INTERNATIONAL SAILING LICENSE AND CREDENTIALS (SLC™)
Your “must have” sailing license for chartering boats in the Mediterranean…
What is the SLC™?
The International Sailing License and Credentials (SLC) is a globally recognised recreational sailing license accepted by yacht charter companies worldwide, including in Europe and the Seychelles. The SLC-p serves as the equivalent certification for powerboats.
To obtain an SLC, candidates must:
Complete self-paced online theory courses.
Log sufficient prior experience on boats of a similar size and type.
Demonstrate practical skills by internationally recognised and U.S. Coast Guard boating standards.
NauticEd is officially recognised as a Sailing and Boating Education Body by the United States Coast Guard.
About the SLC™
Sufficiently documented and Recent Experience
To qualify for an SLC or SLC-p, holders must have logged at least 50 days of sailing or boating experience, with a minimum of 25 days as vessel master. The SLC card also includes an endorsement for vessel size and type. The endorsed vessel size is determined as either:
10 feet (3 meters) longer than the largest vessel the holder has captained at least five times, or
The size of the largest vessel captained at least five times, whichever is greater.
Additionally, at the time of issuance or renewal, the holder must have completed at least:
10 sailing or boating outings within the past two years, or
5 outings within the past year.
Practical Competence to International Standards
Earning an SLC or SLC-p requires a rigorous on-the-water assessment of sailing or boating skills and knowledge. The SLC assessment exceeds the standards of the International Certificate of Competence (ICC) and the American National Standards.
The assessment must be conducted by a certified SLC instructor, who evaluates the candidate’s readiness for international bareboat chartering, including navigation proficiency.
International Sailing/Boating Theory Knowledge and Testing
To obtain an SLC/SLC-p, holders must complete at least 40 hours of international sailing/boating theory education and testing. This includes the NauticEd Bareboat Charter Master for Sailing Bundle or the NauticEd Bareboat Charter Master for Powerboating Bundle.
Covered Topics:
Skippering
Docking and Maneuvering a Sailboat/Powerboat Under Power
Coastal Navigation
Electronic Navigation
Anchoring
Bareboat Chartering
If the Catamaran vessel type is marked on the SLC, the holder has:
Completed a specialized catamaran sailing/boating and maneuvering course.
Logged at least one additional day of catamaran sailing/boating, beyond the general experience requirements.
Verification of Theory Knowledge
In addition to general education and testing, SLC holders must pass a separate, independent 100-question exam to confirm their theoretical knowledge. This test must be retaken every three years to maintain certification.
Test Modules:
Weather and Sea Conditions
Boat Systems
Rigging and Sails
Collision Prevention
Slip Departures and Returns
Sailing/Boating (as applicable)
Communication
Navigation: Charts and Marks, Calculations, Tides and Currents, Plotting, Electronic
Anchoring and Mooring
Safety and Emergencies
Logical Safety Restrictions on Vessel Size, Type, Tonnage, and Distance
The SLC explicitly states any safety restrictions based on the holder’s practical skippering experience. These may include:
Maximum vessel length
Vessel type
Gross tonnage
Permitted offshore distance
These limitations ensure that SLC holders operate vessels within their proven skill level, maintaining the highest safety standards.
Why the SLC and SLC-p?
Many organisations offer sailing and boating certifications without rigorous training or assessment. This creates risks for certification holders and their families, fellow boaters, and charter vessels. It drives up insurance costs, strains search and rescue resources, and gives inexperienced boaters a false sense of confidence.
NauticEd is committed to ensuring its students are competent and confident, which is why the SLC and SLC-p exist.
What Sets the SLC/SLC-p Apart?
- An SLC/SLC-p holder has:
Sufficient and documented on-the-water experience on an appropriately sized and typed vessel. - Recent on-the-water experience to ensure skills remain sharp.
- Been assessed to ICC standards for on-the-water competence.
- Completed at least 40 hours of theory study, including Coastal and Electronic Navigation.
- Passed a comprehensive 100-question test covering skippering, sailing/boating, bareboat chartering, and navigation.
- Authentic, verifiable credentials, securely stored online for instant verification.
The SLC and SLC-p exceed all international requirements for bareboat chartering, making them the most trusted credentials in the industry. Charter companies extend every courtesy to SLC holders.
By Whose Authority?
NauticEd is the only sailing body in the USA recognized by the government and the U.S. Coast Guard.
An international proclamation confirms that NASBLA (the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators) is the sole agency authorised to issue boating licenses in the USA.
A verification letter affirms that NASBLA recognizes NauticEd as meeting the American National Standards for sailing training and assessment.
An NASBLA-approved course listing identifies all U.S. sailing and boating organizations (including NauticEd) that adhere to U.S. Coast Guard-approved standards.
As a government-recognized sailing and boating body, NauticEd issues the SLC to students meeting licensing and credentialing requirements. The SLC is a valid, internationally accepted Sailing and Boating License for bareboat chartering worldwide.