18 m
Skipper yachts up to eighteen metres, your own or a bareboat charter
Voditelj brodice · Kategorije B
The Croatian boat licence, in one app.
Nautly teaches you everything the Skipper B exam asks: short lessons for every topic, question-by-question training, and full mock exams. Study a little each day and walk into the Lučka kapetanija ready.
Free to try · one-time purchase · works offline
Voditelj brodice kategorije B is Croatia's standard recreational skipper licence.
The Nautly app
Learn it. Train it. Pass it.
The app takes the whole official syllabus and turns it into a study path you can actually finish: clear lessons for every topic, practice that tracks what you've mastered, and mock exams that tell you when you're ready. In English, Croatian and German.
Learn
Every topic, in short lessons
Short, guided lessons walk you through each subject the examiners ask about: right of way at sea, lights and signals, buoyage, chart work, knots and more, one clear step at a time.
Train
Drill each topic until it sticks
Practise question by question, topic by topic, until each one is second nature. The app keeps track of what you've mastered and what still needs another pass.
Test
Sit full mock exams
When you're ready, take full mock tests that mirror the real thing, so nothing on exam day at the Lučka kapetanija comes as a surprise.
Prefer to read up first? Everything the exam covers is also on this site as free guides, from the team behind the app.
The licence
New to the Skipper B?
Voditelj brodice kategorije B is Croatia's standard recreational skipper licence, the one charter companies ask for. The short version:
12 NM
Up to twelve nautical miles from the nearest coast (navigation area III)
VHF
Basic marine VHF is in the exam syllabus; the standalone SRC is separate
∞
Valid for life, no renewals
It lets you skipper a boat or yacht for personal use, including a bareboat charter, in Croatian coastal waters, up to 12 nautical miles from the nearest coast. It's a Croatian national certificate (not an ICC), it never expires, and there's no mandatory course: you study, then sit an oral exam. The finer points live in the free guides.
The exam
How the exam works
There's no multiple-choice sheet. You sit an oral exam before a small commission of examiners at the Lučka kapetanija (the harbour master's office) and answer face-to-face. That makes preparation different from most licences: you need to be able to explain things out loud, not just recognise the right answer on a page.
Exams are held at harbour master's offices in major Adriatic ports. You book directly with the local Lučka kapetanija; there is no central online test centre. Most of the time a session lasts around 15–30 minutes, though it can run longer, depending on how quickly you work through chart and navigation questions.
Get ready
Preparing for an oral exam
Because there is no written test, passive revision is not enough. The examiners want to hear you explain concepts clearly, not just nod at a correct answer.
- Practice out loud. Describe COLREG crossing situations, light configurations and chart symbols to someone else, or to yourself, until the wording feels natural.
- Work with real Adriatic charts. Croatian 1:100 000 coastal charts cover the charter areas most people sail. Get comfortable plotting courses and reading depth symbols before the exam.
- Learn the Croatian terms. Much of the syllabus is international, but examiners use Croatian names for marks, signals and manoeuvres. Pair your English or German study with the local vocabulary you will hear in the room.
- Know the phonetic alphabet by heart. It comes up in almost every sitting and is easy marks if you have drilled it.
- Rehearse knots with rope. You may be asked to tie them on the spot; muscle memory matters more than a diagram in a book.
Chartering
Chartering in Croatia
Planning to bareboat charter? Operators ask for proof of qualification, and Voditelj brodice kategorije B is the standard Croatian licence they look for. Many also accept recognised equivalents such as the ICC. Policies differ by fleet and vessel, so check with the company before you travel.
If your existing licence isn't accepted, sitting the oral B exam at a coastal Lučka kapetanija is a common path, and there's no mandatory course first. More on renting and chartering in Do you need a boat licence in Croatia?
Questions
Common questions
The basics, answered plainly.
What is the Voditelj brodice B licence?
It's the standard Croatian recreational skipper licence. It lets you operate a recreational boat or yacht for personal use in Croatian coastal waters, up to 12 nautical miles from the nearest coast. The minimum age is 16 (under-18s are limited to 15 kW; no power limit from 18), and it's valid for life. Basic marine VHF radio is part of the exam syllabus; the standalone SRC certificate is separate.
How is the exam structured?
As an oral exam at the Lučka kapetanija, before a three-member commission. The examiners ask you questions directly on chart work, the phonetic alphabet, signals and lights, the collision-avoidance rules and basic navigation. You answer in person rather than filling in a test sheet.
What can I do with it once I pass?
Operate a recreational boat or yacht for personal use in Croatian coastal waters, up to 12 NM from the nearest coast. It's a Croatian national certificate, not an ICC, so confirm acceptance before chartering outside Croatia. Basic VHF radio is part of the exam syllabus; the standalone SRC certificate is separate.
Do I need to speak Croatian?
The official syllabus and exam are in Croatian, but a lot of the material is international: COLREG, the phonetic alphabet and navigation principles are the same everywhere. That makes it approachable to prepare in English or German first, then learn the Croatian terms.
Do I need a Croatian licence to charter a yacht?
For bareboat charter you generally need a valid skipper licence. Category B is the standard Croatian qualification; many operators also accept recognised equivalents such as the ICC, though requirements vary by company and boat size.
Can I use my existing boat licence from another country?
Some foreign licences work for visiting or short stays, but Croatian charter fleets often want a B licence or an internationally recognised equivalent. If yours is not accepted, you can sit the oral exam at a Lučka kapetanija without attending a formal course first.
Where can I take the exam?
At any of the eight harbour master's offices along the coast: Pula, Rijeka, Senj, Zadar, Šibenik, Split, Ploče and Dubrovnik (each Lučka kapetanija also has branch offices), or at the Ministry in Zagreb. Book an appointment directly with the office where you plan to sit the exam.
Get Nautly
The Nautly app teaches and drills the whole Skipper B exam: learn every topic, practise question by question, and sit full mock tests. A one-time purchase, works offline, on iPhone.