The RYA Powerboat Level 2 — formally the National Powerboat Certificate — is the qualification yachts ask for before you can drive their tender. But crew, especially those based in France, have a lot of questions around it: how does it differ from Level 1, what can you actually drive, how does it become the ICC, and is it “equivalent” to the French boat licence? Here’s the clear version.
Level 1 vs Level 2 — what’s the difference?
RYA Powerboat Level 1 is a one-day introduction: it gets you comfortable with a powerboat under supervision, but it is not the certificate that lets you operate independently.
RYA Powerboat Level 2 is the qualification that matters for work. Over two days you cover close-quarters boat handling, high-speed planing, turns, man-overboard recovery and basic pilotage — and you come away certified to handle a powerboat on your own. When a captain or agency asks for “your Powerboat”, they mean Level 2. If you only hold Level 1, do the full Level 2 course before your first season.
What can you drive with RYA Powerboat Level 2?
The certificate covers powerboats up to 10 metres — which comfortably includes the tenders and RIBs you’ll be driving as deck crew. It’s valid by day; a separate endorsement extends it to night operation.
Two add-ons matter for professional crew:
- Coastal endorsement — adds tides, pilotage and the rules of the road, and is expected for Mediterranean yacht work. Our course includes it.
- Commercial endorsement — required if you’re driving a tender as part of a paid job. It’s obtained after Level 2, together with a valid seafarer medical such as the ENG1.
From RYA Level 2 to the ICC
The International Certificate of Competence (ICC) is a widely recognised document for operating a pleasure craft in many European and inland waters. The useful part for crew: if you hold the RYA Powerboat Level 2, you can generally obtain the ICC (power, up to 10 m) through the RYA without sitting a further practical exam — Level 2 satisfies the assessment.
In short: Level 2 is the training and the professional qualification; the ICC is the internationally-formatted certificate you can derive from it when you need it — for example when chartering or operating privately abroad.
RYA Powerboat Level 2 vs the French permis plaisance
This is the question French crew ask most: is the RYA Powerboat Level 2 equivalent to the French “permis plaisance”?
The honest answer: they are two different systems, not a direct one-to-one equivalence.
- The French permis plaisance (option côtière) is the national recreational licence to drive a motorboat over 6 hp in French waters.
- The RYA Powerboat Level 2 is a training-and-competence certificate that is the de facto professional standard in the superyacht industry — it’s what yachts, captains and crew agencies actually ask for, worldwide.
For a career on yachts, the RYA Level 2 (with coastal and commercial endorsements) is the qualification to hold — it travels across flags and borders far better than a purely national licence. If you also need to operate a boat privately in French waters, look at the permis plaisance separately; and if you need an internationally-recognised recreational certificate, the ICC derived from your Level 2 usually covers it. When in doubt about a specific boat or country, confirm the exact requirement before you book.
Ready to get certified on the water off Antibes? See the RYA Powerboat Level 2 course, coastal endorsement included.