If you want to drive a vehicle on federal inland waterways, you generally need a driving license.

Driving license on federal waterways

You may only drive a vehicle on federal waterways if you are the holder of a corresponding permit. The authorizations are divided into different classes of license:

• Skipper's license A: to drive all vehicles on inland waterways and maritime waterways up to the maritime shipping limit
• Skipper's license B: for navigating all vessels on inland waterways
• Skipper's certificate C1: for navigating vessels of less than 35 meters in length on inland waterways and maritime waterways up to the limit of maritime navigation, with the exception of
  • authorized passenger ships for the transport of more than 12 passengers
  • authorized passenger boats carrying more than 12 passengers
  • Pushing and towing boats with more than 73.6 kW (100 hp) propulsion power
• Skipper's license C2: for navigating vessels with a length of less than 35 meters on inland waterways, with the exception of
  • licensed passenger vessels for the carriage of more than 12 passengers
  • authorized passenger boats for the transport of more than 12 passengers
  • Pushing and towing boats with more than 73.6 kW (100 hp) propulsion power
• Fire-fighting boat license D1: to operate fire-fighting boats and civil protection and disaster control vessels on inland waterways and maritime waterways up to the limit of maritime navigation
• Fire-fighting boat certificate D2: to operate fire-fighting boats and civil defense and disaster control vessels on inland waterways
• Recreational craft certificate (patent class E): for navigating recreational craft with a length of no more than 25 meters on inland waterways
• Ferry license (patent class F): for driving ferries for a specific ferry station

Certain official vehicles of the federal government and the federal states do not require a permit issued by the GDWS to drive official vehicles. These include:

• Service vehicles of the Federal Armed Forces, the Federal Customs Administration, the Federal Police, the riot police and the water police of the federal states with a length of less than 25 meters.
• Service vehicles of the civil defense and disaster control, the federal waterways and shipping administration, the state shipping administration and the fire department with a length of less than 20 meters.

Rhine patents

Special regulations apply on the Rhine. You may only operate a vessel on the Rhine if you hold a Rhine licence or a boatmaster's certificate recognized as equivalent by the Central Commission for Navigation on the Rhine for the type and size of vessel in question and for the route to be navigated.

A distinction must be made between

• Major patent: for navigating all vessels on inland waterways and maritime waterways up to the limit of maritime navigation
• Small patent: for driving a vehicle with a length of less than 35 meters,
  • which is intended to carry no more than 12 passengers
  • provided that it:
    • is not a tug or pusher craft, or
    • does not move coupled vehicles
• Sport patent: to drive a recreational craft with a length of less than 25 meters
• Public authority license: to operate public authority vessels and fireboats

Special regulations apply to small vessels up to 15 meters in length: these may be operated on the Rhine with a permit issued in accordance with national regulations. In Germany, for example, this is the pleasure craft license.

In order to obtain a boatmaster's certificate or Rhine patent, you must pass an examination at the Directorate-General for Waterways and Shipping (GDWS).

Further certificates and patents

For vessels over 15 meters in length, special route knowledge is also required on certain inland waterways and the Rhine. You can also obtain proof of special route knowledge by passing an examination at the GDWS.

A patent can also be issued as a Danube captain's license. You may then operate vessels on the Danube in international traffic, i.e. also outside the scope of the inland navigation patent ordinance.