Where candidates go wrong
- Reading the wrong horsepower column. The limits drop for inflatables, multihulls and V-hulls. A 20 HP outboard on a rigid dinghy is licence-free; the same engine on a RIB is not.
- Assuming a holiday is enough time. You need a Greek tax number (ΑΦΜ, AFM) and 12 lessons at an approved school before you can book. Plan in weeks, not days.
- Thinking any course counts. Only lessons at a Coast Guard-approved σχολή ταχυπλόων (scholí tachiplóon, speedboat school) count. Self-study, including this course, does not.
The licence
The άδεια χειριστή ταχυπλόου σκάφους (ádia chiristí tachiplóou skáfous, speedboat operator licence) is issued by the Λιμενική Αρχή (Limenikí Archí, Port Authority) of the Hellenic Coast Guard under ΓΚΛ 50. There are no categories and no distance limits on the licence. Where a boat may go is set by the boat's own papers.
When is a boat a ταχύπλοο?
ΓΚΛ 20 art. 2(1) uses maximum continuous horsepower. A licence is needed above these figures:
| Hull | Outboard | Sterndrive or petrol inboard | Diesel inboard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Any hull | > 30 HP | > 40 HP | > 70 HP |
| Inflatable/RIB, twin or multi-hull, V-hull | > 15 HP | > 30 HP | > 50 HP |
| Water-jet propulsion, any hull | > 15 HP |
- Jet skis (ατομικό σκάφος – θαλάσσιο μοτοποδήλατο) always need the licence, whatever the power (art. 9(3)).
- Sailing boats and listed traditional wooden boats (τρεχαντήρι, βαρκαλάς and others) are excluded.
- Below the thresholds the craft is a μηχανοκίνητη λέμβος (michanokíniti lémvos, motor boat): no licence needed.
Who may sit the exam (ΓΚΛ 50 art. 3(2))
| Condition | What it means |
|---|---|
| Age | 18 completed, counted from date of birth |
| Health | GP or internist + ophthalmologist certificates, or a valid driving licence instead |
| Swimming | Declared in a sworn statement (υπεύθυνη δήλωση) |
| Training | 12 one-hour lessons minimum: 6 theory + 6 practical, 2 of them at open sea outside the harbour |
| Tax number | Greek ΑΦΜ |
Foreigners sit "on the same terms and conditions as Greeks" (art. 3(13)). There is no nationality bar, but the ΑΦΜ requirement stays.
Applying
- Book a date through the Coast Guard licensing system (Π.Σ.Ε.Α.Χ.Τ.Σ.) up to 10 calendar days before the exam, or apply in person.
- File the application and documents at the chosen Port Authority at least 7 calendar days before the exam. Any Port Authority in the country will do.
- Documents: ID or passport, medical certificates or driving licence, the sworn statement, the school's certificate (Annex B model) with tuition receipts, and photographs.
Exemptions and foreign licences
- Holders of Greek merchant-navy officer certificates and several naval and Coast Guard categories get the licence without exam (ΓΚΛ 20 art. 3(2)). The list names Greek titles only.
- A foreign licence is accepted if issued or officially recognised by a state authority, carried with an official translation and a consular certificate (ΓΚΛ 50 art. 3(19)).
- For bareboat motor yachts, the Greek licence is one of the accepted skipper qualifications (Υ.Α. 3342/02/2004, kept in force by law 4926/2022). See Bareboat Chartering in Greece.
What the examiner wants to see
Questions on this topic test the numbers: 18 years, 12 lessons (6 + 6, 2 at sea), the 30/40/70 and 15/30/50 thresholds, and that a jet ski always needs a licence. Learn the table as a grid, not as a list.
Λεξιλόγιο εξέτασης
| Ελληνικά | English |
|---|---|
| άδεια χειριστή ταχυπλόου σκάφους | speedboat operator licence |
| ταχύπλοο σκάφος | speedboat (craft above the thresholds) |
| μηχανοκίνητη λέμβος | licence-free motor boat |
| εξωλέμβια / εσωλέμβια μηχανή | outboard / inboard engine |
| πνευστό (φουσκωτό) σκάφος | inflatable / RIB |
| Λιμενική Αρχή | Port Authority |
| υπεύθυνη δήλωση | sworn statement |
| ΑΦΜ | Greek tax number |