take the exam a second time.
examination boards offsite
Nautical schools and national organizations and associations can apply to maritime offices or exMCTC, competent for the territory, which exam to achieve the nautical licenses for their candidates, with a number not less than ten, are carried at their offices, taking on the costs involved.

The examiner is unique for licenses within 12 miles from the coast; They are two for the licenses without any limit. During the practical test sail, the commission is integrated by an experienced sailor (appointed by F.I.V. or L.N.I.). The practical test for certification within 12 miles was held with a drive from sailing pleasure with an auxiliary motor (can also be a vessel), it deemed fit by the board of examiners. For the motor driving license using, for the practical test, a motor unit. For the practical test is performed with disabilities on board unit (without electronic instruments to deactivate the autopilot and engine stop). During the test the Commission has to assess whether the candidate for suitability, has the ability to instruct the accompanist performing manual operations for the conduct of the medium.

For the license without limits the practical test should be performed with boat-enabled navigation for which it requires a license.

For the driving license for pleasure craft, unless you have a ship, the skill test may be carried out with a boat of length not less than 20 m.
Register of boat licenses
Maritime offices and those of exMCTC record the data on licenses issued on a special registry office, on which over time are recorded endorsements and all other changes.

admission fee for exams
By decree of 12 June 2013 the Court confirmed the extent of the right of admission to tests for the achievement of nautical licenses. The sum amounts to Euro 20.00 for licenses of categories A and C (sailing boats and motor) and Euro 60.00 for category B driving license (recreational vessels). a tribute to the relevant Provincial Treasury of the State of EUR 25 should also be paid for a license to carry pleasure boats and for vessels the sum is Euro 100. The stamp for questions to be submitted to the maritime offices remains the Euro 16 , 00.

For a more extensive information is given to the fees payable to the state table for benefits in the field of recreational boating.

Summary table of the charges payable for the performance in the field of recreational boating

Sailing schools
For the nautical education and theoretical and practical preparation for the attainment of licenses have long been established the “nautical schools”, which must be equipped to operate a permit from the province, which is also up its administrative supervision, in the place where they have their headquarters. The provinces must ensure discipline with its own regulations the requirements for obtaining the authorization. The subjects that can offer lecturing activities at the nautical schools are indicated in. 42 of the Regulation to the nautical code. Nautical schools must submit applications for admission to tests for their candidates at the maritime authorities or offices exMCTC in the jurisdiction of which the head office.

Update and validation of licenses
A similarity to what happens for the car driving licenses, for the update and validation of nautical licenses is expected to home delivery of a slip adhesive. While waiting for the offices organize their internal structure, licenses will continue to be renewed according to the procedures established by previous legislation.

Durability, validation and exchange of licenses
The boat license is valid for 10 years, from the date of issue or validation, reduced to five years for those who have passed the age of 60; the period may be less than for those who are suffering from physical or mental infirmity or anatomical or functional impairments. The license may be renewed at any time. If validation is required before or after the expiry date, the next term begins on the date of validation.

To validate the holder must submit two copies of the application, including one on stamped paper, directly or by registered office Maritime (Capitanerie and Maritime District Offices) or the Office of the Provincial exMCTC who arranged the release. It shall be accompanied by the physical fitness certificate (stamp duty) of a public doctor (ASL, military doctor or other) with functions relating coroner; the applicant must declare that they have the necessary moral requirements and, where appropriate recourse, possession of another qualification to the command of pleasure boats, filling in for this purpose paintings a) b) e) and f) of the question that we publish scheme in separate boxes

Change of residence
To communicate any change of residence, follow the same steps above, communicating with registered office which issued the license, the declaration in lieu of the residence certificate, filling in the framework of the A facsimile published in these pages. The change is recorded on the Register of nautical licenses.

deteriorated or unreadable licenses
The procedures for the replacement of damaged or unreadable licenses follow the same procedure of validation, with the addition of two pictures, of a duty stamp and the printed payment of the license. The duplicate has the same as the document replaced, which is withdrawn and canceled.
Loss or destruction of the license

The loss, theft or destruction of the license must be reported to the authority of Public Safety issuing certificate of surrender charges. The holder, to secure the release of the duplicate, must submit to the appropriate office, in addition to the question, in duplicate, the certificate of the P.S., receipts proving the payment of the charge laid down, two passport photos. Copy of the application, be refunded to the person, it allows him to command pleasure boats, owned in dell’abilitazione limits, for a period of 30 days.

The duplicate of the license has the validity of the document replaced.

The boat licenses gained in a foreign country (although Community) can not be converted with those laid down by Italian law. Foreigners and Italians residing abroad can command units of the national flag in recreational dell’abilitazione limits in possession. However, Italian citizens, when they return to Italy, they must obtain a boat license, no longer authorized in command of pleasure boats with foreign license to practice.
sanctions
Who forgets the license to the ground shall be punished by a fine from Euro 50.00 to Euro 500.00, while conducting a drive for pleasure without ever having obtained a boat license, or the same has been revoked or not renewed for lack of requirements, entails an administrative fine ranging from Euro 2,066.00 to Euro 8,263.00 as well as the suspension of the unit’s navigation license, which is noted on the document for the duration of 30 days.