Overview
The permis plaisance is the French licence to drive a motor recreational boat. It is issued by the State, which keeps full responsibility for marking and for granting the licence. The facts below come from the French-language pages of the Ministry in charge of the sea, the main one last updated on 17 April 2026.
Levels or stages
Coastal option (option cotiere)
For sea navigation. A first-time candidate must take at least 5 hours of theory training and practical training at an approved training school, then sit the theory exam.
Inland waters option (option eaux interieures)
For river navigation, with the same requirements as the coastal option. Sea licences allow driving on lakes and enclosed bodies of water, but not on canals, rivers or streams.
Extensions
The offshore extension (hauturiere) and the large inland pleasure craft extension (grande plaisance eaux interieures) are open only to holders of the matching base option. A holder of the inland option alone can take the large inland extension but not the offshore one. The large inland extension is practical training at a school and cannot be taken as a free candidate.
Who can apply
A first-time candidate for a base option must provide a medical certificate issued within the last 6 months by any registered doctor; it cannot be based on a teleconsultation. A candidate for a second option or an extension does not need a new certificate. The ministry page does not state a minimum age for the licence itself; it says only that from age 16 a person may drive a motor pleasure boat without a licence when accompanied by a holder of a licence of at least three years and the other conditions are met.
Exam pattern
Since 1 June 2022, the theory exam for the coastal and inland options is organised and supervised by four private bodies under State contract: La Poste, Dekra, SGS and Bureau Veritas. The exam is taken on a digital tablet and you must bring photo identification. It has 40 questions, with up to 5 errors tolerated (up from 30 questions earlier). The State still runs theory sessions for the offshore and large inland extensions, and special sessions for candidates with disabilities or for foreign-language sessions.
Fees
As listed by the ministry on its page updated in April 2026:
Licence issue: an electronic tax stamp of 78 euros for a first base option.
Registration with the private exam body: 30 euros.
Extension registration: an electronic tax stamp of 38 euros.
Special State session: a 30 euro tax stamp.
How to apply
For a first option, train at an approved school, then register directly on the website of one of the four exam bodies. A holder of one base option can register as a free candidate for the theory exam of the other option without repeating practical training; this needs an OEDIPP number, obtained by sending the official form to the competent local service. A first-time candidate cannot take the base theory exam as a free candidate.
Preparation tips
Complete the minimum theory training and practise multiple-choice questions before booking.
Check the Ministry page for current fees and the list of exam bodies, since the organisation changed in 2022.
How many questions are on the coastal option theory exam?
There are 40 questions, with a tolerance of 5 errors, according to the Ministry's 2022 notice.
Do I need the coastal option before the offshore extension?
You need the base option that matches the extension. The offshore extension requires the coastal option.