Legal frame
Governing: Capitaneria bathing ordinances 2026 (emergency numbers); D.M. 146/2008 and D.M. 323/2021 (patente exams); D.D. 40/2025 and the 2026 bandi (UND 2ª classe); D.Lgs. 71/2015 (endorsements); D.M. 38/2012 (EU masters). Builds on: all earlier lessons.
Emergency numbers
| Number | Use |
|---|---|
| 1530 | Guardia Costiera "numero blu" for emergencies at sea, free of charge |
| 112 | General European emergency number |
| VHF 16 | Distress, urgency and safety calls; reaches the Coast Guard and nearby vessels |
Every 2026 bathing ordinance read for this course prints 1530 prominently. On the water, VHF 16 is still the better first call because everyone nearby hears it. For the radio procedure itself, see SRC/VHF.
TIP — Brief the tender drivers The people most likely to need 1530 are the ones on the tenders and toys. Put the number on the tender's console and in the guest briefing.
Where things happen
| You want | Where | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Patente nautica (A, B, D1) | Apply at a Capitaneria or ufficio marittimo; category A entro 12 miglia also at the Motorizzazione; D1 through nautical schools or the Motorizzazione | Category A needs at least 5 hours of practical training attested by a nautical school, even for private candidates. Exams in Italian. |
| UND 2ª classe | Exam boards at the Capitanerie (and the UCM of Porto Santo Stefano) | Sessions at least twice a year; 2026 bandi: March and September, fee €1.94 plus a €16 stamp (Ancona). At least 5 hours of familiarisation with the practical skills, certified by a school, before admission. |
| STCW training certificates (BST, PSSR, fire-fighting, MAMS, GMDSS, ECDIS…) | Institutes recognised by MIT | Courses from unrecognised providers will not count. |
| Enrolment in the matricole, libretto | The Capitaneria that keeps the register | Residents of any nationality may now apply (L3.3). |
| Conversion of a merchant CoC (art. 13 D.M. 121) | The maritime office of enrolment | See L2.3. |
| Convalida di riconoscimento | Italian consular offices | See L3.1. |
| Italian-law exam for EU masters | Direzioni marittime | Italian or English; see L3.2. |
| Charter annotation, STED declarations | A STED (online boat-registration desk) | See L4.1 and L4.2. |
A joining checklist for an Italian-flag yacht
- Is the yacht on the national register (commercial annotation) or the Registro Internazionale?
- Which title does your seat require (GT or kW), and do you hold it or an endorsement for it?
- If you are the master: are you an EU/EEA national, and have you passed or booked the Italian-law exam?
- Is your medical valid, and are your STCW training certificates in date?
- Do you need enrolment and a libretto, and who records your sea service?
- Who handles your social security?
CAUTION — What xplor is and is not xplor is an independent study platform. It is not a scuola nautica or MIT-recognised training centre. Nothing here counts towards school hours, sea time, the practical or any exam.
For the exams themselves, see Patente Cat. A 12 miglia prep, UND 2ª classe prep and Italian Maritime Law for EU Masters.