Lost boating licence: how to request a replacement

Apply for a replacement to the maritime authority or Motorizzazione office responsible for the licence. Required documents, a police report and fees may vary by case, so check the issuing office’s current instructions and forms.

Who to contact

If you have lost your boating licence, first identify the authority that issued it: this may be the Port Authority, a local maritime office or, for matters within its remit, a Motorizzazione office. The authority responsible for your licence handles the replacement. You do not have to retake the exam just because the card was lost, unless other decisions or circumstances apply.

Contact the office and ask for the current procedure for loss, theft or damage. It will tell you whether you need a police report, which form to use, which photographs or identity documents to provide, and how to pay any fees. Do not assume the same forms or amounts apply throughout Italy: the application may depend on the issuing authority and its current instructions.

If you remember them, prepare the licence details: number, category, issue date and issuing authority. A copy or scan kept securely may help locate the record, but it does not replace the original licence or authorise you to navigate. If the document was stolen, keep the police report receipt and follow instructions on retaining or presenting the original if it is found.

• Check which authority issued the licence and contact the responsible office.
• Ask whether a police report is needed and which forms and fees currently apply.
• Provide the licence details and proof of identity.
• Do not treat a photo or police report as a substitute for a valid licence.

While waiting for the replacement

Before operating a vessel, ask the authority whether it can issue a valid temporary certificate and what activities it covers; do not navigate based only on the application receipt. The rule may depend on the procedure and document type. If the licence had expired or carried restrictions, replacing the physical document does not renew its validity or remove those conditions.

Also check that your address and details in the records are up to date so that any correspondence reaches you. If you do not know which office issued the licence, the Portale dell’Automobilista or the Port Authority in your area may point you to the right channel to trace the application.

If you are preparing for the boating test,Quiz Patente Ufficiale offers study topics, timed quizzes and review of mistakes; for a replacement licence, follow the issuing authority’s instructions.