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Key Facts: Patente Nautica Entro 12 Miglia Exam

16/20

Correct Answers Required in the Quiz Base (Maximum 4 Errors)

D.M. 10 agosto 2021, n. 323; D.D. 131/2022 Allegato A

4/5

Correct Answers Required in the Carteggio Quiz and in the Quiz Vela

D.M. 10 agosto 2021, n. 323

EUR 65.95

Examination Fee for Categories A and C, Plus Two EUR 16.00 Stamps

Guardia Costiera, Ammissione all'esame per la patente nautica

5 hours

Minimum Certified Manoeuvring Practice Required for Admission

D.M. 10 agosto 2021, n. 323, art. 3 and Allegato D

Minimum Age for Categories A, B and C

Guardia Costiera; D.M. 29 luglio 2008, n. 146

Italy's Category A licence within 12 miles is examined with a preliminary 5-question chartwork quiz, a 20-question quiz base passed with at least 16 correct, a 5-question sailing quiz for sail candidates, and a separate practical test. This bank is independent English-language MCQ study, not the ministerial question list.

Sample Patente Nautica Entro 12 Miglia Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to review concepts for the Patente Nautica Entro 12 Miglia exam. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1Under COLREG Rule 12, when two sailing vessels (unità a vela) are approaching one another with the wind on different sides so as to involve risk of collision, which vessel must keep out of the way?

A.The vessel which has the wind on the port side (mure a sinistra)

B.The vessel which has the wind on the starboard side (mure a dritta)

C.The vessel sailing closer to the wind regardless of tack

D.The larger vessel or the vessel sailing at higher speed

Explanation: COLREG Rule 12(a)(i) establishes that when two sailing vessels have the wind on different sides, the vessel that has the wind on the port side (mure a sinistra) must keep out of the way of the vessel that has the wind on the starboard side (mure a dritta). Under Italian seamanship terminology, 'barca con mure a sinistra lascia la strada a barca con mure a dritta'.

2Under COLREG Rule 14, what action must two power-driven vessels (unità a motore) take when meeting on reciprocal or nearly reciprocal courses involving risk of collision (rotta opposta con rischio di abbordaggio)?

A.The faster craft alters course to port to cross ahead safely

B.Each vessel must alter her course to starboard to pass port to port

C.Each vessel maintains her heading and immediately reduces throttle

D.The smaller recreational craft yields by making a complete circle

Explanation: COLREG Rule 14(a) mandates that when two power-driven vessels are meeting on reciprocal or nearly reciprocal courses so as to involve risk of collision, each shall alter her course to starboard (accostare a dritta) so that each may pass on the port side (sinistra) of the other, visually showing red light to red light (rosso con rosso).

3According to COLREG Rule 13, at what bearing angle relative to another craft's beam is an approaching vessel legally deemed to be an overtaking vessel (unità che ne raggiunge un'altra)?

A.Coming up from directly abeam at an angle of 90 degrees

B.Approaching from forward of the beam within 45 degrees

C.Coming up from more than 22.5 degrees abaft the beam

D.Approaching within the 112.5 degree arc of sidelights

Explanation: COLREG Rule 13(b) specifies that a vessel is deemed to be overtaking when coming up with another vessel from a direction more than 22.5 degrees abaft her beam (oltre 22,5 gradi a poppavia del traverso). At night, an overtaking vessel is positioned such that she can see only the sternlight (fanale di coronamento) of the overtaken vessel, and neither of her sidelights (fanali laterali).

4In a crossing situation between two power-driven vessels under COLREG Rule 15, what is the primary obligation of the give-way vessel (unità che deve manovrare)?

A.Increase engine speed to pass cleanly ahead of the other vessel

B.Maintain course and sound one prolonged blast on the whistle

C.Turn immediately to port across the wake of the stand-on vessel

D.Keep clear and avoid crossing ahead of the other vessel

Explanation: COLREG Rule 15 dictates that when two power-driven vessels are crossing so as to involve risk of collision, the vessel which has the other on her own starboard side shall keep out of the way and shall, if the circumstances of the case admit, avoid crossing ahead of the other (evitare di tagliarle la rotta a prora). She typically alters course to starboard to pass under the other's stern.

5Under COLREG Rule 18 (responsabilità tra navi), which list correctly reflects the descending order of precedence where each category must yield to the one before it?

A.Not under command, restricted manoeuvrability, fishing, sailing, power-driven

B.Power-driven, sailing, fishing, restricted manoeuvrability, not under command

C.Sailing, power-driven, fishing, not under command, restricted manoeuvrability

D.Restricted manoeuvrability, power-driven, sailing, fishing, not under command

Explanation: COLREG Rule 18 establishes the hierarchy of responsibilities between vessels. Except where Rules 9, 10, and 13 otherwise require, a power-driven vessel must keep out of the way of: a vessel not under command (unità che non governa), a vessel restricted in her ability to manoeuvre (unità con manovrabilità limitata), a vessel engaged in fishing (unità intenta alla pesca), and a sailing vessel (unità a vela).

6On a Mercator nautical chart, which scale must be used to measure a distance, and why?

A.The horizontal longitude scale along the top or bottom border, because a degree of longitude is constant.

B.The vertical latitude scale at the mean latitude of the track, because one minute of latitude equals one nautical mile.

C.The linear bar scale in the title block, which is valid over the whole sheet.

D.Either border, because on a Mercator projection both scales are identical.

Explanation: On the Mercator projection the latitude scale is progressively stretched towards the poles, so the length of one minute of latitude on the paper grows with latitude. A distance must therefore be taken from the side (latitude) border, opposite the mean latitude of the leg being measured, where one minute equals one nautical mile. The longitude scale cannot be used at all, because a minute of longitude shrinks with the cosine of the latitude.

7Under COLREG Rule 23, what navigation lights are strictly required for a power-driven vessel under 12 metres in length underway at night?

A.Two masthead lights, twin flashing yellow strobes, and one sternlight

B.Separate green and red masthead lights without any white illumination

C.An all-round white light and sidelights (fanali laterali)

D.Only a continuous sternlight showing over an arc of 135 degrees

Explanation: COLREG Rule 23(c)(i) states that a power-driven vessel of less than 12 metres in length may in lieu of the lights prescribed in paragraph (a) exhibit an all-round white light (fanale bianco a 360 gradi) and sidelights (fanali laterali rosso e verde). Sidelights may be separate or combined in a single lantern placed on the fore-and-aft centerline.

8Under COLREG Rule 25(e), what daytime shape must a sailing vessel exhibit when also being propelled by machinery (navigazione a vela con motore acceso)?

A.A black cylinder displayed forward of the mainsail

B.Two black balls suspended vertically one above the other

C.A black diamond shape hoisted at the masthead truck

D.A conical shape, apex downwards, forward where best seen

Explanation: COLREG Rule 25(e) requires that a vessel proceeding under sail when also being propelled by machinery shall exhibit forward where it can best be seen a conical shape, apex downwards (un cono nero con il vertice verso il basso). In Italian nautical terminology, this indicates that although her sails are set, she is legally classified as a power-driven vessel subject to power-driven steering rules.

9What daytime signal and nighttime lights are displayed by a vessel not under command (unità che non governa) according to COLREG Rule 27(a)?

A.By day two black balls; by night two all-round red lights in a vertical line

B.By day one black cone; by night two flashing green lights at the masthead

C.By day three black shapes; by night red-white-red all-round vertical lights

D.By day a rectangular flag; by night one flashing blue strobe light

Explanation: COLREG Rule 27(a) stipulates that a vessel not under command (unità che non governa) shall exhibit: by day, where they can best be seen, two balls or similar shapes in a vertical line (due palloni neri verticali); by night, two all-round red lights in a vertical line (due fanali rossi verticali a 360 gradi). When making way through the water, she also exhibits sidelights and a sternlight, but never a masthead light.

10A boat leaves a known point at 09:00 steering a true course of 045 degrees at 5 knots through the water, with no current and no leeway. Where is the estimated position (punto stimato) at 10:30?

A.7.5 nautical miles from the departure point along 045 degrees.

B.5.0 nautical miles from the departure point along 045 degrees.

C.7.5 nautical miles from the departure point along 225 degrees.

D.10.0 nautical miles from the departure point along 045 degrees.

Explanation: Dead reckoning is distance equals speed multiplied by time. From 09:00 to 10:30 is 1.5 hours, and 5 knots for 1.5 hours gives 7.5 nautical miles, laid off from the departure point along the course steered, 045 degrees. With no current and no leeway the water track and the ground track coincide, so the estimated position is also the ground position.

About the Patente Nautica Entro 12 Miglia Exam

The Category A licence for navigation within 12 miles of the coast, with the sailing endorsement, authorises command of natanti, imbarcazioni da diporto and moto d'acqua out to twelve miles. The examination programme is set by Allegato A to D.M. 10 agosto 2021, n. 323 and covers hull theory and sailing theory, engines, safety of navigation, manoeuvring and conduct, the collision regulations and maritime marks, meteorology, chart and electronic navigation, and pleasure-boating and environmental law. The written stage opens with a preliminary chartwork quiz, continues with the twenty-question quiz base drawn from the national list of Decreto Dirigenziale 131/2022 and, for sail candidates, adds a five-question sailing quiz; a separate practical manoeuvring test follows. OpenExamPrep provides an independent 100-question English-language practice bank across the same programme.

Exam sponsor: Capitaneria di Porto / Guardia Costiera; applications within 12 miles may also be lodged at an Ufficio della Motorizzazione Civile. The requirements and fees below concern the certification or admission exam, separate from our free practice resources.

Assessment

Phase 1: quiz su elementi di carteggio, 5 single-answer questions, at least 4 correct within 20 minutes; this phase is preliminary and failing it ends the examination. Phase 2: quiz base, 20 three-option questions distributed by Allegato C as 1 hull theory, 1 engines, 3 safety, 4 manoeuvring and conduct, 2 COLREG and maritime marks, 2 meteorology, 4 chart and electronic navigation and 3 pleasure-boating and environmental law; at least 16 correct, a maximum of 4 errors, within 30 minutes. Phase 3 for sail candidates: quiz vela, 5 single-answer questions, at least 4 correct within 15 minutes. Practical test on a different day before a different commission: handling on different points of sailing over legs of at least a quarter of a mile, man-overboard recovery, mooring and unmooring, use of the safety equipment and preparation for bad weather.

Time Limit

65 minutes of written testing in total (20 minutes carteggio, 30 minutes quiz base, 15 minutes quiz vela); the practical test is held on a separate day

Passing Score

Carteggio at least 4/5; quiz base at least 16/20 (maximum 4 errors); quiz vela at least 4/5; plus a pass in the practical manoeuvring test

Exam / Certification Fees

EUR 65.95 examination fee for categories A and C plus two EUR 16.00 revenue stamps, in addition to the medical certificate and any tuition

Exam sponsor website

Fees, eligibility, and exam policies can change. Confirm them with the exam sponsor before applying or paying.

Official sources

D.M. 10 agosto 2021, n. 323 — Programmi di esame per le patenti nautiche di categoria A, B e C e modalità di svolgimento delle prove · Source checked 2026-09-17Allegato A is the category A and C programme, Allegato C the quiz base subject distribution and Allegato D the five-hour practical training programme
Decreto Dirigenziale 31 maggio 2022, n. 131 — Allegato A, Quiz patenti nautiche · Source checked 2026-09-17Single national question list and the instructions read to candidates: five carteggio questions, twenty quiz base questions with a maximum of four errors, five quiz vela questions
Guardia Costiera — Ammissione all'esame per la patente nautica · Source checked 2026-09-17Categories, age and fitness requirements, where applications are lodged, the 30-day interval before the examination, and the EUR 65.95 fee plus two EUR 16.00 stamps
Allegato V (articolo 54) — Mezzi di salvataggio e dotazioni di sicurezza, as replaced by D.M. 17 settembre 2024, n. 133 · Source checked 2026-09-17Current safety-equipment table by distance from the coast, including the coastal liferaft, 150-category lifejackets and pyrotechnics required within 12 miles
Codice della Nautica da Diporto (D.Lgs. 18 luglio 2005, n. 171) e D.M. 29 luglio 2008, n. 146 · Source checked 2026-09-17Craft classification, when a licence is required (engine above 30 kW), licence categories and the 10-year validity reduced to 5 years from age 60

Our practice resources: topics covered

We aim to reflect publicly available exam outlines and topic information in our study resources. Coverage, format, and difficulty may differ from the actual exam, and we cannot guarantee that every detail is accurate or current. Confirm exam requirements, fees, and policies with the official exam sponsor.

26%

Navigazione Cartografica ed Elettronica e Carteggio

Mercator charts, coordinates, variation and deviation, dead reckoning, fixes by bearings and transits, wind and current, electronic navigation, chart datum and publications.

17%

Sicurezza della Navigazione

Allegato V equipment by distance from the coast, extinguishers and engine fires, distress signals, VHF channel 16 and 1530, and casualty procedures.

13%

Colreg e Segnalamento Marittimo

Sailing and power rules, responsibilities between vessels, principal lights and day shapes, sound signals and IALA region A marks.

11%

Manovre e Condotta

Harbour entry and exit, mooring, springs and fenders, anchoring and scope, knots, man overboard and handling in a seaway.

11%

Teoria della Vela, Attrezzatura e Manovre

Points of sailing, apparent wind, sail drive and balance, tacking and gybing, reefing, rigging and heaving to.

10%

Normativa Diportistica e Ambientale

Craft classification, licence scope and validity, documents, duties of the person in command, alcohol, speed limits, assistance and marine protected areas.

Meteorologia

Beaufort scale, breezes, isobars, Buys Ballot, fronts, the named Mediterranean winds and Meteomar.

Motori

Four-stroke and diesel principles and the cooling water check after starting.

Teoria dello Scafo

Hull nomenclature, opera viva and opera morta, freeboard and rudder effect.

Preparing for the Patente Nautica Entro 12 Miglia Exam

What You Need to Know

Passing score: Carteggio at least 4/5; quiz base at least 16/20 (maximum 4 errors); quiz vela at least 4/5; plus a pass in the practical manoeuvring test
Assessment: Phase 1: quiz su elementi di carteggio, 5 single-answer questions, at least 4 correct within 20 minutes; this phase is preliminary and failing it ends the examination. Phase 2: quiz base, 20 three-option questions distributed by Allegato C as 1 hull theory, 1 engines, 3 safety, 4 manoeuvring and conduct, 2 COLREG and maritime marks, 2 meteorology, 4 chart and electronic navigation and 3 pleasure-boating and environmental law; at least 16 correct, a maximum of 4 errors, within 30 minutes. Phase 3 for sail candidates: quiz vela, 5 single-answer questions, at least 4 correct within 15 minutes. Practical test on a different day before a different commission: handling on different points of sailing over legs of at least a quarter of a mile, man-overboard recovery, mooring and unmooring, use of the safety equipment and preparation for bad weather.
Time limit: 65 minutes of written testing in total (20 minutes carteggio, 30 minutes quiz base, 15 minutes quiz vela); the practical test is held on a separate day
Exam / certification fees: EUR 65.95 examination fee for categories A and C plus two EUR 16.00 revenue stamps, in addition to the medical certificate and any tuition Official sources

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Patente Nautica Entro 12 Miglia: Suggested Study Strategy

1Learn the order of precedence in Rule 18: a power-driven vessel keeps clear of a sailing vessel, of a vessel engaged in fishing, of one restricted in her ability to manoeuvre and of one not under command; a vessel constrained by her draught is a separate case to be avoided with caution.

2Work the correction and conversion of headings and bearings until it is automatic: true equals compass plus deviation plus variation, counting East as positive and West as negative, and reversing the sign when going the other way.

3Measure distance only on the latitude scale at the side of the chart, opposite the mean latitude of the leg; the longitude scale along the top and bottom is never a distance scale on a Mercator chart.

4Memorise the 12-mile column of Allegato V: a coastal liferaft for everyone aboard, 150-category lifejackets with automatic lights, a lifebuoy with line and light, two smoke signals, two red hand flares, two parachute rockets, compass and deviation table, clock, the COLREG signal table and a VHF set.

5For the autonomy calculation, multiply the hourly consumption by the hours of navigation and add thirty per cent; multiplying by the miles instead of the hours is the error the ministerial questions are written to catch.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between the 12-mile endorsement and the one without limits?

Both use the same twenty-question quiz base and, for sail candidates, the same five-question quiz vela. What differs is the preliminary chartwork phase: the 12-mile candidate answers five single-answer questions on reading a chart in 20 minutes, while the offshore candidate works four full chartwork problems on Istituto Idrografico della Marina charts 5/D or 42/D in 60 minutes.

How many mistakes are allowed in each part of the written test?

The quiz base has twenty three-option questions and is passed with at least sixteen correct, so four errors are allowed and the fifth means failure. The carteggio quiz and the quiz vela each have five questions and are passed with at least four correct, so one error is allowed in each. Omitted answers, and answers given and then altered, count as errors.

What happens if I fail one part of the examination?

The carteggio quiz is preliminary: a candidate who fails it is excluded from the quiz base. A candidate who fails only the quiz vela may ask the commission to continue for the endorsement limited to motor craft. A candidate who passes the written stage but fails the practical test may apply within thirty days to sit the practical test alone.

Is practical training required before the examination?

Yes. Article 3 of D.M. 10 agosto 2021, n. 323 admits to the examination only a candidate who has completed at least five hours of manoeuvres covering the programme in Allegato D, certified by a nautical school. That programme covers knots, rudder and propeller effects, use of the compass and instruments, mooring and unmooring with a simulated anchoring under power, and man-overboard recovery.

Are OpenExamPrep questions the official ministerial questions?

No. The official list is Allegato A to Decreto Dirigenziale 31 maggio 2022, n. 131, whose questions have three options and are in Italian. This is an independent English-language four-option practice bank written from the Allegato A programme and the underlying law; it is a study aid and does not reproduce or simulate the official test.