Frequently Asked Questions

The Sportbootführerschein (SBF) is the official German boating license for recreational motorized vessels. It is required for motorboats with more than 15 HP (11 kW) on federal waterways. There are two variants: SBF Inland (Binnen) for inland waterways and SBF Coastal (See) for coastal waters. Both can be taken together in a combined exam.

The SBF Inland (Binnen) authorizes you to navigate inland shipping waterways — rivers, canals, and inland lakes. The SBF Coastal (See) is valid on coastal shipping waterways along Germany's North Sea and Baltic Sea coast. These are two separate licenses, each requiring its own exam. If you want to navigate both areas, you need both — or take the combined exam.

Both licenses have a written theory exam. For the SBF Inland, the paper consists of 30 questions (7 base questions + 23 specific inland questions) to be answered in 45 minutes. You pass by answering at least 5 of 7 base questions and at least 18 of 23 specific questions correctly. The SBF Coastal additionally includes a navigation task with 9 questions (at least 7 correct), for a total of 39 questions in 60 minutes. The theory exam is followed by a practical exam on the water.

A course is not required — you can prepare entirely on your own. The official ELWIS question catalog is publicly available, and apps like Boatpass enable structured study without a sailing school. Many candidates pass the theory exam without a course. For the practical exam, at least one day of practice on the water is recommended.

The official exam fees (theory + practical) in 2026 are €130.78 for the SBF Inland and €148.38 for the SBF Coastal license. Taking both together as a combined exam costs just €178.61 instead of €279.16. Optional preparatory courses cost extra (online courses from around €340). With the Boatpass app, you can learn the theory without an expensive course.

The official question catalog is set by the DSV and DMYV and published freely via ELWIS. Under motor, the inland catalog contains 72 base questions and 181 specific questions (253 in total), plus 47 sailing questions for the sailing scope. The coastal catalog contains 72 base questions and 213 specific coastal questions (285 in total). Boatpass contains the complete current catalog for both licenses.

With consistent studying (20–30 minutes daily), 4–6 weeks for the theory part is realistic. Working systematically through the official question catalog and reviewing mistakes helps you get exam-ready faster. The Boatpass app tracks your progress and specifically trains your weak areas.

Yes — the app is free. In the free mode, you can work through 15 study questions per day and explore the app. Full access (unlimited questions, exam simulation, error training) is a one-time purchase of €6.99 per catalog — or both catalogs as a complete bundle for €11.99 (you save €2). No subscription, no hidden fees.

Boatpass is currently available for Android (Google Play Store). An iOS version is planned.

The app always contains the current official ELWIS question catalog. Whenever ELWIS updates the catalog, the app is updated promptly — so you always study with the exact questions used in the real exam.

The SBF Inland is recognized on German inland waterways. Abroad, national regulations apply — in many European countries the SBF is sufficient, while others additionally require the ICC (International Certificate of Competence), which you can obtain based on your German license.

Yes — all questions and explanations are available offline after the initial download. An internet connection is only needed for the first download and any catalog updates.