Do you have to be BQ'd to be a VE or can a IQ take the test and become a VE?

An Auxiliarist must be in BQ or AX status, or AP with a boating safety course recorded in AUXDATA, before they can fully qualify in any Auxiliary discipline, such as VE.  Any Auxiliarist, in any status, may train as an RBS VE and take the VE exam, but they must still achieve BQ or AX status (or AP with a boating safety course recorded in AUXDATA) before getting the qualification certificate signed by DIRAUX and conduct Vessel Safety Checks unsupervised.

Refer to the AUXMAN, Chapter 3, Section D.2.f. (AP) and Chapter 8, Section B.1.b (IQ) for more information.