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Australia · Boat licence

How to get a Qld boat licence

You pass a BoatSafe course with an accredited provider, then apply in person with the statement of competency it gives you. A Qld boat licence, the recreational marine driver licence, is needed for any boat with an engine over 4.5 kW. A jet ski needs a personal watercraft licence as well.

  • 4.5 kilowattsEngine power above which you need one
  • 6 monthsLife of your BoatSafe statement
  • For lifeNo renewal once it’s issued
Find a BoatSafe provider

Updated October 2026 · Written from official sources, listed at the bottom of this page

How do you get a boat licence in Qld?

  1. Check you’re at least 16.
  2. Enrol in a BoatSafe course and give the provider a completed medical fitness disclosure statement.
  3. Pass the course. Your provider gives you a statement of competency, valid for 6 months from the date it’s issued.
  4. Apply at a transport and motoring customer service centre or a QGAP office that offers marine licensing (call first). Bring a marine licence application (form F2334), proof of identity, your original statement of competency and the licence fee.
  5. You get a printed receipt on the day. If you have a Queensland driver licence, a new card comes in the post with your marine licence on the back. Otherwise you get a marine licence indicator card.

If you use the Digital Licence app, you can verify your identity with it, and your marine licence appears in the app once it’s approved.

Licence fees →The PWC licence →No renewal: how to check or replace it →

Where can you do a BoatSafe course in Queensland?

TMR’s directory of BoatSafe training providers is searchable by suburb or postcode. In October 2026 it had 160 listings, including ones for Brisbane, the Gold Coast, the Sunshine Coast, Cairns, Townsville, Mackay, Hervey Bay, Bundaberg, Gladstone, Noosa, Redcliffe, Caloundra and Airlie Beach, along with inland dams and towns. Providers set their own course prices.

How to choose a course →

Driving without your own licence

You can drive a boat or PWC without a licence if a supervisor with a valid marine licence is on board and can take control at once. You can’t drive a boat that’s towing someone, such as a water skier, unless you hold your own licence. For hire boats, Maritime Safety Queensland asks you to contact your local office about its rules.

Coming from another state or overseas

To convert an interstate licence, bring form F2334, proof of identity, your original interstate licence (current or expired less than 5 years) and the licence fee to a service centre. If your interstate licence has expired for longer, renew it with the state that issued it or do the full Queensland process.

Some overseas licences are temporarily recognised for visitors. If you’re settling in Queensland, you need a Queensland licence within 3 months of arriving in Australia or getting a resident visa. A recognised overseas licence still needs a statement of competency from a BoatSafe provider, through the course or recognition of prior learning.

Sources: Queensland Government and 4 more. Checked October 2026.

Rules and fees can change, so check the official site before your test.

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