Sailing School Malta
Boat Licence and Sailing School · Geoemms 3 Triq Hal Kaprat Santa Venera, Santa Venera SVR 1761, Malta
Enquire through VisitMalta.co.ukServices, hours and details last checked against Sailing School Malta's own published information.
Malta Nautical Licence is the Transport Malta licence course run by Sailing School Malta, an RYA recognised sea school with its office in Santa Venera. It teaches the local boat licence for residents and a full range of RYA sailing and powerboat courses for visitors, with sailing from Marina di Valletta. You can enquire through the VisitMalta.co.uk form on this page.
Malta Nautical Licence is the local licence course run by Sailing School Malta, a Royal Yachting Association (RYA) recognised sea school that has been teaching on the island since 2012. The licence is the Transport Malta qualification that lets you drive a powerboat, sailing vessel or jet ski of 30 horsepower or more, up to 24 metres long, for pleasure in Maltese waters. The school is approved by Transport Malta to teach it and trains more than 250 people on the course every year.
The same school also teaches the full ladder of RYA courses, from a two-day taste of sailing to Yachtmaster preparation, which makes it a useful single stop whether you are a resident who needs the local licence or a UK visitor who wants an internationally recognised certificate. The office is in Santa Venera, and the practical teaching takes place on the water around Valletta and Kalkara. The business appears in our directory of boat charter and sailing in Malta.
Who needs the Transport Malta Nautical Licence
The licence is required by Maltese citizens and by foreign residents who want to operate a vessel of 30 horsepower or more in local waters. It is a bit like a local driving licence for boats: it is valid within Malta's territorial waters, which extend to 12 nautical miles, and covers Malta, Gozo and Comino. It is not valid for commercial work, and it does not cover you in other EU countries, so it will not take you across to Sicily. The licence is renewed at Transport Malta every 10 years, and the minimum age is 18.
The course suits beginners who want to operate boats legally, jet ski and powerboat enthusiasts, recreational boat owners and residents planning to rent or buy a vessel over 30 horsepower. No previous experience is needed. If you have only just arrived on the island and do not yet hold a residence card, you can still apply with your passport. Anyone moving here from the UK may find our relocation guide for Malta helpful alongside the licence.
How the course works
The course is spread over two weekends and totals at least 24 hours of tuition, split between theory and practical seamanship and boat handling. The theory session takes place online on a Saturday from 10:00 to 16:00, and it covers most of the content. Theory is taught entirely by video call, and you also receive written notes to read before the course, along with revision and mock exam questions afterwards. You will be asked to learn some flags and knots and to revise the collision regulations in advance.
The practical session normally happens on the Sunday of the same weekend, aboard a powerboat from Kalkara Marina, though the school occasionally swaps the order because of the weather or instructor availability. If a practical session cannot run, the school gives notice and offers a place on a following weekend, which is rarely a problem because the course runs almost every week or every other week. Both parts are taught in English. The second weekend finishes the course, with the Sunday used to confirm what you have learned or for individual tuition.
The theory covers the rules that govern boating in Maltese waters, basic coastal navigation, handling vessels at speed, safety equipment, fire prevention and engine maintenance. The practical part covers launching and recovering a craft, boat handling, securing to a buoy, anchoring, leaving and coming alongside, and recovering someone who has fallen overboard.
Price, booking and the exam
The course costs €340 per person, which includes the €40 oral exam fee charged by Transport Malta. Classes have a maximum of 12 students. You book online through the course page, and your place is guaranteed once payment has been received. The school accepts card payments, PayPal and bank transfer, and you can also pay in cash at the office. Groups of more than four people receive a 5% discount, and private courses can be arranged for companies or friends.
After the course, the school submits your application to Transport Malta for the oral exam, which lasts about 30 minutes and takes place at the authority's offices in Lija. You provide a signed application form, a medical fitness certificate completed by a doctor and a copy of both sides of your ID card. An exam date usually arrives within 7 to 10 days, and the school runs a refresher session before it. Once you pass, you take the stamped certificate to Transport Malta with two passport-sized photos and €23.29, and the licence is posted to you in about two weeks.
Visiting from the UK: RYA courses and the ICC
If you are only visiting, you do not need the Maltese licence to rent and drive a boat for pleasure. You will usually need the RYA Level 2 Powerboat Handling certificate, ideally with a VHF radio licence, and you can charter powerboats under 10 metres. Some rental firms also ask for an International Certificate of Competence (ICC), and the RYA Level 2 course qualifies you to apply for one for power vessels up to 10 metres. Transport Malta has stated that an ICC does not automatically entitle you to a Maltese nautical licence.
The two systems are separate. The local licence is cheap and quick but only valid in Malta, while RYA certificates are recognised across most of the world. The school runs the Level 2 course on the same weekend as the Maltese course. A resident who completes the RYA course can also sit the Transport Malta exam, for an extra 140 euros in exam fees and some additional training, and so leave with two licences. If you want to explore the water around the islands, take a look at our guides to things to do in Malta and the Blue Lagoon on Comino.
RYA sailing courses on Bavaria yachts
Beyond the nautical licence, the school teaches almost every RYA course up to Yachtmaster Ocean, including sail and motor cruising, powerboat and jet ski, shore-based theory, marine radio, first aid and sea survival. Sailing courses run on two Bavaria cruising yachts, a 44 and a 46, moored at Marina di Valletta on Pontoon C, with a maximum of five students per boat. Motor cruising courses are based at Portomaso Marina in St Julian's, and powerboat courses at Kalkara Marina.
For a first taste, the two-day Start Yachting course costs €500 per person, or €1,800 for a private group of up to five. You steer, handle sails, tie basic knots and learn onboard safety while sailing around the Valletta coast and anchoring for a swim at lunchtime. There is no minimum age. The five-day Competent Crew course costs €1,150, runs from Monday to Friday between 09:30 and 17:00, and includes accommodation on board, along with port fees, fuel and tourist tax. Private groups pay from €4,500 for the whole yacht.
The Day Skipper practical course also lasts five days and costs €1,150. It teaches you to take charge of a yacht, with mooring practice, pilotage into harbours and bays and at least four hours of night sailing. You need 5 days at sea, 100 nautical miles and Day Skipper theory knowledge first, and the minimum age is 16. Package, fast-track, Coastal Skipper, Yachtmaster, family sailing and mile-building voyages to Sicily, Sardinia and Greece are also on offer, as are bespoke lessons aboard your own boat.
Instructors, base and getting there
The school was founded by Stephen Baynham, who is its principal and chief instructor and has taught sailing since 2001 in Australia, Croatia and the Canary Islands before setting up in Malta. He leads a team of RYA instructors with backgrounds in yacht delivery, racing, powerboat and jet ski teaching, and long ocean passages, and the teaching language is English.
The office and theory venue is at Geoemms 3, Triq Hal Kaprat in Santa Venera. Sailing starts at Marina di Valletta, Pontoon C, close to Gżira, and the school suggests prepaying a taxi at the kiosk outside Malta International Airport, which usually costs about 25 euros and takes about 20 minutes. Taxi apps such as Bolt and eCabs are a cheaper alternative. Pack sunglasses, sun cream, soft-soled shoes, a soft bag, a fleece and a light waterproof, because wet weather gear is not provided. For somewhere to stay before or after a course, see our Valletta hotel listings and hotels in Sliema and Gżira, and for flights, our guide to flights from the UK.
How to enquire
Tell the school which course you are interested in, how many people are coming and your preferred dates. The course pages have booking buttons for the standard dates, and the office can also advise on which course suits your goals, whether that is the local licence, an RYA certificate or a sailing holiday. If you plan your stay around the weather, our Malta weather guide shows what to expect by month, and the Valletta guide covers the city beside the training marina.
To get in touch, use the VisitMalta.co.uk enquiry form on this page and we will pass your message on to Sailing School Malta.
Questions about Sailing School Malta
Who needs the Malta Nautical Licence?
Maltese citizens and foreign residents need the Transport Malta Nautical Licence to operate a powerboat, sailing vessel or jet ski of 30 horsepower or more, up to 24 metres, for pleasure in Maltese waters. The minimum age is 18 and no previous experience is required.
Do I need the licence as a UK visitor renting a boat?
No. A visitor does not need the Maltese licence to rent and drive a boat for pleasure, but you will usually need the RYA Level 2 Powerboat Handling certificate, ideally with a VHF licence. Powerboats under 10 metres can be chartered, and some firms also ask for an ICC.
How much does the nautical licence course cost?
The course costs €340 per person, including the €40 Transport Malta oral exam fee. After passing, you pay €23.29 at Transport Malta when you collect the licence. Groups of more than four people receive a 5% discount, and private courses are available.
How long does the course take and how is it taught?
It runs over two weekends and includes at least 24 hours of tuition. Theory is taught online on a Saturday from 10:00 to 16:00, and the practical boat handling session usually follows on the Sunday from Kalkara Marina. Both parts are taught in English.
What documents do I need for the exam?
You need a signed application form, a medical fitness certificate completed by your doctor and a copy of the front and back of your ID card. If you have not yet received a residence card, you can use your passport. The school submits your application to Transport Malta for you.
Where is the licence valid?
It is valid within Malta's territorial waters, up to 12 nautical miles, covering Malta, Gozo and Comino. It is not valid for commercial use or in other EU countries, so it does not allow you to take your own boat across to Sicily.
Which other courses does the school offer?
The school teaches almost every RYA course up to Yachtmaster Ocean, including Start Yachting, Competent Crew, Day Skipper, Coastal Skipper, powerboat, jet ski, marine radio, first aid and sea survival, plus mile-building voyages and tuition on your own boat.
Where do the courses take place?
The office and theory venue is in Santa Venera. Sailing courses start from Marina di Valletta, Pontoon C, motor cruising courses from Portomaso Marina in St Julian's, and powerboat sessions from Kalkara Marina. The school will confirm the exact place and time before your course.
Practical information
The office and theory venue is at Geoemms 3, Triq Hal Kaprat, Santa Venera, Malta. Sailing courses start at Marina di Valletta, Pontoon C, motor cruising at Portomaso Marina in St Julian's and powerboat sessions at Kalkara Marina. The school does not publish office opening hours and may be out sailing during the day. To ask about a course or dates, use the VisitMalta.co.uk enquiry form on this page and we will pass your message to the school.
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The details on this page were correct on 25 October 2026, as published on the Sailing School Malta website. Services, prices and hours can change, so please confirm when you enquire.