An International Certificate of Competence (ICC) is a certificate that may be issued to anyone who has successfully completed certain national boating licenses or has passed an examination to prove the necessary competence for pleasure craft operation. ICC is the only sailing license approved by United Nations as a legitimate recreational sailing license.[2]
Persons wishing to be tested in the United Kingdom need to be tested by an approved ICC test centre.
Although only guaranteed to be accepted in countries that have adopted the relevant UN Resolution, the ICC is a useful document to carry and will generally be accepted when proof of competence is required.
In very general terms an ICC is required for the inland waterways of Europe and for inland and coastal waters of Mediterranean countries. For the coastal waters of Northern Europe the ICC is generally not required, however to all of these generalisations there are exceptions.