To work as a boat captain in Panama you need an AMP licence from its Gente de Mar directorate, matched to the boat's size and service. Most people start with a national-waters grade, such as operador de lanchas or patrón de nave de placer, then climb to patrón de cabotaje or capitán de yate with sea time and courses.
Who issues captain licences in Panama
One office licenses everyone who drives or crews a boat in Panamanian waters: the Departamento de Titulación of the AMP's Dirección General de Gente de Mar (DGGM), at AMP headquarters in Diablo Heights, Balboa. The national-waters licences follow Resolución J.D. 053-2018 of 19 December 2018, and the AMP publishes a requirement sheet for each grade on its Gente de Mar page.
Two things this licence is not. It is not the boat's patente or licencia de navegación, which belong to the vessel. And it is not a work permit: a foreigner who wants to be employed also needs MITRADEL's permission. A USCG, RYA or other foreign licence does not replace the AMP licence for work in national waters; what it can and cannot do is in using a foreign captain's licence in Panama.
The licence ladder, from marinero to capitán de yate
The AMP grades follow boat length, tonnage (TAB, gross tonnage) and service. A simplified ladder for someone heading for the helm of a charter boat or yacht:
| Step | Licence | Scope listed by the AMP |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Marinero | Crew aboard |
| 2 | Operador de lanchas 2da. clase / patrón de nave de placer 3ra. clase | Launches under 12 m / pleasure craft under 8 m |
| 3 | Operador de lanchas 1ra. clase / patrón de nave de placer 2da. clase | Cargo or passengers 12–20 m / pleasure craft 8–20 m |
| 4 | Patrón de nave de placer 1ra. clase / patrón de cabotaje | Pleasure craft over 20 m / up to 100 or 500 TAB |
| 5 | Oficial de yate, then capitán de yate | Up to 200 TAB, up to 500 TAB, unlimited |
You do not have to start at the bottom: each grade has its own entry requirements. The full list, including fishing and engine grades, is in Panama captain licence types and limits. Which grade a charter needs is covered in captain and crew requirements for paid trips.
Courses and schools
The AMP sheets set the training, not a separate AMP exam. For the national-waters grades you need either the AMP's Curso de Seguridad Marítima para Aguas Nacionales or the four STCW basic safety courses (OMI 1.19 survival, 1.20 firefighting, 1.21 personal safety, 1.13 first aid), plus a grade course such as the curso de operador de lanchas or curso de patrón de nave de placer. The 2nd- and 1st-class pleasure-craft grades require the four STCW courses, not the short national course.
Courses must come from a centro de formación marítima the AMP recognises. On 7 November 2026 the AMP's list showed 23 such centres in Panama, including the Universidad Marítima Internacional de Panamá (UMIP). How to pick one is in captain courses and schools in Panama, and the basic safety block is explained in STCW basic training in Panama.
Sea time: where it counts
The entry grades (marinero, operador de lanchas, patrón de nave de placer) list no minimum sea time on the AMP sheets. Sea time starts to matter higher up:
- Patrón de cabotaje hasta 100 TAB: the course plus 12 months as marinero or operador de 2da., or 36 months in those roles without the course, or 24 months as operador de 1ra.
- Capitán de yate hasta 200 TAB: one route is an oficial de yate or patrón de yate licence plus 12 months' experience.
- STCW officer and master titles: months at sea set by the STCW Convention and the AMP's promotion rules.
Experience is proved with letters on company letterhead and entries in the libreta de embarque. What counts and how to record it is in sea time, medical and paperwork.
Applying: documents, medical and fees
For a national-waters licence the AMP sheets ask for:
- Original passport (foreigners) or cédula (Panamanians).
- A certificado de buena salud from a Panamanian doctor, stamped by doctor and clinic, valid three months.
- A negative drug test taken at least five working days before you apply, for operador de lanchas and patrón de cabotaje.
- One 4 x 4 cm photo, unless you apply in person and they take it.
- US$8 in fiscal stamps, plus your course certificates.
- For operador de 1ra. and patrón de nave de placer 2da. and 1ra., the boat's patente or a company letter.
The AMP's 2026 national tour lists licence fees of B/.10 for Panamanians and B/.160 for foreigners, plus the B/.8 in stamps. Confirm current fees with Gente de Mar before you go. The yacht titles use a different form and an STCW-standard medical. Once issued, employers can check your licence; see verifying a captain's licence.
Own boat, foreign licence or a job: which path you are on
If you only want to drive your own boat, you need a pleasure-craft grade, not a commercial career; see the licence to drive your own boat. If you arrive with a foreign ticket, start with the foreign-licence guide above and expect to sit at least the AMP's national-waters process. If you want paid work, the licence is step one and the work permit is step two for foreigners; where the work is around the country is in captain jobs in Panama.
Your practical starting checklist
- Decide which boats you want to run: length, tonnage and whether they carry paying passengers.
- Pick the AMP grade that covers them from the Gente de Mar requirement sheets.
- Book the safety and grade courses at an AMP-recognised training centre.
- Get a Panamanian medical certificate and, if your grade needs it, a drug test five working days ahead.
- Apply at the DGGM in Diablo Heights or at an AMP licensing tour stop with originals and fiscal stamps.
- Log every month aboard on letterhead and in your libreta to qualify for the next grade.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a licence to captain a boat in Panama?
Yes. The AMP's Gente de Mar licenses everyone who drives a boat in national waters, and the grade must match the boat's size and service.
Is there an AMP written exam?
The AMP requirement sheets list courses and documents rather than a separate AMP exam. The assessment happens in the course at the recognised training centre; confirm with your centre.
How long does it take to get a first licence?
The AMP does not publish a processing time. The courses for the entry grades are short, so the practical limit is booking a course and getting the medical and drug test inside their validity.
Can a foreigner get an AMP licence?
Yes. Foreigners apply with a passport and pay the higher foreign fee. Being employed with that licence also needs a MITRADEL work permit.
¿Qué necesito para sacar la licencia de capitán en Panamá?
Una licencia de la Dirección General de Gente de Mar de la AMP del grado que corresponda a la eslora y el servicio, con certificado de buena salud, cédula o pasaporte, curso en un centro de formación reconocido y timbres fiscales.
En español: licencia de capitán en Panamá
La licencia de capitán en Panamá la expide el Departamento de Titulación de la Dirección General de Gente de Mar de la AMP. Para aguas nacionales los grados son marinero, operador de lanchas de 2da. y 1ra. clase, patrón de nave de placer de 3ra., 2da. y 1ra. clase y patrón de cabotaje; para yates, oficial de yate y capitán de yate hasta 200 TAB, hasta 500 TAB y sin límite. Se pide certificado de buena salud de un médico idóneo panameño (vigencia de tres meses), cédula o pasaporte, los cursos de un centro de formación marítima reconocido por la AMP, prueba de estupefacientes para operador de lanchas y patrón de cabotaje, y B/.8.00 en timbres. Confirme tarifas y requisitos vigentes con Gente de Mar.
The next question to answer
The captains sub-hub for Panama. Read Captains and AMP licences.
Pick your path: AMP grade or foreign licence. Read Captain licence planner.
Every AMP grade with its length or tonnage limit. Read Panama licence types and limits.
Same topic in Florida: coming from the US? Compare How to Become a Yacht Captain in Florida.
Official resources
Use the relevant Panamanian authority for current requirements and fees. These resources are the next place to check; a practical recommendation is not an agency determination.
- AMP: Dirección General de Gente de Mar (licence lists and requirement sheets) ↗
- AMP: requisitos patrón de cabotaje hasta 100 TAB (TIT-AN4) ↗
- AMP: requisitos patrón de nave de placer de 2da. clase (TIT-AN7, Res. J.D. 053-2018) ↗
- AMP: requisitos capitán de yate hasta 200 TAB (TIT-F-21) ↗
- AMP: gira de emisión de licencias de marino de aguas nacionales ↗
- AMP: Report of Recognized Training Centers ↗