What do you need to know about GIMS boat licenses?

There is a steady increase in the number of new watercraft users. Boats are the largest, most convenient, and most versatile watercraft. They are used for recreation, sports, fishing, and passenger transportation.
Contents of the article:
- GIMS licenses
- Types of licenses
- When is a boat license required?
- Training
- Required documents for passing the GIMS exam
- GIMS license validity
- Procedure for obtaining a GIMS boat license
potential boat owners taking to the water for the first time are interested in questions about the documents required for boat registration, the agencies or institutions that provide registration, and the requirements for boat owners to operate their boat. First, however, it is necessary to define the term “boat.”

According to current legislation, a vessel is an engineering structure with a fixed location that can move on water and transport cargo and people. GIMS License
GIMS licenses
GIMS monitors and supervises legal relations related to small vessels, including:
Registering small vessels in the registry;
- Issuing tickets to citizens for registered vessels;
- Conducting tests (technical inspections);
- It accepts cargo tests and grants citizens the right to operate a vessel.
- A vessel is considered small if its length is less than 20 meters and it cannot carry more than 12 people on board. In this case, the power of the stationary engine is limited to 75 hp. There are no established limits on the maximum power of the outboard engine.
The GIMS license is a document confirming citizens’ rights to operate small vessels. This certificate is similar to a motor vehicle license. The certificate confirms that the skipper has the required level of theoretical knowledge. Small vessel licenses
entitle citizens over 18 years of age to operate vessels subject to their health.
Types of licenses gims is authorized to issue licenses in the following categories, depending on the type of small vessel.
Types of licenses
Small vessels (motorized vessels, sailing-motorized vessels, sailing vessels, and specially designed vessels).
- In addition to the vessel category, the permitted navigation rights are specified. This is the navigation area the skipper is authorized to navigate.
- Navigation areas where skippers are allowed to sail small boats:
Inland waters. These are lakes, not navigable rivers;
Inland waterways. These are navigable rivers and GDPR rules apply to navigation;
- Internal and territorial seas of the Russian Federation;
- Coastal seas are located up to 20 miles from the coast.
- Where a specific navigation area is indicated, the circulation range of vessels from the shore is established. Thus, the categories that were previously valid for the right to operate small vessels “boats” and “motor boats” have been combined into a new category “small motor vessels”.
- In what cases is a boat license required?
The right to operate small boats is necessary for the boats to be registered in the small boat registry.
When is a boat license required?
The weight of the boat is determined by weighing the motor and the complete set of necessary equipment together, and not by passport data.
If the engine power exceeds 75 hp, the boat goes beyond the category of small boats and is controlled by the river or sea register.
Training
Training for the right to operate a vessel can be completed in special licensed educational institutions. Such institutions are available in all administrative centers where GIMS institutes are located.
Training
Necessary documents for passing the exam at GIMS
To take the exam at GIMS, citizens wishing to obtain this right must submit an application.
Required documents for passing the GIMS exam
A document confirming the citizen’s suitability to operate a small boat (medical certificate);
- Documentation of qualifications or training (for example, documents regarding training, rights, etc.);
- Two color matte photographs measuring 30 x 40 mm without corners;
- State tax receipt.
- Term of rights GIMS
- The right to drive a small boat is valid for 10 years. Rights issued before January 1, 2015 remain valid until expiration (10 years from date of issue).
GIMS license validity
After purchasing a vessel, the owner of the vessel must

Procedure for obtaining a GIMS boat license
Submit the necessary documents to register the boat at GIMS;
- Get a ship’s ticket;
- Equip the ship with the necessary support equipment recorded in the ship’s ticket;
- Pass a technical inspection of the vessel.
- To register a vessel, the shipowner submits the following documents to GIMS:
- Application card in the prescribed form (usually filled out electronically by a GIMS employee after submitting all documents);
Identity card (+ photocopy);
- TIN (copy);
- documents confirming the legality of the purchase of the boat (vessel) and engine (outboard motor) (original and photocopy);
- Copies and originals of technical passports for boats (vessels), engines or outboard motors;
- Documents confirming payment of fees for registering a boat (vessel) and issuing a ship’s ticket.
- After completing the necessary formalities to obtain the right to operate a boat and registering the boat with GIMS, you can fully enjoy your outdoor recreation.
- What do you need to know about the rights to a GIMS boat?
What do you need to know about the rights to a GIMS boat?






