Entry & progression
Governing: RD 269/2022 art. 93; DGMM convocatoria of 9 Jan 2026. Builds on: L1.1, L1.2.
What the PPER is
The Patrón Profesional de Embarcaciones de Recreo is a national professional certificate. It is not an STCW CoC and it is not recognised by other flags. Within Spain it does one important job: it lets its holder govern Spanish-flag embarcaciones de recreo commercially.
| Attribution | Limit (RD 269 art. 93.2) |
|---|---|
| Vessel | Spanish flag, lista 6ª or 7ª, Lh ≤ 24 m |
| People | ≤ 12 passengers plus crew, within the boat's certified maximum |
| Category 1 | Along the coast within 60 nm |
| Category 2 | Cabotaje, and along the coast within 150 nm |
| Training role | Instructor for PNB and PER practicals |
How you get it
For Category 1 by the ordinary route (art. 93.3):
- Age 20.
- Capitán de Yate, issued by the DGMM or a region.
- A log of at least 50 days and 2,500 nm, including five passages of more than 60 nm as skipper, each an open-sea passage of at least 48 hours. The DGMM's peripheral offices validate it.
- GOC or ROC radio certificate.
- STCW Basic Safety Training.
- Medical First Aid (formación sanitaria específica inicial).
- A valid ISM seafarer's medical.
- Pass the DGMM knowledge test.
Category 2 adds 24 months' service as PPER (the test is not repeated).
Merchant-navy deck officers can have it issued directly (art. 93.4–93.5), subject to the medical: officers under arts. 12–16 and holders of Patrón Mayor de Cabotaje or Patrón de Cabotaje get Category 1; Capitán, Piloto de 1ª and some others get Category 2.
The test
The 2026 convocatoria sets 30 four-option questions in one hour, pass at 60 %, sat in Madrid. The syllabus is maritime law, the RONM, registration, insurance, surveys, safety equipment, SAR, MARPOL IV and V, and radio. See PPER Knowledge Test Prep.
CAUTION — Two texts, two answers A DGMM Resolution of 12 July 2017 still appears on the BOE. It says ≤12 persons including crew, demands different certificates and an EU/EEA nationality for the Capitán de Yate route. RD 269/2022 art. 93 now governs and says ≤12 passengers plus crew. The ministerial order that art. 93 promises for the issue procedure has not been found, so ask the Capitanía how they process applications today.
Validity
The certificate is valid 5 years (art. 93.6). Revalidation needs a valid medical; the detailed procedure awaits the same ministerial order.
Where it fits in a yacht career
- It is the normal ticket for a crewed charter skipper under 24 m on a Spanish-flag boat.
- It does not cover buques de recreo over 24 m.
- It does not cover foreign-flag boats; they follow their flag's manning rules (see Manning Rules on Red Ensign Yachts for the UK case).
TIP — Log your miles properly now The five 48-hour passages are the part most candidates cannot prove. Keep a signed, dated passage log with the boat's name and registration for every qualifying trip.