IRB Driver's Guide to Surf Life Saving Australia IRB Awards Ages 15+ 2026/27

• Age: at least 17 years old (SLS NSW chart: minimum age is measured on the date of final assessment; Surf Life Saving South Australia also lists a minimum of 17).
• Prerequisite awards: proficient in the Bronze Medallion/Cert II in Public Safety (Aquatic Rescue) and the IRB Crewperson (IRB Crew) award.
• Experience: a completed Entry Requirement Confirmation form verifying a minimum of eight operational hours as a qualified crewperson, or similar experience, before the course starts (SLSA IRB Course Review, June 2024).
• Membership: Surf Life Saving South Australia says you must join a surf life saving club and become a member before beginning any of its qualifications.

From the SLSA IRB Course Review Key Changes Summary (June 2024), which applies to the national resources from 1 July 2024:

• eLearning: 10 compulsory modules, finishing with 26 multiple choice theory questions.
• Practical hours before assessment: 12 nominal hours of practical demonstration as a trainee IRB Driver, with at least 50% of those hours as sea time, over at least 5 separate days, in a variety of conditions.
• Assessment: practical skills are assessed through third party reports, observations and scenarios. Candidates are also assessed in safely exiting and re-entering the IRB and responding in an emergency such as a capsized IRB, and must complete a risk assessment (electronic or paper based).
• Resources: the 9th Edition IRB Training Manual, free to all members in Manula.

It depends on the state. Surf Life Saving South Australia lists "Hold a current SA boat licence" as a requirement for the Silver Medallion IRB Driver award, in addition to holding a SLSA Bronze Medallion and an IRB Crew award, and being at least 17 years old. SLS NSW's Awards & Qualifications Chart (April 2024) lists no licence for the IRB Driver award: its entry requirements are proficiency in the Bronze Medallion/Cert II PSAR and the IRB Crewperson Certificate. The licence rules for other states are not covered here.

Every year. The SLS NSW Awards & Qualifications Chart (April 2024) marks both the Inflatable Rescue Boat Crewperson (IRBC) and the Silver Medallion Inflatable Rescue Boat (SMIRB) Driver award as "Updated Annually", and SLS NSW Circular 3958 (2026/27) says all active lifesavers must complete annual skills maintenance to remain current in the awards they hold.

The 2026/27 skills maintenance requirements list proficiency in the Bronze Medallion as the prerequisite for IRB Crew, and proficiency in the Bronze Medallion and IRB Crew for the IRB Driver.

From SLS NSW Circular 3958 (Skills Maintenance Requirements, 2026/27 season):

• Powercraft operators only need to complete a one-off skills maintenance assessment if they did not complete it last season. Members who completed last season's one-off transition assessment do not need to repeat it and may be deemed proficient through demonstration of competency during normal operational activities.
• Theory: the IRB Crew theory item is "New Patient Pick Up Techniques" and the IRB Driver item is "Powercraft Safety Module". Both are only required if not already completed.
• IRB Crew: you must be proficient in the Bronze Medallion, and demonstrate effective and safe crewing, including a conscious/assisted patient pick-up (crew perspective), a bounce method patient pick-up, and patient prioritising in a mass or multi rescue situation.
• Silver Medallion IRB Driver: you must be proficient in the Bronze Medallion and IRB Crew, and demonstrate safe driving practice, including a conscious/assisted patient pick-up (driver perspective), a bounce method patient pick-up, patient prioritising in a mass or multi rescue situation, and the 2 o'clock approach angle for patient pick-ups.

All IRB operators are encouraged to review the 9th Edition IRB Manual.

The SLSA IRB Course Review summary (June 2024) added an option to demonstrate sea time over the previous 12 months, plus a familiarisation and demonstration of any pre-season updates relevant to the award, in place of performing an annual skills maintenance check:

• IRB Crew: at least 3 hours of sea time.
• Silver Medallion IRB Driver: at least 5 hours of sea time.

That summary is a 2024 national document. For the 2026/27 season in NSW, Circular 3958 sets out the requirements actually in force (see the question on 2026/27 skills maintenance).

Under SLS NSW Circular 3958 (released 18 August 2026), members who have not remained proficient for more than one year follow the non-proficient member process. SLS NSW's skills maintenance page says these members complete skills maintenance based on a training gap analysis, and if the analysis finds missing skills or knowledge, they must complete training and assessment in those gaps. Circular 3958 has an appendix listing how each award has changed over the years so the gap training can be identified, and RPL enquiries go to the SLS NSW Training & Education Team.

For IRB Crew, the changes listed include new crewing positions and re-boarding the IRB (2025/26) and wave negotiation at a 1 o'clock angle (2024/25). For IRB Driver, they include the 2 o'clock approach angle for patient pick-ups (2026/27).

You need the member award IRB Training - Competition Eligibility in Surfguard before your club can enter you into IRB competition through SEMS (SLSA Memo 3/23-24, 17 April 2024, citing Surf Sports Manual 3.3.2.4).

• Who needs it: IRB Drivers, IRB Crewpersons and Patients.
• Prerequisite: a proficient Silver Medallion IRB Driver or a proficient IRB Crew award.
• Training: an initial 20 hours must be logged. Your club uploads a copy of your IRB training log to your Surfguard account.
• Renewal: the award has a fixed 12 month expiry and must be renewed each year. After the initial 20 hours there is no further training requirement, provided you are currently proficient as required by SLSA, but an annual competition competency is still required from a currently accredited SLSA Coach - IRB Events Elective.