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About Recreational Skipper's Ticket
What is a Recreational Skipper’s Ticket, when it is required, and who has to have one.
You need a Recreational Skipper’s Ticket (RST) to operate a recreational vessel with a motor that exceeds 6 horsepower (4.5kW) in Western Australia.
An RST is a nationally-recognised certificate of competency that demonstrates the holder has the minimum knowledge and practical skills needed to safely operate a powerboat.
You are not required to renew your RST or pay ongoing fees.
Age restrictions
You must be at least 14 years old to get an RST.
RST holder under 16 years old are restricted to operating a vessel:
- during daylight hours, and
- at a speed less than 8 knots.
Who needs an RST?
Only the skipper (person in charge of the vessel) needs to have an RST. The skipper is responsible for what happens on the boat during the voyage.
The skipper must carry their RST with them at all times when operating a vessel.
You do not need an RST to:
- own a boat that is docked or on land
- operate a vessel that does not have a motor
- operate a vessel with a motor with a power of 6 hp (4.5 kW) or less.
Find out more about your responsibility and duty of care as a skipper.
Commercial seafarers
Seafarers who have commercial certificates of competency still need an RST to operate a recreational vessel with a motor that exceeds 6 horsepower (4.5kW) in WA.
You can get your commercial qualification recognised as equivalent to an RST.
Find out more about RST skills recognition and equivalents.
Interstate and overseas skippers
If you hold a foreign skipper's ticket from another country or Australian state, and you intend to stay in WA for less than 3 months, you do not need an RST.
If you stay in WA longer than 3 months, you must obtain an RST.
RST for hire and drive vessels
The Department of Transport strongly recommends that a driver of a hire and drive vessel with engine power greater than 4.5kW (6HP) hold an RST, even if it is a domestic commercial vessel.
A hire and drive vessel is a vessel that is let for hire or reward which the driver uses only for recreation. It includes a vessel that an accommodation provider makes available for guests or tenants to use.
A RST is not necessary for a hire and drive vessel if:
- The vessel is part of a tour led by a suitably experienced and competent guide.
- The area of the hire and drive operation is entirely within a well-defined area and within the line of sight of the hire and drive vessel owner, and the owner ensures:
- the area of operation is communicated to the driver;
- appropriate safety measures such as rescue vessels are in place to respond in a timely manner to incidents;
- an appropriate safety briefing is given, covering factors such as local navigational hazards, and specific handling characteristics and limitations of the vessel being hired; and
- if the vessel is a PWC, it has both a kill switch lanyard and a remotely-operated cut-out switch which is effective over the entire area of operation.
- The area of the hire and drive operation is entirely within a well-defined area in an inland waterway (e.g. river, lake, dam etc) but not always within the line of sight of the owner, and the owner ensures:
- the area of operation is communicated to the driver;
- appropriate safety measures such as rescue vessels are in place to respond in a timely manner to incidents;
- an appropriate safety briefing is given, covering factors such as local navigational hazards, and specific handling characteristics and limitations of the vessel being hired; and
- appropriate communication devices are available and plans are established to enable calls for assistance.