Commercial Endorsement
RYA Commercial Endorsement
A Commercial Endorsement is the add-on that turns an RYA Yachtmaster Offshore or Ocean certificate from a recreational qualification into one valid for paid delivery work.
TL;DR, A Commercial Endorsement is what an RYA Yachtmaster needs before being paid to skipper a yacht. It requires an ENG1 medical, STCW Basic, a PPR course, and a small RYA fee. Renew every five years.
Why the endorsement exists
The RYA Yachtmaster certificate by itself is a recreational qualification. To be hired and paid as skipper on a yacht, UK and most European flag states require the certificate to be commercially endorsed, which adds proof of medical fitness, safety training, and professional responsibilities.
What you need to add to the Yachtmaster
- ENG1 medical or equivalent seafarer fitness certificate, valid two years
- STCW Basic Safety Training (Personal Survival, Fire Prevention, First Aid, PSSR)
- Professional Practices and Responsibilities (PPR) course, an online RYA module
- Endorsement fee to the RYA, currently around £55
The whole package takes about a week of training and a couple of hundred euros in fees on top of the certificate itself.
What it lets you do
Once endorsed, your Yachtmaster Offshore or Ocean is recognised as a commercial skipper ticket for:
- Paid delivery work on yachts up to 24 metres
- Skippering charter yachts within the certificate's geographic limits
- Hire on commercial sail-training vessels
Renewal
The endorsement is valid five years and must be renewed by re-taking PPR, keeping ENG1 current, and refreshing STCW Basic.
Related reading
Related terms
Yachtmaster Offshore
RYA Yachtmaster Offshore is the British sailing qualification that allows a skipper to command a vessel of up to 24 metres on passages up to 150 nautical miles from a safe haven.
Yachtmaster Ocean
RYA Yachtmaster Ocean is the highest RYA sailing qualification, certifying a skipper to plan and execute ocean passages of unlimited length, including transatlantic deliveries.
STCW Basic Safety Training
STCW Basic Safety Training is the international seafarer-safety certificate that every paid delivery crew member needs before they can step on a commercial-endorsed vessel.
Read further
Yacht delivery captain licences: a quick reference
Yachtmaster Ocean, USCG Master, RYA, MCA, STCW, which licence do you actually need to deliver yachts commercially? A region-by-region guide.
Yacht delivery insurance and contracts: what owners actually need before handing over the keys
A plain-English guide for yacht owners: what your hull insurance requires during a paid delivery, what a sensible delivery contract looks like, and the five questions to ask your captain before slipping lines.
Skip the homework
A captain who actually sails your route will explain the licence angle better than any glossary entry. Post your delivery