Danish law first mentioned pilots in 1561, where the responsibility of the pilot and the relation to the captain of the vessel was determined in quite simple manners. Vessels needing pilots would raise a flag, and the pilots, who were at that time not organized in groups, would often race in their dinghy to be the first to reach the vessel. Quite often the pilot would be a local fisherman or the like, who had achieved their role as pilot by royal order.

The law was not revised until 1748, mainly because of the increasing number of complaints about the pilots’ services. At that time it became forbidden for a captain to sail his vessel into a harbour unless he knew the waters very well, and the duties of the pilots were increased to include an assessment of the vessel’s quality and the quality of the personnel on board. If a pilot neglected his duties he was fined, and in severe cases could risk “hanging on the beach”.

Captain Andreas Lous was employed as pilot-captain in 1760, and in 1778 he got the title of head-pilot, making him responsible for many pilots and their organization for many years.

Since the 1700’s, the Danish Pilot system has belonged to the maritime section of the Ministry of Defence, but in the beginning of the 1900’s laws were passed that made the Danish Pilots a separate organization under the Ministry of Marine. According to the law the state should make an adequate number of pilots available and the prices for pilot assistance were to be determined by law.