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Free Practice Questions for GIMS Small-Craft Attestation

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Key Facts: GIMS Small-Craft Attestation Exam

24 of 25

Correct answers needed on a GIMS theory test covering one vessel type and one navigation area under MCHS Order No. 90.

MCHS Order No. 90 of 13.02.2026

35 questions / 45 min

Largest GIMS theory ticket, covering all topic blocks, with 32 correct answers needed to pass.

MCHS Order No. 90 of 13.02.2026

2 May 2026

Date the new GIMS attestation procedure took effect, replacing MCHS Order No. 885 of 2023.

MCHS Orders No. 89 and No. 90 of 13.02.2026

18 years

Minimum age for a small-vessel operator's certificate under Article 22 of Federal Law No. 4-FZ.

Federal Law No. 4-FZ of 03.02.2025

RUB 2,000

State duty for issuing the small-vessel operator's certificate under Tax Code Article 333.33(1)(72).

Tax Code of the Russian Federation

9 months

Longest period between passing the GIMS theory test and the practical check when weather prevents earlier testing.

Federal Law No. 4-FZ, Art. 22(3)

Russia's GIMS attestation is a computer-based theory test (25 to 35 questions for a first certificate, depending on the vessel types and navigation areas claimed) followed by a practical check on the water. The State Inspectorate for Small Vessels runs it under MCHS Order No. 90 (in force since 2 May 2026), and candidates must be at least 18 and medically fit. This independent OpenExamPrep bank gives free English-language MCQ practice on the official topic areas; the real test is in Russian.

Sample GIMS Small-Craft Attestation Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to review concepts for the GIMS Small-Craft Attestation exam. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1Under the Inland Water Transport Code (Art. 3) and the Merchant Shipping Code (Art. 7) of the Russian Federation, which vessel counts as a small vessel (маломерное судно)?
A.A vessel up to 24 m long carrying no more than 12 people in total
B.A vessel up to 20 m long carrying no more than 12 passengers, crew not counted
C.A vessel up to 20 m long carrying no more than 12 people in total
D.A vessel up to 12 m long carrying no more than 20 people in total
Explanation: Both codes (and the note to Article 11.7 of the Code of Administrative Offences) define a small vessel as one whose length does not exceed 20 m and whose total number of people on board does not exceed 12. The 12-person limit counts everyone aboard, including the operator.
2Federal Law No. 4-FZ of 3 February 2025 (Art. 21) ties the duty to register a small vessel in the register of small vessels to which two thresholds?
A.A mass of 200 kg and an engine power of 8 kW
B.A mass of 300 kg and an engine power of 15 kW
C.A hull length of 9 m and an engine power of 8 kW
D.A mass of 200 kg and an engine power of 15 kW
Explanation: Article 21(1) of Law No. 4-FZ links state registration to a vessel mass of 200 kilograms and an installed engine power (if an engine is fitted) of 8 kilowatts, about 10.9 hp. Whether or not a boat must be registered, its operator still has to follow the rules for using small vessels.
3Under the Rules for the Use of Small Vessels approved by MCHS Order No. 636 (in force since 1 March 2026), when may a personal watercraft (гидроцикл) be used on a water body?
A.At any time, if it shows sidelights and a white all-round light
B.At night only inside buoyed water-ski zones
C.At any time, if the rider wears a lifejacket with a light
D.Only during daylight hours
Explanation: Paragraph 12 of the Order No. 636 Rules allows personal watercraft to be used on water bodies only in daylight. Carrying lights or a lit lifejacket does not make night use lawful.
4Paragraph 14 of the Order No. 636 Rules lists faults that prohibit operating a small vessel. Which steering condition is one of them?
A.The wheel needs more than two full turns from hard over to hard over
B.The rudder cannot be put over to the full 35 degrees on each side
C.The helm has no rudder-angle indicator
D.The steering cable is not made of stainless steel
Explanation: Operation is prohibited if the full rudder angle of 35° to each side is not achieved or the wheel is hard to turn. Damage to the rudder blade or steering-gear parts and missing fasteners such as nuts and cotter pins are also on the list. The other conditions are not.
5A boat's built-in air boxes are holed and no longer airtight. Why do the Order No. 636 Rules prohibit operating it in this condition?
A.Holed air boxes add weight and so reduce the rated passenger capacity
B.Air boxes hold the reserve fuel, so a leak creates a fire risk
C.Sealed compartments and buoyancy blocks keep a swamped boat afloat
D.Air boxes act as the main ballast that stops the boat rolling
Explanation: Watertight compartments, air boxes and buoyancy blocks provide the reserve buoyancy that keeps a flooded small boat afloat (unsinkability, непотопляемость). Paragraph 14(б) prohibits operation if they are missing or have lost their seal.
6Under paragraph 15 of the Order No. 636 Rules, which shortfall in life-saving equipment by itself prohibits operating a small vessel?
A.Fewer personal life-saving appliances than people aboard
B.No lifebuoy fitted with a self-igniting light on the deck
C.Lifejackets stowed in the cabin instead of out on deck
D.No inflatable liferaft carried on a trip along a river
Explanation: Paragraph 15(б) prohibits operation when personal life-saving appliances are missing for the number of people aboard or are faulty. Paragraph 15(а) also requires the vessel to meet the equipment norms of Customs Union technical regulation TR CU 026/2012.
7What does paragraph 10 of the Order No. 636 Rules require of lifejackets carried on a small vessel?
A.They must be orange and marked with the boat's registration number
B.They must fit the wearer's size and weight and stay on in a fall
C.They must be inflatable so that they can be stowed compactly
D.They must be checked and stamped by GIMS every year
Explanation: Lifejackets must match the size and mass of the people using them and, when worn, must be fastened so they cannot come off by themselves if the wearer falls into the water.
8In basic small-vessel theory, what is reserve buoyancy (запас плавучести)?
A.The extra engine power kept in hand for emergencies
B.The difference between the boat's light and loaded draught
C.The weight of fuel and water that can safely be carried aboard
D.The watertight volume of the hull above the loaded waterline
Explanation: Reserve buoyancy is the watertight volume of the hull above the waterline. It is what keeps the vessel afloat when extra load or water comes aboard. Freeboard is its visible measure, so overloading, which reduces freeboard, directly reduces reserve buoyancy.
9Passengers in a small open boat stand up and crowd to one side to look at something. What happens to the boat's stability?
A.It improves, because the boat sits deeper in the water
B.It is unchanged while the total weight stays within the plate limit
C.The centre of gravity rises and shifts sideways, reducing stability
D.It improves, because the load is now concentrated in one place
Explanation: Standing raises the centre of gravity, which reduces the metacentric height, and crowding to one side moves it off the centreline, creating a heeling moment. Together they sharply reduce the boat's ability to right itself and can capsize a small open boat. Passengers should stay seated and spread out.
10Water sloshing freely in the bilge of a small boat (free surface effect) reduces its stability. Why?
A.The water adds weight low down, which in fact lowers the centre of gravity
B.Water runs to the low side as the boat heels, acting like a rise in G
C.The water pushes the centre of buoyancy toward the high side
D.The water slows the roll, so the righting moment arrives too late
Explanation: Loose water flows to the low side when the boat heels, moving the centre of gravity toward the heel. The effect is equivalent to raising the centre of gravity (a virtual loss of metacentric height), so the righting lever shrinks. Keeping the bilge dry and dividing large tanks reduces the effect.

About the GIMS Small-Craft Attestation Exam

The GIMS attestation (аттестация физического лица на право управления маломерным судном) grants the right to operate small vessels subject to state registration: motor, sailing and sail-motor vessels, hovercraft, special-design vessels and personal watercraft, in inland waters, inland waterways and/or internal sea waters and the territorial sea of Russia. GIMS conducts it under Federal Law No. 4-FZ and MCHS Order No. 90 of 13 February 2026.

Exam sponsor: State Inspectorate for Small Vessels (ГИМС), Ministry of Civil Defence, Emergencies and Disaster Relief of the Russian Federation (МЧС России). The requirements and fees below concern the certification or admission exam, separate from our free practice resources.

Assessment

Stage 1: documents check and digital photograph. Stage 2: theory test on an automated workstation at a GIMS unit, with questions drawn at random from the official list for the vessel types and navigation areas claimed. Stage 3: practical check on the water in a buoyed area outside the fairway, covering getting under way, berthing, speed and course changes, going astern, passing other vessels, reading navigation marks, a man-overboard manoeuvre, anchoring and approaching an unequipped shore. If weather prevents it, the practical check may follow within 9 months of the theory test. A failed theory or practical check may be retaken no more than twice, 5 to 20 working days later.

Time Limit

45 min for 35 questions; 40 min for 25–30; 20 min for 15; 15 min for 10

Passing Score

Theory: 24 of 25, 28 of 30 or 32 of 35 correct; on 10- or 15-question add-on checks, one error allows 3 extra questions that must all be correct. Practical: at most 3 listed errors (2 for personal watercraft) and no critical errors.

Exam / Certification Fees

2,000 RUB state duty for the certificate; 650 RUB to replace it

Exam sponsor website

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

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.

Vessel-type block (at least 15 questions per ticket, shared with boat handling)

Vessel Theory, Construction and Equipment

Basics of vessel theory, structural elements that affect safety, engine or sail care, life-saving appliances, fire prevention and fire-fighting, unsinkability, and the equipment and fault rules of MCHS Order No. 636.

Vessel-type block (shared with vessel theory)

Boat Handling, Emergencies and First Aid

Effects of wind and current, passing and overtaking, anchoring and mooring, accident factors and grounding prevention, actions after engine failure, collision, grounding, fire or flooding, first aid, and preventing pollution.

Navigation-area block (at least 10 questions per ticket, shared with the other area topics)

Rules for the Use of Small Vessels and Liability

Small-vessel rules under MCHS Order No. 636 (lifejackets, prohibited actions, documents, duties toward GIMS inspectors), vessel survey, and administrative liability under Articles 11.7, 11.8.1 and 11.9 of the Code of Administrative Offences.

Navigation-area block (inland waterways)

Inland Waterway Navigation Rules (ППВВП)

Ministry of Transport Order No. 19 rules for vessels of 20 m and less, crossing the fairway, sound signals, lights and shapes, lateral and danger marks, regulatory signs, bridge signals, and lock passage.

Navigation-area block (internal sea waters and territorial sea)

COLREGs, Coastal Navigation, Communications and Weather

COLREGs-72 steering and sailing, lights and sound rules, IALA Region A buoyage, compass and chart basics, VHF distress communication, and basic weather signs.

Preparing for the GIMS Small-Craft Attestation Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: Theory: 24 of 25, 28 of 30 or 32 of 35 correct; on 10- or 15-question add-on checks, one error allows 3 extra questions that must all be correct. Practical: at most 3 listed errors (2 for personal watercraft) and no critical errors.
  • Assessment: Stage 1: documents check and digital photograph. Stage 2: theory test on an automated workstation at a GIMS unit, with questions drawn at random from the official list for the vessel types and navigation areas claimed. Stage 3: practical check on the water in a buoyed area outside the fairway, covering getting under way, berthing, speed and course changes, going astern, passing other vessels, reading navigation marks, a man-overboard manoeuvre, anchoring and approaching an unequipped shore. If weather prevents it, the practical check may follow within 9 months of the theory test. A failed theory or practical check may be retaken no more than twice, 5 to 20 working days later.
  • Time limit: 45 min for 35 questions; 40 min for 25–30; 20 min for 15; 15 min for 10
  • Exam / certification fees: 2,000 RUB state duty for the certificate; 650 RUB to replace it Official sources

Using Our Practice Resources

  • Work through all 100 available questions
  • Review every answer and explanation
  • Track weak areas and revisit them
  • Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

GIMS Small-Craft Attestation: Suggested Study Strategy

1Learn the inland sound signals and marks exactly: one short blast means altering course to starboard, two short to port, three short going astern, three long 'man overboard'; right-edge marks are red, left-edge marks white or black with green or white lights.
2Memorise the Order No. 636 specifics: keep 50 m from bathing-area boundaries, everyone on an open boat up to 4 m wears a lifejacket, children under 7 need an adult besides the operator, and personal watercraft may be used only in daylight.
3Practise with the official MCHS question list in Russian for the vessel type and navigation area you will claim, and use the English explanations here to check that you understand the rule behind each answer.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is GIMS (ГИМС МЧС России)?

GIMS is the State Inspectorate for Small Vessels of the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations (МЧС России). Under Federal Law No. 4-FZ it supervises small vessels, keeps the register of small vessels and the register of operator certificates, surveys vessels, and runs the attestation for the right to operate a small vessel.

How is the GIMS theory test structured in 2026?

Since 2 May 2026 the test follows MCHS Order No. 90 of 13 February 2026, which replaced Order No. 885. Questions come from topic blocks for each vessel type (motor, sailing, special-design, personal watercraft) and each navigation area (inland waters, inland waterways, internal sea waters and territorial sea). A first certificate with one vessel type and one area means at least 25 questions in 40 minutes, with 24 needed to pass; three to six blocks mean at least 30 questions (28 to pass) and all blocks 35 questions in 45 minutes (32 to pass).

Who can take the GIMS attestation?

Article 22 of Federal Law No. 4-FZ issues the certificate to Russian citizens, foreign citizens and stateless persons aged 18 or over who pass the attestation and are medically fit to operate a small vessel. The law does not list a training course as a condition, although many candidates prepare at a boating school. The state duty for issuing the certificate is 2,000 RUB.

What happens after the theory test?

Candidates who pass the theory test go on to a practical check on the water, in a buoyed area outside the fairway, on the vessel type they claimed. If weather makes the practical check impossible, it can be held within 9 months of the theory test. A failed theory or practical check may be retaken no more than twice, 5 to 20 working days later; after that the attestation ends and must be started again.

How should I use this English-language practice bank?

The official GIMS test is in Russian and uses the MCHS question list. This independent OpenExamPrep bank is an English-language multiple-choice study adaptation, not an official translation or a simulation of the test. It explains the rules behind the official topics, including Order No. 636, the inland waterway rules (ППВВП), COLREGs, boat safety and first aid. Work through the official Russian question list for your vessel type and navigation area as well.