In the Mediterranean (and the Seychelles), the governments there require you to have a Sailing License. The License must be a license, not a certification. Most all other places in the world do not require a sailing license or a certification. So for credentials, you really only need be concerned with the Med and Seychelles. (Thailand is considering a requirement and Belize has a rubber stamp license that your charter company applies through the government at the time of charter request).


Examples of the License that are accepted are:


  • The ICC (International Certificate of Competence) 
  • The SLC (record of Sailing License and Credentials) 


ICC

To gain the ICC, you need to have it issued by the RYA out of the UK. This can be facilitated by NauticEd in North America through its alliance with the RYA. For non-UK or North American citizens it gets a little tricky see below**. The RYA schools in North America (and some other favorites) that perform the on-the-water assessment are few and far between in North America. They are listed here: 


http://www.nauticed.org/sailing-blog/favorite-rya-sailing-schools/


SLC

The SLC is much simpler to gain in North America with many more schools able to perform the 1 day assessment. Look for the SLC tag listed on a school at the NauticEd Sailing Schools page. NauticEd is also expanding its international network of practical schools able to perform the practical assessment.


This is the Link to the page discussing the SLC


This is how to gain an SLC


Differences

Finally, this is an article discussing the differences in the SLC and the ICC


Yacht Charter Companies

All Yacht charter Companies worldwide accept the SLC and the ICC as valid licenses. If they question the SLC have them visit this page. www.nauticed.org/SLC. In addition, the SLC is on the Croatian Ministry official list of acceptable licenses.


**For non-UK or North American citizens/residents you need to find out if your country has signed Resolution 40 with United Nations. If so then if you want an ICC you must get an ICC from your own countries official sailing body. If your country of citizenship or residency has not signed Resolution 40 then you may get an ICC through the RYA. See the list here of signatories to Resolution 40. The NauticEd SLC license is purely international by its own nature and so you can gain the SLC from any country. The only caveat is that you must attend a NauticEd Practical School for the practical assessment. International locations are limited but growing fast. See www.nauticed.org/sailing-schools.