The Board of Pilot Commissioners: Supporting California’s economy and safeguarding its natural resources
Since its founding in 1850, the Board of Pilot Commissioners (BOPC) for the Bays of San Francisco, San Pablo and Suisun has supported California’s economy and safeguarded thousands of miles of coastline through its licensing, training, and regulatory activities.
Each year, BOPC-licensed pilots safely guide ships carrying thousands of passengers and billions of dollars of cargo through some of the most challenging waterways in North America.
As the BOPC approaches its bicentennial, it continues to shape California’s future with industry-leading standards, highlighted by the development of new pilot boats that meet the nation’s strictest harbor craft emission requirements.
Read our Mission Statement.
Upcoming Board and Committee Meetings
If you would like to receive copies of our meeting agendas, please complete the form provided here.
Public Participation at Board and Committee Meetings
Note: Meeting links are added to the BOPC homepage (to the right) at least 10 days prior to the meetings. Dates provided earlier than 10 days prior to the meeting are tentative and will be subject to change.
July 2026
- Pilot Evaluation (PEC) Meeting: Wednesday, July 15, 2026, at 7:30 a.m.
- Board Meeting: Thursday, July 23, 2026, at 9:30 a.m.
- Selection Appeal Committee Meeting: Thursday, July 23, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. (or immediately following the adjournment of the Board meeting – whichever is later)
August 2026
- Pilot Continuing Education Committee Meeting: Thursday, August 6, 2026, at 9:30 a.m.
- Pilot Evaluation (PEC) Meeting: Wednesday, August 19, 2026, at 7:30 a.m.
- Board Meeting: Thursday, August 27, 2026, at 9:30 a.m.
2026 Board Meeting Calendar
Updated: December 16, 2025
The Board’s 2026 Meeting Calendar is also available for download as a PDF.
| 2026 Board Meeting Calendar |
|---|
| Thursday, January 15, 2026 |
| Thursday, February 26, 2026 |
| Thursday, March 26, 2026 |
| Thursday, April 23, 2026 |
| Thursday, May 28, 2026 |
| Thursday, June 25, 2026 |
| Thursday, July 23, 2026 |
| Thursday, August 27, 2026 |
| Thursday, September 24, 2026 |
| Thursday, October 22, 2026 |
| Thursday, November 12, 2026 |
| Thursday, December 10, 2026 |
Regulatory Actions
NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULEMAKING, JULY 31, 2026
NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULEMAKING
45-Day Notice Published July 31, 2026
OAL File No. Z2026-0721-0
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Board of Pilot Commissioners for the Bays of San Francisco, San Pablo, and Suisun (Board) proposes to adopt the regulations described hereunder, after considering all comments, objections, and recommendations regarding the proposed action received during the public comment period, which closes on September 14, 2026.
The Board proposes to amend and adopt the following sections of the California Code of Regulations, Title 7, Harbors and Navigation, Division 2, State Board of Pilot Commissioners for the Bays of San Francisco, San Pablo and Suisun: Amend: § 214. Pilot Trainee Training Program.
NOTICE OF APPROVAL OF REGULATORY ACTION, JUNE 11, 2026
On June 11, 2026, the Office of Administrative Law approved OAL File Number 2026-0430-01SR. On the same day, these regulations were filed in the Office of the Secretary of State.
The proposed regulations operationalize Harbors and Navigation Code (HNC) § 1250 et seq. These statutes, which were chaptered in September 2022, require the Board to update the procedures it uses to conduct the rate setting process.
The 2022 statutes made significant changes to the rate setting process, including the authority for determining and setting pilotage rates shifting from the Legislature to the Board. Under the previous statute, which had been in place since the 1970s, rates for bar pilotage services were determined by the legislature by passing specific statutes rather than by the rule-making authority of the Board of Pilot Commissioners. The updated statutes have effectively transformed pilotage rate setting from a statutory process dependent on legislative action into a regulatory process overseen by an administrative law judge.
With the transfer of responsibility away from the Legislature in the 2022 statutes, the new proposed regulations are designed to clarify and specify the roles and duties of the various parties involved in the rate setting process. These changes are intended to implement the new statutes while also ensuring the effectiveness and efficiency of the rate setting process.
The regulations become effective on October 1, 2026 and the text can be found here.
PILOTING NEWS
The Board periodically shares news articles on topics of public interest related to its mission, responsibilities, and the maritime community it serves.
Learn about the San Francisco Bar Pilots in this video from SF Bay Area local news
RESOURCES
Resources for the 2026 Pilot Trainee Exam
For more information, explore the Board’s exam resources.
BOARD HISTORY
Thomas Almond Ayres’ The Pilot Boat off the Golden Gate (c. 1855) depicts the busy waters of San Francisco Bay near the end of the Gold Rush, including a pilot schooner, a clipper ship, and an early steam-powered vessel. The painting offers a glimpse of the changing maritime world in which the Board of Pilot Commissioners was established. Learn more about the BOPC’s history and the evolution of piloting over the past 174 years here.
PILOTING INSIGHTS
The Secret Life of Pilots
Discover the crucial yet often overlooked role of maritime pilots in the global supply chain, their historical significance, and the dangers they encounter on a daily basis.
Five Things You Didn’t Know about the San Francisco Bar Pilots
Despite their essential contributions to California’s economy and marine safety, maritime pilots remain largely unknown. Learn more about the vital work of San Francisco Bar Pilots.
