Short answer for 2026: to charter a sailing yacht, catamaran or motor yacht in Greece without a professional skipper (a bareboat charter), the person in charge of the boat needs a recognized certificate of competence, the original document on board with the extra paperwork Greek rules ask for, and at least one other crew member with sailing experience. If nobody in your group holds a suitable license, you can still sail in Greece by booking a skipper with the boat.
This is our complete guide to the Greek rules. If you hold an RYA Day Skipper, read our focused answer on whether the RYA Day Skipper certificate is accepted in Greece. If you are comparing destinations, our overview Do I need a sailing license to rent a yacht in Croatia or Greece? sets the two countries side by side.
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Greek pleasure yachts used for charter are regulated by Law 4256/2014 on tourist and pleasure vessels. Article 8 of that law allows yachts up to 24 meters in overall length to be chartered without a professional master and crew on board. In that case the charterer appoints a skipper, who takes charge of the yacht, is treated as the charterer’s employee for the charter, and must hold the qualifications set by ministerial decision. Larger yachts are chartered with a professional crew.
The rules are enforced by the Hellenic Coast Guard, whose local port authorities can inspect the skipper’s documents before departure and during the charter. In practice, the charter company checks the same documents at the base before handing over the boat.
The ICC is issued under United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Resolution No. 40. Greece has not adopted Resolution No. 40. The Royal Yachting Association (RYA) says that for a UK-flagged vessel an ICC valid for that vessel is generally acceptable and recommended. Most charter yachts in Greece fly the Greek flag, not the UK flag, so the charter company confirms whether your ICC is accepted for the boat, and we check this for you before you sail.
The RYA’s country advice for Greece notes two requirements that catch many visitors out:
Other national licenses, from the US, Germany, France and elsewhere, are also presented in Greece. Whether a particular license is accepted for a particular boat is decided case by case, so the RYA’s own advice for anyone chartering abroad is to get written confirmation from the charter provider that the certificate you hold will be accepted for the cruising area and the boat. We do exactly that for you before you sail (see below).
An RYA Day Skipper practical certificate or higher is commonly presented in Greece. Because Greece has not adopted the ICC framework, the simplest way to reduce the risk of questions is to convert it into an ICC before you travel. We explain the steps in our RYA Day Skipper and Greece guide.
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Charter yachts carry a fixed VHF radio, and someone on board should be able to use it properly. We did not find a single official Greek source that sets out the radio certificate rule for bareboat charters, so we treat it in general terms: a Short Range Certificate (SRC) or equivalent radio operator certificate held by the skipper or a crew member is good practice, and some charter companies ask for it. We tell you when your boat’s operator does. In Croatia the rule is written down: there, a radio operator certificate is a condition for using a recognized foreign license on a boat with a VHF installed.
Besides the skipper, charter companies in Greece normally require at least one other crew member with sailing experience who can take over if needed, usually aged 18 or over. Some operators ask for a signed statement of that person’s experience. This is a condition of the charter contract and is checked at the base. We confirm the exact wording for your boat when you book, so you know in advance whether your co-skipper needs a certificate or a signed statement.
For the wider paperwork, see our guide to documents required for a yacht charter. For cover during the week, see what insurance you need.
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When you book a bareboat charter in Greece with us, send us a copy of the skipper’s certificate (both sides) and your co-skipper’s details. We check them with the charter company for the specific boat and confirm back to you by email, so you do not discover a problem at the base on the day of departure. If the certificate is not accepted, or if you would rather not take the helm yourself, we can add a professional skipper to the booking.
A license is only needed if you want to skipper the boat yourself. With a hired skipper, or on a fully crewed yacht, nobody in your group needs a certificate. Read what to know about chartering with a skipper and our bareboat vs. crewed comparison, then request a quote for your dates.
Law 4256/2014 (Greek Government Gazette A 92/2014), Article 8; Royal Yachting Association (RYA), country advice for Greece and “Evidence of competence abroad”; UNECE Resolution No. 40. Checked in October 2026.
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