The Victorian recreational marine licence knowledge test is drawn from Victorian marine law and the international collision rules. This plan maps the six topic areas against the 30-question format and 26 of 30 pass mark so you know exactly where to spend your study time.
What score do you need to pass?
You need at least 26 of 30 questions correct, meaning no more than 4 wrong answers. The test is multiple-choice with four options per question. No official time limit is published for the knowledge test, and Safe Transport Victoria’s own online practice test is presented untimed.
What topics does the test cover?
Six topic areas cover all 30 questions, drawn from the Marine Safety Act 2010 (Vic), the Marine Safety Regulations 2023 (Vic), and the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGS):
| Topic | Questions |
|---|---|
| Registration and Licensing | 6 |
| Collision Rules: Steering and Sailing | 6 |
| Safe Operation and Speed | 5 |
| Safety Equipment and Lifejackets | 5 |
| Lights, Shapes, and Signals | 4 |
| Duties and Incident Reporting | 4 |
Registration and Licensing covers which vessels must be registered in Victoria, how the registration process works, who needs a marine licence, and the restrictions that apply to a restricted licence. Collision Rules draws from the COLREGS: give-way and stand-on duties, overtaking, head-on and crossing situations, safe speed, and maintaining a proper look-out. These two topics carry the most weight, six questions each.
Safe Operation covers speed limits, distance-off rules near swimming areas, and the rules around towing and water skiing. Equipment and Lifejackets covers required safety gear, flares, fire extinguishers, and when lifejackets must be worn. Lights, Shapes, and Signals tests navigation lights, day shapes, sound signals, and distress signals. Duties and Incident Reporting covers the master’s duty of care, rendering assistance to people in distress, and the obligation to report a reportable incident.
How should you structure your study?
Two to three weeks of focused preparation suits most applicants.
Week 1: Read the source materials. Work through the Marine Safety Regulations 2023 (Vic) first, as they contain most of the registration, licensing, safe-operation, and lifejacket rules. Then read the COLREGS steering and sailing rules (Rules 4 to 19), the lights and signals rules (Rules 20 to 37), and the distress signals annex. The Victorian legislation is at legislation.vic.gov.au.
Weeks 2 and 3: Drill by category. Start with Registration and Licensing and Collision Rules, as each contributes six questions. Score yourself per topic and keep drilling until you can hit the equivalent pass rate within each category before moving on. Safe Operation and Equipment each add five questions; Lights and Duties four each.
Final stretch: Full mocks. Run 30-question practice exams until you clear 26 correct consistently. After each mock, return to any weak area and drill those questions before retesting.
What specific rules should you commit to memory?
Several rules carry weight across more than one topic area. Locking these in pays dividends across the whole test:
- 26 of 30: the pass mark, no more than 4 wrong
- COLREGS Rule 14: in a head-on situation, both power-driven vessels alter course to starboard and pass port to port
- COLREGS Rule 18: a power-driven vessel underway must keep clear of a vessel not under command
- COLREGS Rule 32: a prolonged blast lasts four to six seconds; a short blast is about one second
- Starboard sidelight is green, port is red (COLREGS Rule 21)
- Children under 12 must wear a compulsory lifejacket at all times in an open area of a vessel underway on coastal waters (Marine Safety Regulations reg 68)
- Observer when towing: a second person on board must be able to watch the towed person and communicate with the master (reg 60)
- Marine Safety Act s 91: a master who sees a person in distress must proceed with all practicable speed to help, unless unable, unsafe, or it would be unreasonable
- Restricted marine licence: the holder must not be master at 10 knots or above, between sunset and sunrise, or while towing (reg 44)
Where do you sit the test?
The knowledge test is administered by Safe Transport Victoria at VicRoads customer service outlets and at accredited marine training providers across Victoria. Contact Safe Transport Victoria or a local VicRoads outlet to confirm current booking arrangements and find a sitting near you.