The Board of Pilot Commissioners proudly joins the State of California in celebrating Pride Month
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.
Learn about the 2026 Pilot Trainee Exam
For more information, explore the Board’s exam resources.
Learn about the San Francisco Bar Pilots in this video from SF Bay Area local news
The San Francisco Bar Pilots are the highly skilled maritime professionals licensed and regulated by the Board of Pilot Commissioners (Board) to ensure the safety of navigation and the protection of our environment within the Board’s jurisdiction.
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.
June 2026
- Selection Appeal Committee Meeting: Wednesday, June 3, 2026, at 1:30 p.m.
- Pilot Evaluation (PEC) Meeting: Wednesday, June 17, 2026, at 7:30 a.m.
- Pilot Continuing Education Committee Meeting: June 23, 2026, at 9:30 a.m.
- Board Meeting: Thursday, June 25, 2026, at 9:30 a.m.
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.
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 |
CalSTA Achieves Historic Breakthroughs, Paving the Way for Safer, Cleaner and More Connected Mobility
The California State Transportation Agency’s (CalSTA) 2025 Accomplishments Report highlights a year of transformative progress toward building a transportation system that is safe, equitable and sustainable. CalSTA and its eight departments delivered measurable results that will shape mobility for generations to come.
The full 2025 Accomplishments Report can be downloaded here.
A beautiful view from the Chem Sceptrum, a chemical and oil products tanker, as it makes its way upriver to the Port of Stockton and docks at sunset. Thanks to all involved, especially the San Francisco Bar Pilots, for sharing this fantastic video. The Board of Pilot Commissioners oversees the work of the pilots (Board licensees), who guide ships not only to the seven Bay Area ports but also far inland along California’s waterways to the Ports of Stockton and West Sacramento. Watch a timelapse of a vessel journeying upriver to the Port of Stockton.
Our History
Thomas Almond Ayres’ painting The Pilot Boat off the Golden Gate (c. 1855) captures a significant moment in California history and the history of the Board of Pilot Commissioners (BOPC). Learn more about the BOPC’s rich history and how piloting has evolved over the past 174 years here.
Painted near the end of the Gold Rush, just five years after the BOPC was founded, the artwork beautifully illustrates the variety of ship types sailing on the waters of the San Francisco Bay in the mid-nineteenth century. The scene depicts both sailing vessels and an early steam-powered ship. In the foreground is a piloting schooner, similar to the ones that sailed the Bay until 1973. To the left, a clipper ship is depicted entering the Bay, with its lower sails already stowed. The painting captures the bustling maritime activity and the transition of ship technologies during this exciting period in California’s history.
