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Australia · Boat licence

Boat licence in WA: the Recreational Skipper’s Ticket

In WA the boat licence is the Recreational Skipper’s Ticket (RST). You need it to skipper a recreational boat with a motor over 6 horsepower (4.5 kW), and you get it by passing a theory test and a practical assessment with an authorised provider. It’s valid for life.

  • 40Questions in the theory test
  • 34Correct answers to pass the theory
  • 56 of 62Practical criteria you must show
Find an RST assessment provider

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

How do you get a boat licence in WA?

  1. Check you’re at least 14.
  2. Study with the RST Workbook and a supervising skipper (an RST holder aged 18 or over), or with a training provider.
  3. Contact an authorised provider to book the assessment.
  4. Bring proof of eyesight, a medical fitness declaration, proof of identity and, if you’re under 18, a letter of consent from a parent or guardian. A WA driver’s licence normally covers the ID and eyesight parts.
  5. Pass the theory test, then the practical. The assessor gives you an interim certificate valid for 3 months, and your card is posted once the Department of Transport and Major Infrastructure (DTMI) processes your details.
The RST Workbook →RST fees →

The RST theory and practical assessment

The theory test has 40 multiple-choice questions and you need 34 right. It takes about an hour and covers boating rules, the international collision rules, buoys and navigation aids, navigation lights, maintenance, safety equipment, trip planning and emergencies.

Then comes a short trip where you act as skipper for about an hour. You need to show at least 56 of the 62 criteria across 11 tasks, including a safety briefing, a simulated man overboard, a controlled stop and berthing. You can do both parts on one day or on different days, even with different providers, and resit as many times as you need, though each attempt may cost a fee.

Authorised RST assessment providers

DTMI lists providers by region: Perth metropolitan, Gascoyne, Great Southern and Esperance, Kimberley, Mid West and Wheatbelt, Pilbara and the South West. In Perth they assess at places such as Mindarie, Hillarys, the Swan River, Fremantle, Rockingham and Mandurah. Providers set their own fees, and DTMI doesn’t regulate training providers.

Eyesight, health and visitors

You need 6/12 vision in one eye, with glasses or contacts if you wear them, the same as for driving a car in WA. If you have epilepsy, heart disease, high or low blood pressure, arthritis, type 1 diabetes or another physical or mental disability, a doctor completes your medical fitness declaration.

Visiting with a skipper’s ticket or boat licence from another state or country? You don’t need an RST for stays of 3 months or less. Staying longer, you need one, and DTMI lists the interstate and overseas qualifications it recognises as equivalent.

Sources: TransportWA and 4 more. Checked October 2026.

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

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