Do You Need a Boating License to Drive a Boat?

The short answer. There is no single recreational boating license in the United States. The state where you will operate decides whether you need a credential, and in most states the document people call a boating license is a boating-safety card or certificate issued or recognized by that state's boating agency — not a license. Five facts settle it: the state of operation, the operator's birth date or age, the boat's motor or horsepower, your resident-visitor-renter status, and the exact course that state accepts. This page covers ordinary recreational operation — not court-ordered education after a violation, and not insurance discounts, which are an insurer decision rather than a state rule. It verifies 20 of the 51 US jurisdictions against their own agencies and routes the other 31 to theirs. Your first action is the same everywhere: open the current rule on your state's boating agency page and confirm the exact course and delivery mode before you enroll or pay, because a course the state does not accept is money spent that does not count.

The five-fact check — run this before you enroll in anything

Fact	What to answer	Why it changes the result
Place	In which state — and on which waters — will you operate?	The destination state's rule controls, and some states treat tidal, non-tidal or local waters differently.
Person	What is the operator's birth date and age?	Fixed birth-date cutoffs, multi-year phase-ins, minimum operating ages and supervision rules all vary, and they are separate rules.
Boat	Motorized or not? What horsepower? A personal watercraft? A sailboat, and how long?	Coverage often switches on at a specific motor, horsepower or vessel class, and personal watercraft are usually regulated more strictly.
Trip	Are you a resident, a visitor or a renter — and for how long?	Out-of-state recognition and rental or temporary routes can be narrow and time-limited.
Course and proof	Which exact course, delivery mode and document will the state accept?	Acceptance, temporary proof and the final card or certificate are state-specific.

Boating education ordered by a court or triggered by a violation runs on its own track — Florida, for example, publishes a distinct mandatory violator education requirement. Cost is the tuition plus any mandatory state card or certificate fee, and the verified totals below run from $0 where a state publishes a free accepted course to $125 in state fees alone on Connecticut's examination route.

On this page

• Which approval system governs boating requirements?
• How to read the boating-license-by-state matrix
• Boating license and boater-card rules by state
• What a boater card actually costs, state by state
• What changes the answer: boater card age requirements and vessel triggers
• Is it a license, a card, a certificate, or registration?
• Rentals, visitors, reciprocity, and temporary proof
• How to choose and verify an accepted boating-safety course
• What happens after the course?

A few situations resolve faster than the full matrix:

• You already hold a card from another state. Check the destination state's visitor rule before assuming it transfers. Recognition conditions differ sharply, and some states recognize a certificate only if it was issued by your current state of residence.
• You are renting for a day or a weekend. Look for the state's rental, livery or temporary-certificate route before paying for a full course. Several states publish one, and a few exempt renters outright.
• A free accepted option may exist for you. Three of the twenty jurisdictions verified below publish a free accepted course on the agency's own list — Arizona, Florida and Virginia. Take the free path first and confirm any card or application fee that survives it.
• You were born before your state's cutoff. You may be exempt from the education rule — but minimum-age, supervision and rental rules can still reach you, and phase-in states move their cutoff on a published schedule.
• Your state is not in the matrix below. That is missing data, not an absence of a requirement. Go straight to your state's boating agency before operating or enrolling.

In every case, hold off paying for any course until you have matched the exact course and delivery mode against the state's current approved list. Connecticut, for one, does not approve self-paced online courses at all. And if a boating credential is not actually the course you need, start instead with what courses your state requires.

Which approval system governs boating requirements?

Search results say "state approved," but four different acceptance models actually apply, plus a federal system readers often confuse with them.

Model	Who approves or accepts	What it changes for you
State agency education or card rule	The state boating, parks or natural-resources agency recognizes approved courses and issues or recognizes a card or certificate.	Verify the exact course on the agency's current approved list; the result is a safety card or certificate. Skipping verification risks a certificate the state does not accept.
Operator license or endorsement	A state agency issues a true operator license — Alabama's vessel operator license and New Jersey's non-tidal boat license are the working examples.	A safety certificate alone is not enough; a separate licensing step at a state office remains.
Agency-recognized course with no card	The agency accepts a course and the provider's certificate is the operating document, with no separate state card.	Keep the provider certificate itself; there is no state card coming in the mail.
No statewide education mandate identified	The agency presents education as recommended rather than required, or publishes no statewide mandate.	No education credential is confirmed statewide, but age, supervision, rental and local rules can still apply — verify the current agency statement rather than inferring from silence.
Federal Merchant Mariner Credential	The U.S. Coast Guard credentials commercial and professional operators.	Not the recreational path — though several states exempt holders of a valid U.S. Coast Guard license from their card rule.

Throughout this page, "approved," "authorized," "accepted," "recognized" and "required" are used only in the sense the named authority uses them, and only for the stated jurisdiction, course and use case.

How to read the boating-license-by-state matrix

Methodology and verification as of August 10, 2026. Next scheduled row review: November 10, 2026.

Each row answers one jurisdiction with the same fields: the governing authority, the exact credential term that authority uses, who must have it, the vessel or motor trigger, minimum age and supervision rules, visitor and rental treatment, and the official source with the date the row was checked. Every row ends at a current governing state source — a boating agency, natural-resources department, marine patrol unit, highway patrol or motor-vehicle agency. National compilations are useful for finding the right agency, but they can lag behind state changes and they disagree with one another, so they are never the authority for a row.

Coverage. This matrix covers 20 of the 51 US jurisdictions: Alabama, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin. The remaining 31 — Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia and Wyoming — have not yet been verified to this standard and are deliberately absent rather than estimated. For those, find your state's boating law administrator through the NASBLA state boating contacts directory and read the requirement on that agency's own site.

Row status labels. Verified means a current official source directly confirms every consequential field in the row. Verified with limitation means one or more cells could not be closed from the official source and the gap is named in the row. Partial, Pending official confirmation and Blocked mark rows we would not publish. Expired or inactive and Superseded mark rows overtaken by newer rules. A row's status describes its weakest consequential field, not its strongest. A blank field is missing data, shown as "Not confirmed"; it is never evidence that no rule exists.

Terms this page uses

Term	What it means here
NASBLA	The National Association of State Boating Law Administrators, the body whose course standard most states reference when deciding which courses to accept. NASBLA approval is not the same as any particular state's acceptance.
PWC	Personal watercraft — a jet ski, WaveRunner, Sea-Doo or similar. Usually regulated more strictly than other motorboats.
Livery	A commercial boat- or PWC-rental business. Several states write separate rules for livery rentals.
Asynchronous course	A self-paced online course you take on your own schedule, with no live instructor. Some states accept these; at least one does not.
Temporary proof	A time-limited document that lets you operate while the permanent card is processed. It expires on the state's schedule.
Equivalency or challenge exam	A test some states offer instead of a course, usually for experienced boaters. It does not always satisfy a state's separate age rules.

Boating license and boater-card rules by state

Scope: ordinary recreational operation. Education ordered after a violation and insurance-discount eligibility follow separate rules. Rows verified against the listed official source on August 10, 2026. Every row links to the governing official source and shows its own status.

Jurisdiction	Authority and credential term	Who must have it	Vessel trigger	Minimum age and supervision	Visitor and rental notes	Official source and status
Alabama	Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, Marine Patrol Division — vessel operator's license (a "V" class on an Alabama driver's license, or a "Vessel Only" license)	Every operator of a motorized vessel aged 12 or older must be licensed. A written examination is required, except for people who were 40 or older on April 28, 1994 and those who completed a U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, U.S. Power Squadrons or Marine Police "Boating Basics" course.	Motorized vessels, including PWCs.	No one under 12 may operate a motorized vessel, including a PWC. Operators aged 12 or 13, once licensed, may operate only with a person 21 or older on board who also holds a vessel operator's license and is seated to take immediate control. Operators 14 and older may operate unsupervised once licensed.	Since October 1, 2024, nonresidents may operate only with a valid boater safety or vessel operator certification from their home state or country, or after obtaining a Nonresident Alabama Boater Safety Certification.	ALEA boating education and operator license; ALEA vessel license requirements — Verified (2026-08-10)
Arizona	Arizona Game and Fish Department — boating safety education course; no statewide education credential identified	Not confirmed as a statewide mandate. AZGFD presents its boating safety education course as encouraged and free, and separately publishes a course route for people ordered by a court to complete one after a boating citation. Treat the absence of a published mandate as unverified, not as an exemption.	Not confirmed.	Not confirmed — Arizona sets operating-age rules separately from education; confirm with AZGFD before a minor operates.	Non-residents may operate on their home-state watercraft registration for up to 90 days per year without registering in Arizona. This is a registration rule, not an operator-education rule.	AZGFD boating education; AZGFD boater education course; AZGFD watercraft registration — Verified with limitation (2026-08-10): statewide education mandate and minimum ages not confirmed
California	California State Parks, Division of Boating and Waterways — California Boater Card	All operators of motorized vessels, regardless of age, since the phase-in completed January 1, 2025. Program exemptions apply.	Motorized vessels. No age restriction for sailboats under 30 ft.	Operators must be 16 or older to run a vessel of more than 15 hp (including PWCs) alone; ages 12–15 only with an on-board supervisor 18 or older.	Check the program's current exemption list for visitors and short-term operation. Rental treatment not confirmed on the cited pages.	DBW safety and education; operator rules; California Boater Card program — Verified with limitation (2026-08-10): rental route not confirmed
Connecticut	Connecticut DEEP — Safe Boating Certificate (SBC) or Certificate of Personal Watercraft Operation (CPWO)	Residents, in-state property owners and in-state vessel owners operating a registered vessel need the SBC. Every PWC operator, regardless of residency, needs a CPWO or a certificate from a reciprocal state. Holders of a valid U.S. Coast Guard vessel operator license are exempt except for PWCs.	Motorized recreational vessels; PWCs carry the separate CPWO rule.	A person under 16 may operate a PWC only when accompanied on board by someone 18 or older who has held a Certificate of Personal Watercraft Operation for at least two years. Connecticut also sets an age restriction for engines over 10 hp — confirm it on the DEEP certification page before a minor operates.	PWC reciprocity is limited to New York, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island. Anyone who becomes a Connecticut resident must obtain a Connecticut certificate within 90 days, after which operating without one is no longer covered by the grace period. Self-paced online courses are not approved; accepted courses are instructor-led, at least 8 hours, NASBLA-approved and end in a proctored exam, and live instructor-led virtual classes qualify. Livery-rental treatment not confirmed on the cited pages.	Who needs a certificate; certification FAQs; how to get a certificate — Verified with limitation (2026-08-10): over-10-hp age rule and rental route not confirmed
Florida	Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission — Boating Safety Education Identification Card (not a license)	Anyone born on or after January 1, 1988 operating a vessel powered by 10 hp or more; the card plus photo ID must be carried. Exemptions include a U.S. Coast Guard–licensed master, operation on a private lake or pond, being accompanied by a cardholder 18 or older or by an exempt person, a nonresident with NASBLA-approved course proof, the first 90 days after buying the vessel with the bill of sale aboard, and the first 90 days after completing an approved course with the certificate and photo ID aboard.	Vessels with a motor of 10 hp or more.	FWC states there is no minimum age to operate a boat, but a person must be at least 14 to operate a PWC and at least 18 to rent one, and knowingly allowing someone under 14 to operate a PWC is a second-degree misdemeanor.	Nonresidents with NASBLA-approved course proof are exempt. Renters and visitors can use the 90-day temporary certificate through FWC-authorized vendors; when it expires you may no longer operate on it.	FWC boating regulations; education FAQs; ID card — Verified (2026-08-10)
Georgia	Georgia Department of Natural Resources — boater education card	Anyone born on or after January 1, 1998 operating any motorized vessel, in effect since July 1, 2014. Exempt: a person licensed by the U.S. Coast Guard as master of a vessel, and a nonresident carrying proof of a NASBLA-approved course or equivalency exam from another state.	Any motorized vessel.	Under 12: may not operate a vessel 16 ft or longer, and may operate a vessel under 16 ft with a motor of 30 hp or less only when accompanied by a competent adult (18 or older, unimpaired, carrying photo ID). Ages 12–15: may operate a PWC or vessel under 16 ft only if they passed a DNR-approved course or are accompanied by a competent adult, and may not operate a vessel 16 ft or longer. 16 and older: may operate any boat with proper identification aboard.	Nonresident exemption above applies. Rental treatment not confirmed on the cited pages.	Mandatory boater education; who can operate a boat — Verified with limitation (2026-08-10): rental route not confirmed
Illinois	Illinois Department of Natural Resources — Boating Safety Certificate	Anyone born on or after January 1, 1998 operating a motorboat with more than 10 hp, including a PWC, under 625 ILCS 45/5-18. People born before that date are not required to hold a certificate.	Motorboats of more than 10 hp, including PWCs.	No one under 10 may operate a motorboat or PWC. Ages 10–11 only under the direct on-board supervision of a parent, guardian, or a person 18 or older designated by them. Ages 12–17 must either hold a certificate accepted by IDNR or be under that same direct supervision. A supervising parent, guardian or designee born on or after January 1, 1998 must also hold a valid certificate.	Not confirmed on the cited page.	IDNR boating safety — Verified with limitation (2026-08-10): visitor and rental treatment not confirmed
Michigan	Michigan Department of Natural Resources — boating safety certificate	Anyone born on or after July 1, 1996 who operates a vessel. Michigan applies a separate birth-date rule to personal watercraft.	Motorized vessels; horsepower thresholds apply to younger operators.	Michigan sets minimum operating ages and supervision rules by horsepower, and a separate minimum age for PWCs — confirm both on the DNR page before a minor operates.	Not confirmed on the cited page.	Michigan DNR boating safety certificate — Verified with limitation (2026-08-10): PWC birth-date rule, minimum ages and visitor treatment not confirmed
Minnesota	Minnesota DNR — watercraft operator's permit	Phased by birth date: as of July 1, 2026, operators aged 12 or older born after June 30, 2000. Coverage expands July 1, 2027 (born after June 30, 1996) and July 1, 2028 (born after June 30, 1987). On each phase date the newly covered group may no longer operate without a permit.	Motorboats, including PWCs.	Permit eligibility starts at 12. An accompanying operator must be 21 or older, within immediate reach of the controls, and must hold a permit or be an exempt operator.	Valid permits from Minnesota or another state are honored. A renter from Minnesota must be 18 or older and must either hold a permit, be an exempt operator, or complete the DNR's watercraft rental course, whose certification runs 180 days. A renter from outside Minnesota using Minnesota waters fewer than 60 days follows their home state's requirement. The permit is good for life.	Boater education law; phase-in schedule — Verified (2026-08-10); future phase dates published
Missouri	Missouri State Highway Patrol, Water Patrol Division — Boating Safety Identification Card	Every person born after January 1, 1984 who operates a vessel on the lakes of the state, under section 306.127, RSMo, in effect since January 1, 2005. The card plus photo ID must be aboard; a Missouri driver's license or nondriver ID carrying the Boater Identification indicator is accepted instead.	Vessels operated on the lakes of the state.	Not confirmed — Missouri sets minimum operating ages separately from the education rule; confirm with the Water Patrol Division before a minor operates.	The education rule applies to out-of-state boaters. A nonresident may comply by taking a Missouri-approved course or by showing proof of a NASBLA-approved course from their home state. Section 306.127 also allows a rental or sales business to issue a temporary boating safety identification card valid up to seven days, after which it no longer covers you.	MSHP boater education law FAQ; section 306.127, RSMo; boater identification indicator FAQ — Verified with limitation (2026-08-10): minimum ages not confirmed
New Jersey	New Jersey State Police (safety certificate) and Motor Vehicle Commission (boat license) — two documents	Power-vessel operators need an NJSP-approved Boating Safety Certificate. On non-tidal waters, power-vessel and PWC operators also need the MVC boat license, an endorsement on a New Jersey driver's license or state ID. Not required for non-powered vessels.	Power vessels and PWCs; the extra license applies on non-tidal waters only.	The MVC boat license requires the applicant to be at least 16. Applicants under 17 must present a letter of parental or guardian consent, plus six points of ID and the license fee.	Nonresidents at least 16 years old may operate for fewer than 90 days on a home-state certificate, a New Jersey certificate, a U.S. Coast Guard captain's license, or written proof of a NASBLA-approved course. Operating beyond 90 days requires the New Jersey certificate. Exams are proctored.	MVC boating license; NJSP certificate FAQs — Verified (2026-08-10)
New York	New York State Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation — boating safety certificate (Brianna's Law)	Since January 1, 2025, all operators of motorized vessels regardless of age, including PWCs and specialty craft. Non-motorized craft are excluded. Holders of a valid U.S. Coast Guard license are exempt but must carry a copy.	Motorized vessels, including PWCs and specialty craft.	Students must be at least 10 to take the course. PWC operators must be at least 14 and certified. Renters under 18 must hold a certificate.	New York recognizes an out-of-state certificate only if it was issued by your current state of residence and the course was NASBLA-approved. Renters 18 or older may operate a livery motorboat or PWC without a certificate after on-site instruction. The temporary certificate is valid for the roughly 90 days the permanent certificate takes to arrive, after which the permanent certificate is the required document; the original physical certificate must be aboard.	NY Parks boating; boating education and FAQs — Verified (2026-08-10)
North Carolina	North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission — boater education card	Any person born on or after January 1, 1988 must complete a NASBLA-approved boating education course before operating any vessel propelled by a motor of 10 hp or greater on public waterways.	Vessels propelled by a motor of 10 hp or greater.	NCWRC states there is no minimum age to take the course, but sets the coursework at a sixth-grade level and requires the written exam to be completed unassisted. Minimum operating ages and the PWC age rule are set separately — confirm them with NCWRC before a minor operates.	Not confirmed on the cited pages.	NC Wildlife laws and safety; boating regulations; take a boater education course — Verified with limitation (2026-08-10): minimum ages and visitor treatment not confirmed
Ohio	Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Parks and Watercraft — boater education certificate	Anyone born on or after January 1, 1982 operating a powercraft of more than 10 hp must complete a NASBLA-approved course or an ODNR-approved proficiency exam. The rule applies to the operator and to any supervising adult born on or after that date.	Powercraft of more than 10 hp, including PWCs.	No one under 12 may operate a PWC, even holding a certificate. Ages 12–15 may operate a PWC only under the direct supervision of an adult 18 or older who is on board, with both the child and the supervising adult certified where the education rule reaches them.	A rental business may not rent a powercraft of more than 10 hp to anyone born on or after January 1, 1982 unless that person shows a certificate, signs a statement that they hold one, or passes an abbreviated on-site exam at 90% or better — and that on-site result is valid only for the rental period. If stopped, a covered operator has 72 hours to produce the certificate or proof of holding it.	Mandatory boater education; Ohio operating laws — Verified (2026-08-10)
Pennsylvania	Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission — Boating Safety Education Certificate	Two groups: anyone born on or after January 1, 1982 operating a boat powered by more than 25 hp, and every PWC operator regardless of age or birth year.	Motorboats over 25 hp, and all PWCs.	Not confirmed on the cited page — Pennsylvania sets age restrictions for PWCs and for boats over 25 hp; confirm them with the Fish and Boat Commission before a minor operates.	Out-of-state boaters must hold a certificate from a NASBLA-approved course. The permanent certificate is a waterproof card issued by the Commission; processing and delivery may take 30 to 40 days.	Apply for a Boating Safety Education Certificate — Verified with limitation (2026-08-10): minimum ages not confirmed
South Dakota	South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks — no statewide education credential	No one. The agency states that a boating safety course is not required to operate a boat in South Dakota, while highly recommending a NASBLA/USCG-approved course.	Not applicable statewide.	Not confirmed — minimum-age and supervision rules are set separately from the education rule; verify with the agency before a minor operates.	Registration, local and rental rules still apply. GFP lists approved course options for boaters who want a card that other states will recognize.	GFP boating safety — Verified with limitation (2026-08-10): minimum ages not confirmed
Texas	Texas Parks and Wildlife Department — boater education certification card	Anyone born on or after September 1, 1993 operating a covered vessel; photo ID plus the certification card must be carried. Some Water Safety Act violations also require course completion.	Motorboats over 15 hp, windblown vessels over 14 ft, and all PWCs.	A person must be at least 13 and hold the course certificate to operate a covered vessel alone. Otherwise a supervisor 18 or older who can lawfully operate must be on board. Children under 13 may not operate a PWC unless accompanied on board by a person at least 18.	Those born before September 1, 1993 are exempt from the education rule. Rental treatment not confirmed on the cited pages.	Mandatory boater education; TPWD boater education FAQs — Verified with limitation (2026-08-10): rental route not confirmed
Virginia	Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources — boating safety education certificate	All operators of motorboats with a 10 hp or greater engine, regardless of age or birth year, and all PWC operators aged 14 and older. There is no birth-year exemption. The provider's course-completion certificate or card is the operating document.	Motorboats of 10 hp or greater, and PWCs.	No one under 14 may operate a PWC. Ages 14–15 may operate a PWC only with proof of a completed approved course carried aboard — DWR states the equivalency or challenge exam does not satisfy this age-restriction rule. Operators 16 and older may operate a PWC with the certificate.	Not confirmed on the cited pages. DWR runs a free classroom course, Boat Virginia, lists a free online course, and accepts NASBLA-approved classroom and internet courses; an equivalency exam is available to experienced boaters for the general education requirement.	Boating safety education requirement; find a boating safety course; PWC rules — Verified with limitation (2026-08-10): visitor treatment not confirmed
Washington	Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission — Boater Education Card	Operators 12 or older, born after January 1, 1955, running a motor of 15 hp or greater. Exempt: commercial fishing operators with a valid license, holders of a valid U.S. Coast Guard Marine Operator License, and government-vessel and permitted-race operators.	Vessels with motors of 15 hp or greater.	No one under 12 may operate a vessel of 15 hp or greater. An uncertified operator 12 or older may operate under the direct supervision of someone 16 or older who holds a card. Washington sets a separate minimum age for PWC operation — confirm it on the State Parks page before a minor operates.	Non-residents operating fewer than 60 consecutive days are exempt, as are non-residents holding an equivalent out-of-state or out-of-country card, confirmed with State Parks. Renters who complete the commission-approved vessel safety checklist and carry the temporary card issued by the vendor are exempt for that rental. A new owner has 60 days from purchase with the bill of sale aboard, after which the card is required.	Boater Education Card — Verified with limitation (2026-08-10): PWC minimum age not confirmed
Wisconsin	Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources — boating safety certificate	Operators born on or after January 1, 1989. A Wisconsin certificate or an equivalent out-of-state certification satisfies the rule, and anyone is eligible to take the class.	Motorboats and PWCs.	No one under 10 may operate a motorboat. Ages 10–11 only when accompanied by a parent, guardian, or a designated person 18 or older who holds a valid boating safety certificate or was born before January 1, 1989. Safety certification is required to operate at age 16. Wisconsin sets a separate rule for PWC operation — confirm it with the DNR before a minor operates.	An equivalent out-of-state certification is accepted. Rental treatment not confirmed on the cited pages.	WDNR safety education; before you operate — Verified with limitation (2026-08-10): PWC age rule and rental route not confirmed
Any jurisdiction not listed above	Your state's boating law administrator — authority and credential term not yet verified by this page	Not verified. A requirement may well exist; absence from this matrix is missing data, not an exemption.	Not verified.	Not verified.	Not verified.	NASBLA state boating contacts directory — Not applicable (2026-08-10): outside this page's verified coverage; route to the named agency

Coverage note: rows reflect the listed official sources as reviewed on August 10, 2026, with row-level review scheduled quarterly and sooner after a state change. Required Courses is an independent educational publisher. It is not a government agency, a boating authority, a course provider or a law firm, it is not affiliated with any agency named on this page, and this page is educational reference material rather than legal advice. How this page is funded: Required Courses is supported by advertising and, on some pages, disclosed referral links. No provider has paid for placement, ordering, or inclusion on this page, and compensation never determines what is included or how it is ranked. If a compensated link is added to this page, it will be disclosed here. The linked authority's current page controls. If you find a row that is out of date, tell us at hello@requiredcourses.com and we will re-check it against the authority's own source.

If you operate without the credential your state requires. This is an enforcement matter under state law in every mandating jurisdiction, and the penalty is set by state statute rather than by the agency's guidance page. Florida is the one jurisdiction whose statute this page has read directly: operating in violation of the education rule is a non-criminal infraction under section 327.395(7) of the Florida Statutes, punishable as provided in section 327.73. This page does not publish penalty amounts for the other jurisdictions, because those figures are not on the agency pages cited above — confirm the current penalty on your state's linked authority page before you rely on any number.

One disclosed source conflict. Two Florida sources state the temporary certificate's validity differently: the FWC boating-regulations page says the temporary certificate is valid for 12 months from issue, while the FWC courses page and section 327.395 of the Florida Statutes both say 90 days. The 12-month figure matches an earlier codification of the same statute, so the regulations page appears to be out of date rather than describing a different document. The statute governs. Plan on 90 days and ask FWC if your dates are tight.

Florida's rules run deep enough that they get a page of their own: who needs the FWC card, the full exemption list, the free approved courses and the temporary-certificate route are all covered in our Florida boating license guide.

Why national boating license charts get these states wrong

Four patterns in these rows defeat national generalizations.

• The universal states. California and New York completed broad expansions in 2025, and Virginia's phase-in finished in 2016. None of the three has a birth-date exemption left, which is exactly why older national tables give wrong answers for them.
• The mid-phase state. Minnesota's requirement expands on published dates through July 1, 2028, so an answer that is correct today for a 27-year-old changes on the next phase date.
• The two-cutoff states. Michigan applies one birth-date rule to motorboats and a separate one to personal watercraft; Pennsylvania applies a birth-date rule to motorboats over 25 hp and a universal rule to every PWC operator. Illinois and Ohio go further and reach the supervising adult as well as the operator. Checking one cutoff and stopping is how people get this wrong.
• The exceptions that break the "it's just a card" simplification. Alabama and New Jersey issue actual operator licenses, Connecticut restricts the accepted delivery mode, Missouri writes its rule around the lakes of the state, and South Dakota mandates nothing statewide.

What a boater card actually costs, state by state

Scope: ordinary recreational operation, official agency figures only, as of August 10, 2026. The number that matters is the total required outlay, not the advertised tuition:

Total required outlay = course tuition + any mandatory exam or proctoring fee + any mandatory card, certificate or shipping fee + any state or application fee + required materials + taxes.

Expedited shipping, retakes, replacement cards and convenience upgrades stay outside that total. A "Not confirmed" cell means the figure is not published on the page named in the final column, not that the cost is zero. Course tuition is set by providers and changes more often than state fees.

Jurisdiction	Free accepted option on the authority's own list	Course tuition (official figure)	Mandatory state card, certificate or application fee	Lowest total this page can verify	Official page checked for fees
Alabama	Not confirmed	Not confirmed	Not confirmed — the license is issued at an ALEA driver-license office; ask for the current fee	Not confirmed	ALEA vessel license requirements
Arizona	Yes — AZGFD publishes a free classroom boating safety education course	$0 for the AZGFD classroom course	Not confirmed — no statewide credential identified	$0 for the AZGFD course	AZGFD boater education course
California	Not confirmed	Not confirmed	$10, lifetime card ($5 replacement)	$10 plus course	California Boater Card program
Connecticut	Not confirmed	Not confirmed	$50 one-time certificate; $75 equivalency examination if used instead of a course	$50 plus course, or $125 in state fees on the examination route	How to get a certificate to operate
Florida	Yes — two. FWC's approved-course list shows the Boat US Foundation online course at no charge, open to all applicants, and the Florida Virtual School Outdoor Education course, free for Florida residents aged 12–18	$0 to $79.95 across the online courses on FWC's list	No FWC card charge published; section 327.395(9) of the Florida Statutes authorizes a $2 fee per card and temporary certificate	$0	FWC boating safety courses
Georgia	Not confirmed	Not confirmed	Not confirmed	Not confirmed	Mandatory boater education
Illinois	Not confirmed	Not confirmed	Not confirmed	Not confirmed	IDNR boating safety
Michigan	Not confirmed	Not confirmed	Not confirmed	Not confirmed	Michigan DNR boating safety certificate
Minnesota	Not confirmed	Not confirmed	Not confirmed	Not confirmed	Boater education law
Missouri	Not confirmed	Not confirmed	$15 Boating Safety Identification Card fee, charged by the Water Patrol Division	$15 plus course	MSHP boater education law FAQ
New Jersey	Not confirmed	Not confirmed	$18 MVC boat license fee, required only for non-tidal waters; NJSP safety-certificate fee not confirmed	$18 plus course, on non-tidal waters	MVC boating license
New York	Not confirmed	Not confirmed	Classroom students aged 18 and over must purchase the permanent certificate separately before it is mailed; online course fees include it; $10 replacement certificate is optional	Not confirmed	NY Parks boating education
North Carolina	Not confirmed	Not confirmed	Not confirmed	Not confirmed	Take a boater education course
Ohio	Not confirmed	Not confirmed	Not confirmed	Not confirmed	Mandatory boater education
Pennsylvania	Not confirmed	Not confirmed	$10 permanent certificate	$10 plus course	Apply for a Boating Safety Education Certificate
South Dakota	Not applicable — no statewide mandate	Not applicable	Not applicable	$0, because no credential is required	GFP boating safety
Texas	Not confirmed	From $20 for a basic course	Not confirmed	Not confirmed — the $20 figure is tuition, and the card fee is not published on the page checked	TPWD boater education FAQs
Virginia	Yes — two. DWR runs a free classroom course, Boat Virginia, and lists the Boat US Foundation online course as free on its own course list	$0 on both free routes; fee-based providers' tuition not published by DWR	Not confirmed — the provider's certificate is the operating document	$0	Find a boating safety course
Washington	Not confirmed	Not confirmed	$10 card application	$10 plus course	Boater Education Card
Wisconsin	Not confirmed	Not confirmed	Not confirmed	Not confirmed	WDNR safety education

Naming the free courses above is a statement about what appears on the agency's own list at no charge on the date checked. It is not a recommendation of a provider, and it is not a claim about any course that is not on that list.

What three real totals look like.

• Low — Florida, $0. Take the Boat US Foundation course that appears at no charge on FWC's approved-course list, or the free Florida Virtual School course if you are a Florida resident aged 12 to 18. FWC publishes no card charge on the pages checked, though the statute authorizes a $2 fee per card.
• Base — Washington, $10 plus tuition. The course is a provider charge; the $10 card application is the state's, and it comes after the course, not with it.
• High — Connecticut, $125 in state fees before tuition. A boater who skips the 8-hour course and takes the DEEP equivalency examination pays the $75 exam fee and then the $50 certificate fee. Neither is tuition, and neither appears on a course provider's price page.

Two cautions. A free course is not always a free credential: check whether a card, application or exam fee survives it. And a low advertised tuition can hide a mandatory state fee that a competitor's page omits — Connecticut's $50 certificate is larger than many course fees. Our directory of free accepted course options covers eligibility and fee treatment across course types.

What changes the answer: boater card age requirements and vessel triggers

Two people on the same lake, on the same day, can get different answers, because most state rules are conditional. These five variables do the work, and they map onto the matrix fields above.

Factor	What to check
Birth date	Fixed cutoff, phase-in schedule, or no cutoff at all
Vessel and motor	Motorized vs. non-motorized, horsepower threshold, PWC, sailboat length
Minimum operating age	The age below which operation is prohibited outright, separate from the card
Supervision	Required supervisor age and credential, and whether the supervisor also needs a card
Waters, residency and rental	State waters vs. tidal/non-tidal, resident vs. visitor, owned vs. rented

Boater card age requirements come in two distinct shapes, and confusing them causes most wrong self-assessments. A fixed birth-date cutoff never moves: if you were born before the date, the education rule does not reach you. A phase-in moves on schedule until it covers everyone the legislature intended — so "I checked a few years ago and I was exempt" is not a durable answer in Minnesota. Then there is a third case that trips up experienced boaters: California, New York and Virginia have no birth-date exemption left, so age and experience do not help.

Separately from all of that, states set minimum ages to operate at all, and these are not education rules — no course, card or supervising adult lifts them. Florida makes the point sharply: FWC states there is no minimum age to operate a boat, but a person must be at least 14 to operate a PWC and at least 18 to rent one, and knowingly letting a younger child operate a PWC is a criminal offense. If the operator is a minor, read the minimum-age rule and the education rule as two separate tests, and expect a parental-consent step where a state issues an actual license — New Jersey requires a signed parental or guardian consent letter for MVC applicants under 17.

Vessel triggers deserve equal care because they are easy to misread in both directions. A 9.9-hp outboard sits below Florida's 10-hp line but a 25-hp motor does not; a Sunfish is outside Texas's windblown-vessel rule while an 18-foot daysailer is inside it; a 20-hp motor is under Pennsylvania's 25-hp line but over Ohio's 10-hp line. When your boat sits near a threshold, read the state's exact wording rather than rounding. And remember that the operating location controls: your home state's generous rule does not travel with you onto a stricter state's waters.

Is it a license, a card, a certificate, or registration?

The word "license" hides four different documents, and buying the wrong one is how people end up with proof a state will not accept. Florida's agency is explicit that its credential is an identification card, while Alabama and New Jersey genuinely issue operator licenses — so the terminology is not decoration; it changes what you must obtain and where you must go to get it.

Term	What it usually is	Not automatically the same as
Boater safety card / ID card	State-issued or state-recognized proof that you completed accepted education; often valid for life	Boat registration, a commercial credential, or permission to operate in every other state
Course-completion certificate	The provider's proof that you finished the course and exam; in some states it doubles as time-limited temporary proof, and in others it is the operating document itself	The permanent state card, or final acceptance by the authority
Boat license / endorsement	A true operator license — Alabama's vessel operator license, and New Jersey's MVC endorsement for power vessels and PWCs on non-tidal waters	The generic nationwide term for boater education
Boat registration / title	The vessel's ownership and registration document, handled by a DMV, tax collector or equivalent	The operator's education credential — each is required independently where each applies
U.S. Coast Guard Merchant Mariner Credential	The federal credential for commercial and professional mariners	The ordinary recreational path — though several states exempt USCG license holders from their card rule

Registering your boat never satisfies an operator-education requirement, and completing a safety course never registers your boat; where both rules apply, you need both documents. Fishing licenses, required safety equipment, boating-under-the-influence law, and charter or captain licensing are separate topics governed by their own rules.

Rentals, visitors, reciprocity, and temporary proof

Travel and rental questions are where confident generalizations fail most often, so work them as an ordered check rather than a rule of thumb.

1. Open the destination state's rule first and identify its ordinary requirement for your birth date and boat.
2. Check how that state treats your existing credential, then check the visitor-duration limit attached to it. Some states recognize a home-state certificate; some recognize any NASBLA-approved course proof; some recognize only specific states' documents; and each one sets its own clock. The trap that catches people who have moved: New York recognizes an out-of-state certificate only if it was issued by your current state of residence and the course was NASBLA-approved, so a certificate you kept after relocating may no longer qualify. Every duration limit on this page sits in the matrix's visitor field.
3. If you are renting, open the state's rental or livery rule before you buy a course, because the states point in opposite directions — some exempt renters outright, some require the full credential, and some publish a short-dated rental route of their own that costs less and expires sooner. Each row's visitor and rental field names the route for that state; Florida's 90-day temporary certificate is what one of those routes looks like in practice.
4. If any material field is unclear for your trip, treat the answer as unresolved and contact the named authority before operating.

Temporary proof follows the same state-specific logic, and every one of these documents has an expiry with the same consequence: when it lapses you may no longer operate on it, and the permanent document becomes the required proof. Where a state says so, your course-completion certificate works as interim proof — for 60 days in Washington, and for the roughly 90 days New York's permanent certificate takes to arrive. A temporary or rental certificate is generally proof for that state only; do not plan a multi-state trip around one. Finally, carry the document in the form the state requires: New York requires the original physical certificate on board and does not accept a copy, and Florida requires the card plus photo identification, so do not assume a phone screenshot satisfies the carry rule.

How to choose and verify an accepted boating-safety course

Once you know the rule, choosing a course is a verification exercise, not a shopping exercise. Run these six steps in order, before paying anyone.

1. Write down your state, the operator's birth date and age, the boat's motor and type, and the use case — own boat, rental, PWC, supervising another operator. That is the five-fact check from the top of this page.
2. Open the governing requirement page from your matrix row, then the state's current approved-course or provider list. The official list comes before any course link, every time.
3. Match the exact course, delivery mode, exam and proctoring format, and provider identity against that list. A brand being approved somewhere is not approval for your course, mode and state. Our guide to checking whether a course provider is accepted walks through the evidence to save.
4. Confirm what completion actually produces: whether the provider certificate alone is the operating document, or a card application, state fee or agency processing step remains.
5. Compute the total required outlay using the formula above, not the advertised tuition. Keep optional upgrades, retakes and expedited delivery out of the comparison.
6. Save the source URL, the exact course name, the state's acceptance evidence and today's date. If a question comes up later, that record is your answer.

Which route fits your situation. This page recommends no named vendors — provider-by-state verification lives on its own page — so the picks below describe the documented characteristics to shortlist, with the free path first.

• A free accepted option exists for your state and situation: take the free course on the agency's own approved list. Arizona, Florida and Virginia all publish one, and Florida and Virginia both list a free option you can take online. Confirm eligibility and any remaining card fee before assuming zero cost.
• Most learners in card states: a provider currently named on the state agency's approved list for your exact course type and delivery mode, with a total cost that includes the state's card or certificate fee.
• Instructor-led or proctored states, the Connecticut and New Jersey pattern: an instructor-led classroom or live-virtual course with a proctored exam that the state currently accepts. A self-paced online course cannot qualify there, however it is marketed.
• Experienced boaters: ask whether the state offers an equivalency or challenge exam instead of a course — Connecticut and Virginia both do. Check whether it satisfies every rule that applies to you; Virginia states its challenge exam does not satisfy the PWC age-restriction rule for 14- and 15-year-olds.
• A one-day or weekend rental where the state publishes a rental route: the state's official rental, livery or temporary-certificate path rather than a full course, if your dates and use fit its limits.
• Boaters who cross state lines: a NASBLA-approved course accepted by your home state — then verify each destination state's recognition rule separately, because NASBLA approval is not a universal pass.

Your situation	Shortlist move	Confirm before you enroll or pay
Parent of a minor operator, or the minor themselves	An approved course meeting the state's enrollment age, taken only after you have checked the minimum operating age	Whether the state bars operation at that age regardless of a card; the supervision rule and whether the supervisor also needs a credential; whether a parental-consent step applies at application
Visitor or renter on a short trip	The state's rental, livery or temporary-certificate route if published; otherwise the shortest accepted course	Whether the temporary document covers your dates and vessel; whether it is valid only in that state or only for that rental; the total exam and rental-route fees
Cardholder who has moved to a new state	Your existing card first — then the destination state's recognition rule, before you buy anything	Whether the state recognizes a certificate issued by a former state of residence; whether a residency clock has started; whether your original course was NASBLA-approved
Adult newly covered by a universal or expanding rule	Any currently approved course in an accepted delivery mode	Whether your birth date is inside the current phase; whether the state accepts your chosen mode; what card application and fee follow completion
Budget-first learner	The free accepted option on the state's list, if one exists for you	Exact eligibility for the free option; every unavoidable card, application or exam fee; delivery and support trade-offs

One symmetry rule keeps any comparison honest: score every candidate — free, paid, classroom or online — against the same six steps, and disqualify any option that fails step 3 for your state, course and mode, whatever its price or reviews. When you are ready for named, state-verified comparisons, they belong on our boater safety course hub.

What happens after the course?

The path runs: finish the course → receive completion proof → provider reporting or your own card application to the state → receive the permanent card, certificate or license → carry and present it as the state requires. Each arrow is a separate step with its own timing, and the details live in our guide to certificate and card delivery.

Do boating safety cards expire?

It depends on the state, so check your row. The credentials verified on this page are issued for life — California's, Minnesota's, New York's, Pennsylvania's and Washington's among them — and Florida's card does not expire. What does expire is temporary proof: rental certificates and completion documents lapse on the state's schedule, commonly 60 or 90 days, and Missouri's rental card runs seven days.

Can I use my out-of-state boater card in another state?

Only if the destination state's current rule says so, and the conditions vary widely. New York recognizes a certificate only from your current state of residence and only from a NASBLA-approved course. New Jersey accepts qualifying proof for up to 90 days of in-state operation and requires its own certificate beyond that. Washington exempts non-residents operating fewer than 60 consecutive days, and Connecticut gives a new resident 90 days to obtain a Connecticut certificate. Wisconsin accepts an equivalent out-of-state certification outright, and Missouri accepts proof of a NASBLA-approved course from your home state. Connecticut's PWC reciprocity covers just four named states. Alabama has required nonresidents to carry a home-state certification since October 1, 2024. Check the destination row's visitor field, then the official source, before the trip.

Do renters need a boating license?

The rental rules point in opposite directions by state, so never assume. New York exempts livery renters 18 or older after on-site instruction; Minnesota requires a Minnesota renter to be 18 or older and to hold a permit, qualify as exempt, or complete the state's 180-day rental course; Ohio offers rental customers a certificate, a signed statement or an abbreviated on-site exam; Missouri allows a seven-day temporary card issued by the rental business; Washington exempts renters who complete the vendor's safety checklist; Florida offers renters a 90-day temporary certificate and requires a PWC renter to be at least 18. Open the destination state's rental rule — step 3 above — before the deposit.

I already took a course my state doesn't accept. Now what?

Do not assume the record is wasted, and do not operate on it. Contact the named state authority first and ask three questions: whether your completed course is accepted for any purpose in that state, whether the state offers an equivalency or challenge exam you could take instead of a second full course, and exactly which delivery mode and course length the state does accept. Connecticut, for example, does not approve self-paced online courses but does offer an equivalency examination. Get the accepted delivery mode in writing before you buy again, and keep the first certificate — it may still satisfy another state where you boat.

Is boat registration the same as a boating license?

No. Registration is a vessel document proving the boat is registered with the state, usually through a DMV, tax collector or equivalent; a boating-safety card or certificate is an operator document proving accepted education. Where both rules apply to you, you need both, and completing one requirement never satisfies the other.

How long after finishing a course can I legally operate?

It depends on which step in the chain your state treats as sufficient proof. Where the completion certificate counts as temporary proof — 60 days in Washington, and through the roughly 90 days New York's permanent certificate takes to arrive — you can operate while the permanent card is processed and mailed. Pennsylvania's permanent certificate may take 30 to 40 days. The overall clock is set by the slowest dependency: provider reporting, the state's processing, or mail delivery. An instant printable certificate does not guarantee instant acceptance, card issuance or recognition in another state.

Your next step

Open your state's row above, click through to the official requirement page, and confirm the rule for the operator's birth date and age, the boat, and the trip on the authority's own site. If a minor will operate, check the minimum operating age separately from the education rule — they are different tests, and a card does not lift an age bar. Then verify your intended course and delivery mode against the state's current approved list, and save the URL, course name and date; that record is what protects you from an unusable certificate. And if your state is not in the matrix, or your situation falls outside the published rule, find your state's boating law administrator through the NASBLA state boating contacts directory and contact that authority directly before you operate or pay.

Sources and last verified date

Last verified: August 10, 2026

Next review: November 10, 2026

• Boating Education and Operator Certification/License — Alabama Law Enforcement Agency — vessel operator's license requirement, age-12 minimum, and the 12–13 supervision rule requiring a licensed person 21 or older.
• Boat/Vessel License Requirements — Alabama Law Enforcement Agency — statewide licensing since 1997, the written examination and its exemptions, and the "V" class endorsement.
• Boating — Outdoor Alabama, Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources — the October 1, 2024 nonresident certification requirement.
• Boating Education — Arizona Game and Fish Department — the department's boating safety education program and the course route for court-ordered completion after a boating citation.
• Arizona Boater Education Course — Arizona Game and Fish Department — the free classroom boating safety education course and the department's statement that it encourages all boaters to take it.
• Watercraft registration — Arizona Game and Fish Department — the 90-day nonresident allowance on a home-state registration.
• Boating Safety and Education — California State Parks, Division of Boating and Waterways — January 1, 2025 requirement that all motorized-vessel operators hold the California Boater Card.
• Boating laws, rules and license requirements — California State Parks — California age and supervision rules at more than 15 hp, PWC coverage, and the sailboat exception.
• About the Card — California Boater Card program — $10 lifetime card fee and $5 replacement fee.
• Who Needs a Certificate — Connecticut DEEP — Safe Boating Certificate and CPWO scope, the USCG license exemption, PWC reciprocity with four named states, and the 90-day new-resident deadline.
• Certification FAQs — Connecticut DEEP — non-approval of asynchronous online courses, the instructor-led 8-hour NASBLA-approved proctored-exam standard, and the under-16 PWC accompaniment rule requiring a CPWO held for at least two years.
• How to get a certificate to operate — Connecticut DEEP — $50 one-time certificate fee and the $75 equivalency examination.
• Boating Regulations — Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission — PWC minimum operating age of 14 and rental age of 18, the offense of allowing a younger operator, the full exemption list, and the conflicting 12-month temporary-certificate statement.
• FAQs about boating safety education requirements — Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission — the January 1, 1988 birth-date rule at 10 hp or more and the card-plus-photo-ID carry rule.
• Boating Safety Education Identification Card — Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission — card issuance process and non-expiration.
• Boating Safety Courses — Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission — the approved-course list with published prices from $0 to $79.95, the free Boat US Foundation online course, the free Florida Virtual School course for residents aged 12–18, and the 90-day temporary certificate.
• Temporary Certificate Program — Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission — the renter and visitor route through FWC-authorized vendors.
• Mandatory Boating Education for violators — Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission — the separate violation-triggered education requirement.
• Chapter 327 Section 395 — Florida Statutes — statutory 90-day validity of the temporary certificate, the $2 card and temporary-certificate fee authorisation, and the non-criminal infraction for operating in violation of the section.
• Mandatory Boater Education — Georgia Department of Natural Resources — the January 1, 1998 birth-date rule effective July 1, 2014, and its exemptions.
• Who Can Operate a Boat — Georgia DNR Law Enforcement Division — age bands by vessel length and horsepower and the definition of a competent adult.
• Boating Safety — Illinois Department of Natural Resources — the January 1, 1998 birth-date rule at more than 10 hp under 625 ILCS 45/5-18, the age bands for operators under 18, and the requirement that a supervising adult born on or after that date also hold a certificate.
• Boating safety certificate — Michigan Department of Natural Resources — the July 1, 1996 birth-date rule.
• Boater education law — Minnesota Department of Natural Resources — watercraft operator's permit rule, youth restrictions, rental routes and lifetime validity.
• New education requirements in effect July 1 — Minnesota Department of Natural Resources — the phase-in schedule through July 1, 2028, accompanying-operator and renter rules, and recognition of other states' permits.
• Boater Education Law FAQ — Missouri State Highway Patrol, Water Patrol Division — the January 1, 1984 birth-date rule effective January 1, 2005, the $15 card fee, and how out-of-state boaters comply.
• Section 306.127 — Revised Statutes of Missouri — the statutory basis for the card, and the seven-day temporary card a rental or sales business may issue.
• Boater identification indicator FAQ — Missouri Department of Revenue — the driver-license indicator accepted in place of carrying the card and photo ID.
• How to get a motorboat or jet ski license — New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission — the non-tidal boat license, the $18 fee, the age-16 minimum and the parental-consent letter for applicants under 17.
• Boating Safety Certificate FAQs — New Jersey State Police — visitor credential options, the 90-day threshold, and the non-tidal endorsement.
• Boating — New York State Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation — Brianna's Law coverage of all motorized-vessel operators and livery rental rules by age.
• Boating Education — New York State Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation — the age-10 minimum to take the course, the 90-day temporary certificate, the original-certificate carry rule, the classroom certificate purchase for students 18 and over, and the narrower out-of-state recognition condition.
• Laws and Safety — North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission — the January 1, 1988 birth-date rule at 10 hp or greater on public waterways.
• Boating Regulations — North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission — the NASBLA-approved course requirement for covered operators.
• Take a Boater Education Course — North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission — the approved course routes and the statement that there is no minimum age to take the course.
• Mandatory Boater Education — Ohio Department of Natural Resources — the January 1, 1982 birth-date rule at more than 10 hp, the supervising-adult rule, the 72-hour presentation rule and the rental provisions.
• Ohio Boat Operating Laws — Ohio Department of Natural Resources — PWC age and supervision rules and the statutory basis for the education requirement.
• Apply for a Boating Safety Education Certificate and Course — Commonwealth of Pennsylvania — the January 1, 1982 rule at more than 25 hp, the universal PWC rule, the $10 certificate fee and the 30-to-40-day processing window.
• Boating safety — South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks — the agency's statement that a boating safety course is not required to operate a boat in South Dakota.
• Mandatory boater education requirements — Texas Parks and Wildlife Department — the September 1, 1993 birth-date rule, the vessel triggers, and the age-13 and supervision rules.
• Boater education frequently asked questions — Texas Parks and Wildlife Department — the carry rule, course fees from $20, PWC age rules and violation-triggered course completion.
• Boating Safety Education Requirement — Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources — the requirement for all motorboat operators at 10 hp or greater and all PWC operators 14 and older, and the equivalency exam.
• Find a Boating Safety Course — Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources — the free Boat Virginia classroom course, the free Boat US Foundation online course, and the fee-based online providers DWR accepts.
• Personal Watercraft — Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources — the PWC age rule and the statement that the challenge exam does not satisfy the age-restriction law.
• Boater Education Card — Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission — the 15-hp trigger, the January 1, 1955 birth-date rule, the age-12 minimum, exemptions including the 60-day non-resident and rental-checklist routes, the 60-day temporary proof and the $10 card application.
• Safety Education — Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources — the January 1, 1989 birth-date rule, acceptance of equivalent out-of-state certification, and the age bands for operators under 12.
• What you should know before you operate your boat — Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources — the certification requirement to operate at age 16.
• State Boating Contacts — National Association of State Boating Law Administrators — directory used to route readers in jurisdictions this page has not yet verified.
• About NASBLA — National Association of State Boating Law Administrators — definition of the course-approval standard most states reference.
• Merchant Mariner Credential — U.S. Coast Guard — the separate federal commercial and professional credential, cited for disambiguation.