RYA Exam Fees for 2026: An Overview of the Latest Changes

by First Class Sailing | Dec 18, 2025 | RYA Exam Fees | 0 comments

RYA Yachtmaster practical exam showing updated RYA exam fees 2026

The Royal Yachting Association (RYA) has confirmed its updated exam fees for 2026. These fees apply across the Yachtmaster qualification scheme, radio certification, partial re-exams and commercial endorsements, reflecting routine adjustments to the cost of administering RYA examinations.

Below is a clear overview of the RYA exam fees for 2026, together with an explanation of how the fees apply when booking courses and assessments.

RYA Exam Fees for 2026

Type of Exam	Fee Charged to Applicant
Yachtmaster Offshore	£266
Yachtmaster Coastal & Advanced Powerboat	£230
Yachtmaster Ocean	£199
Partial Re-exam	£132
Short Range Certificate (SRC)	£76 (no change)
Commercial Endorsement	£49

Yachtmaster Practical Exam Fees

RYA Yachtmaster Coastal and Offshore exam fees 2026 in practice

The core Yachtmaster practical exams have all been updated for 2026:

Yachtmaster Offshore: £266
Yachtmaster Coastal and Advanced Powerboat: £230
Yachtmaster Ocean: £199

These qualifications remain internationally recognised benchmarks for experienced sailors, whether pursuing advanced cruising, offshore passage making, or professional skippering. Exam fees are set centrally by the RYA and apply uniformly across all recognised training centres.

Partial Re-exams

RYA partial re-exam fee 2026 during Yachtmaster assessment

For candidates required to retake only part of an assessment, the partial re-exam fee for 2026 is £132. This allows specific elements of the syllabus to be reassessed without repeating the full examination.

Short Range Certificate (SRC) Fee

RYA Short Range Certificate SRC exam fee 2026 unchanged

The Short Range Certificate (SRC) exam fee remains unchanged for 2026 at £76. The SRC continues to be a key requirement for operating marine VHF radios and is often the first formal RYA qualification undertaken by sailors and powerboaters.

Commercial Endorsement Fee

RYA commercial endorsement fee 2026 for professional skippers

The RYA Commercial Endorsement fee for 2026 is £49. This endorsement is required for those wishing to use RYA qualifications in a professional capacity, whether working as a skipper or crew.

How RYA Exam Fees Are Paid

For anyone signing up to a course that leads to an RYA exam, full details of how exam fees are paid directly to the RYA will be provided by email. This includes clear guidance on payment methods, timing, and any deadlines set by the RYA ahead of the assessment.

Summary

RYA exam fees for 2026 introduce updated costs across much of the Yachtmaster scheme, while retaining stability for qualifications such as the Short Range Certificate. The structure of RYA training and assessment remains unchanged, continuing to offer clear progression routes from entry-level certificates through to advanced and professional qualifications.

With fees set nationally by the RYA, candidates can expect consistent pricing and clear communication around exam arrangements when booking courses for 2026.

First Class Sailing Ltd

5.0

Based on 278 reviews

review us on

Maurice MacSweeney

11:45 30 Oct 25

Over the last few years First Class Sailing have taken me all the way from complete novice to Coastal Skipper, with theory and other courses along the way (like VHF, First Aid, etc), and there's now no other school I'd want to train and study with. They really stand out from other providers with the quality of their instructors and the support and responsiveness you get from the office team. There's never too many students on a course, so you get lots of time to practise and learn from the instructor. By the end of each course you really feel you've been stretched and graduated to a much higher level of skill. A really high quality outfit and thoroughly recommended!

Response from the owner 13:56 06 Nov 25

Hi Maurice, we're so pleased to have been with you from the start of your sailing journey. That's great that you enjoyed the ratio of students to instructor and felt confident with the levels you achieved. Thanks for the review, we hope you manage to get plenty of sailing in after all the hard work you've put in.

Marty Stromquist

15:22 24 Oct 25

I just finished another training week at First Class Sailing’s training center. The week was dedicated to Yachtmaster Ocean Theory, with a highlight on Celestial Navigation. The instructor, Nigel Rennie FRIN (Fellow of the Royal Institute of Navigation), was fantastic. It was very fast-paced, but covered the basics and theory behind Celestial Navigation. The jewel of the week was Rennie. His abundant patience, coupled with his experiences and passion for the art, made the week incredible. First Class Sailing have the best instructors. They know their craft and have real-life experience to make training both fun and memorable. Well Done!

Response from the owner 13:42 06 Nov 25

Thanks Marty. We're so pleased you enjoyed Nigel's expert guidance and passion for sailing. Like all our instructors, he loves teaching and sharing his knowledge, but manages to make it fun too. Thanks for the recommendation.

Anne-Laure McLeman

10:07 15 Oct 25

Being in an all female boat is a great way to learn. Kirsten, our instructor, had a very calm and reassuring style. The small size of the group (only 3 of us) meant we got a lot of attention and many opportunities to practice. Such a good week!

Response from the owner 13:24 06 Nov 25

Thank-you for the review Anne-Laure. That's great that the all female option suited you well and you enjoyed learning with Kirsten. Hopefully all that practice has set you up well for future sailing. Good luck!

Angus Sandison

19:57 07 Oct 25

Really great experience with First Class. My partner and I did our Day Skipper over two weekends with our instructor Mark. He was fantastic. Patient as we learned and made the whole thing fun. The boats are great and organization by First Class was seamless. Would totally recommend.

Response from the owner 13:17 06 Nov 25

Thanks Angus. That's good that you enjoyed Mark's style of teaching and also had lots of fun along the way. Wishing you lots of happy sailing in the future.

Tricia Bunten

18:48 07 Oct 25

I just finished a fantastic week taking my Day Skipper practical with First Class Sailing and I highly recommend them. I chose the Women Only week and had an incredibly patient instructor who was able to help each of us individually with areas of weakness but also worked great with us as a group. I had never sailed in the Solent before and it was the perfect location for this class. I am so grateful for First Class and my instructor for helping me build confidence and experience.

Response from the owner 16:59 04 Nov 25

Thanks Tricia, we're so pleased you enjoyed the Women Only week and had a positive experience. We always say that the Solent really is one of the best places to learn and it has some beautiful scenery to explore too, so that's good that you appreciated it. Hope you manage to get out on the water soon.

Evan Ainsworth

20:30 05 Oct 25

They do say that what sets great companies apart is customer service. This is my third time with first class sailing the first time was a few years ago when we did our competent crew it was one of the best weeks of our lives. Then we came again in August for the kids to do their competent crew and my wife and I to do our day skipper course. Unfortunately when I did my day skipper course the weather was terrible and I was unable to have a good session to pass. So Jake said to me you can come back and have a free weekend on us to enable you to pass. And again I had a fabulous weekend. There was just three of us on the boat. A wonderful instructor, Tom, and another student. Tom was an excellent instructor he was relaxed, he had great experiences, he got on with the practical part of sailing not just a lot of theory and he was thorough. He had lots of practical tips to make sailing easier and had some good exercises forest to try. We had a super trip down to Yarmouth where he cooked a wonderful dinner and then we went to the pub. Where we met another first class sailing group and spent the evening listening to their tall tales. The following day we had a super sail back to Southampton, with lots of cool exercises and I was thrilled to pass my day skipper.

Response from the owner 16:46 04 Nov 25

Thanks for the review Evan and congratulations on passing your Day Skipper practical, the hard work has paid off. That's good that the whole family joined you for one of the trips and so now hopefully you have some willing crew members for future sails. Good luck!

hugo kirby

15:26 09 Sep 25

great course with a very engaged and helpful instructor - who was happy to go outside the curriculum and give us the benefit of his wider knowledge - throroughly recommended

Response from the owner 15:30 11 Sep 25

That's good that you appreciated the experiences and extra knowledge that the instructor passed on. Thanks for the recommendation.

Justin Brooks

11:11 23 Aug 25

We would highly recommend First Class Sailing.

Very well organised with a top quality instructor who provided tuition tailored to our differing needs.

A fantastic option for a couple wanting an entire boat to do a mixed Competent Crew / Day Skipper itinerary.

Response from the owner 14:21 28 Aug 25

Thanks Justin. We always find that mixing the Competent Crew & Day Skipper works well, so that's great that it worked for you too. Hope you manage to get out on the water soon and put all your learning into practice.

ChrisC

15:37 22 Aug 25

Great experience doing a Yachtmaster Offshore prep week followed by exam. Lots of useful paperwork up-front for the course admin and training exercises. The 3-day prep format worked well and Hayley did a brilliant job of cramming in the training over those days. Lovely modern boat too called Sazerac. Will be back.

Response from the owner 14:17 28 Aug 25

Hi Chris, thanks for the review. Congratulations on gaining your YMO qualification. There's a lot to cover, but as you've found, the hard work really pays off. We look forward to welcoming you back in the future.

Miles Barr

11:27 03 Aug 25

I completed my Competent Crew and Day Skipper Practical with First Class Sailing. It was a great experience. I hired the whole boat each time, taking my family members along who also earned their Competent Crew qualifications.

Response from the owner 15:21 21 Aug 25

Thanks Miles. That's great that hiring the whole boat for your courses worked well for you all. Now that your family have their comp crew qualifications, you'll have plenty of help onboard for future sails! Good luck.

					  Yachmaster Ocean Theory  - I just finished another training week at First Class Sailing’s training center. The week was dedicated to Yachtmaster Ocean Theory, with a highlight on Celestial Navigation. The instructor, Nigel Rennie... read more FRIN (Fellow of the Royal Institute of Navigation), was fantastic. It was very fast-paced, but covered the basics and theory behind Celestial Navigation. The jewel of the week was Rennie. His abundant patience, coupled with his experiences and passion for the art, made the week incredible. First Class Sailing have the best instructors. They know their craft and have real-life experience to make training both fun and memorable. Well Done!				
Marty S
October 24, 2025 

					  All female boat for day skipper practical  - Being in an all female boat is a great way to learn. Kirsten, our instructor, had a very calm and reassuring style. The small size of the group (only 3... read more of us) meant we got a lot of attention and many opportunities to practice.				
ALMC62
October 15, 2025 

					  Great night sailing weekend. - I did the night sailing weekend on the Solent. Callum was very friendly and knowledgeable. He planned the weekend together with the participants such that everyone could have an input... read more regarding what they wanted to get out of the course. It was a great weekend and the Jeanneau Voyage 12.5 was really a great boat in windy weather. The food was very good and the office staff were helpful and responded very quickly.				
Federica D
November 8, 2025 

We’d love to hear from you

Send us a message using the form below, or email us at [email protected]

Some other blogs

ARC Rally vs RORC Round Britain and Ireland Race: Two Offshore Adventures, Two Very Different Challenges

by First Class Sailing | Dec 9, 2025

Warm trade winds or North Atlantic grit? The ARC and RORC Round Britain & Ireland Race couldn’t be more different. This guide compares both offshore challenges side-by-side and explains how to join our crews for 2026 — whether your dream is Caribbean landfall or a tough racing campaign.

ARC Rally 2025 — Mid-Atlantic Progress Report: Who’s Ahead, Stories So Far and What’s Left to Run

by First Class Sailing | Dec 8, 2025

ARC Rally 2025 is delivering adventure across 2,700 miles of ocean. First arrivals are already in, but dozens of yachts remain mid-Atlantic with stories unfolding daily — trade winds, night watches, flying fish and the countdown to landfall. Here’s what’s happening right now.

The Hanseatic League: How Bergen Became a Medieval Trading Power

by First Class Sailing | Dec 8, 2025

The Hanseatic League was one of the most influential trading networks in medieval Europe — a commercial powerhouse connecting ports across the North and Baltic Seas. Its legacy is still visible today in the colourful timber warehouses of Bryggen, Bergen, one of...

Subscribe To Our Newsletter

The latest news, articles, and resources, sent to your inbox weekly.