ABA Boater Education Program
Boater Education Requirements/Laws
Boater education prevents accidents and saves lives. Whether
or not their state requires it, all boaters have a responsibility
to learn about boat operation, communications, navigation, and life-saving
techniques before taking to the water. Statistics bear out what
logic suggests—those without boater education put themselves and
others at risk.
Of the approximately 7,700 accidents reported each year, the
U.S. Coast Guard found that nearly 70 percent are caused by operator
error as opposed to boat or environmental factors. (Estimates suggest
less than 10% of minor boating accidents are reported.) Not only
do incompetent boaters cause more accidents, the accidents they
cause are more severe. According to the National Transportation
Safety Board (NTSB), boating fatalities are second only to highway
fatalities. Sadly, more than 80 percent of recreational boat operators
involved in fatal boating accidents have not taken any type of boater
education course. An untrained boater would likely not know the
proper steps to take in a life-threatening situation, such as capsizing/man
overboard, fire, sinking/flooding, or collision.
The lack of education in personal watercraft operators is a cause
for concern as well; a 1997 study estimated that 84% of PWC operators
(including renters) had received no boating instruction whatsoever.
PWC injuries account for 36% of all reported boating injuries.
With 12.7 million boats registered in the U.S., Steve Hall, president
of the National State Boating Law Administrators and boating law
administrator for Rhode Island recognizes, "The waterways are increasingly
more congested and operators must know the rules of the water to
have a safe and enjoyable day boating. If boaters would learn and
practice safe boating tactics, the number of accidents would be
greatly reduced."
Many organizations offer a variety of boater education courses
in a variety of formats (including on-line, video, and classroom).
Here are just a few:
Boating Education May Lower Your Insurance Premiums
In the 1990s, the NTSB placed boating safety on its "10 Most
Wanted List" for safety improvements, and put forth several recommendations
focused on reducing the number and severity of boating accidents.
The recommendations regarding education included implementing minimum
standards for demonstrating operator knowledge of safety boating
rules and skills, and requiring PWC rental businesses to provide
safety instruction training to customers.
In the past few years, numerous states have enacted legislation
along these lines, and more changes are in the works. Yet still,
many states have no educational requirements for boaters. If there
are educational standards and age limits for driving an automobile
and piloting a plane, why not have standards for operating a boat?
State Boating Requirements/Laws
The purpose of the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) Reference Guide is to summarize the information that was gathered in research of states’ boating laws.
NASBLA has developed a number of State Law Dashboards, click here.
The information is subject to change at any time and facts should be verified with the BLAs if there are any questions. Information contained here is believed to be
correct but is not intended to provide a legal opinion.
To view an overview of the boating education requirements for all states, click here.
Source: The National Association of State Boating Law Administrators
|
State |
Who is required to complete a boating education course |
| Alabama |
Anyone born after April 28, 1956. |
| Alaska |
No requirement. |
| Arizona |
No requirement. |
| Arkansas |
Anyone born on or after January 1, 1986. |
|
California |
As of January 1, 2022, California law requires all boaters 45 years of age or younger to carry the California Boater Card. All boaters regardless of age are required to obtain the card by 2025. |
| Colorado |
Persons 14 or 15 years of age who want to operate a motorboat (including PWCs). No one under the age of 14 can operate a motorboat (including PWCs). |
| Connecticut |
Residents who wish to operate a motorized vesssel. |
|
Delaware |
Anyone born on or after
January 1, 1978. |
| District of Columbia |
All vessel operators are required to have a BS Certificate or there is a passenger at least 18 years of age on board with an approved BS Certificate. |
| Florida |
Anyone born on or after January 1, 1988, who operates a vessel powered by an engine of 10 horsepower or greater (including PWCs). |
| Georgia |
Anyone born after January 1, 1998. |
|
Hawaii |
Everyone who operates a powed vessel. |
| Idaho |
People renting a PWC, boat operators convicted of OUI, repeat offenders of boating laws. |
| Illinois |
Persons born on or after January 1, 1998, may operate a vessel powered by a motor of more than 10 horsepower (hp) only if they have a valid Boating Safety Certificate accepted by the Department of Natural Resources.
Persons at least 10 years old but less than 12 years old may operate a motorized vessel with more than 10 hp, including a PWC, only if they are accompanied by and under the direct control of a
parent, a guardian, or a person at least 18 years old designated by the
parent or guardian.
Persons at least 12 years old but less than 18 years old may operate a motorized vessel with more than 10 horsepower, including a PWC, only if:
-
They complete a boating safety course and possess a Boating Safety Certificate accepted by the Department of Natural Resources or…
-
They are accompanied by and under the direct control of
a parent, a guardian, or a person at least 18 years old designated by the parent or guardian.
|
| Indiana |
All vessel operators
are required to possess a valid driver's license with exception of 15 year olds who have taken and passed a boater education course and possesses an Indiana Indentification card. |
| Iowa |
12 through 17 year olds who operate a motorboat over 10 h.p. or a PWC. |
| Kansas |
Anyone born on or after January 1, 1989 and under 21 years of age regardless of date of birth. |
| Kentucky |
Safe Boating Certification is mandatory for children from
12 through 17 years old. |
| Louisiana |
Under the age of 16. |
| Maine |
16 and 17 year olds who will operate a Personal Watercraft (PWC). |
| Maryland |
Anyone
born on or after July 1, 1972 who is operating a motorized vessel on MD waters must have a valid certificate of boating safety education. |
| Massachusetts |
Any person of at least 12 years of age and less than 16 years of age, operating a motorboat without adult supervision. PWC users 16 and 17 years of age. (PWCs cannot be operated by youth less than 16 years of age). |
| Michigan |
Those less than 12 years of age: May operate a boat powered by a motor of no more than 6 horsepower (hp) legally without restrictions. May operate a boat powered by a motor of more than 6 hp but no more than 35 hp legally only if they are directly supervised on board by a person at least 16 years of age. May not operate a boat powered by a motor of more than 35 hp legally under any conditions. Those 12 to 15 years of age: May operate a boat powered by a motor of no more than 6 hp legally without restrictions. May operate a boat powered by a motor of more than 6 hp legally only if they: Have passed a boating safety course approved by the Department of Natural Resources and have on board their boating safety certificate or ... Are accompanied on board by a person at least 16 years of age. |
| Minnesota |
Ages 12 - 17 to operate a motorboat over 25 hp. |
| Mississippi |
Persons born after June 30, 1980. |
| Missouri |
Any person born after January 1, 1984. |
| Montana |
Youth 13 and 14 years of age must either complete a boating education course or be accompanied
by an adult in order to operate a motorboat or PWC with a motor greater than 10 horsepower. |
| Nebraska |
All motorboat operators 14 to 18. |
| Nevada |
Persons born on or
after January 1, 1983 will be required to complete an approved
boater education course. This applies only to those operating
a vessel with a motor larger than 15 hp on Nevada's interstate
waters. |
| New Hampshire |
Everyone 16 years of age or older operating a vessel over 25 horsepower. |
| New Jersey |
All power vessel operators, regardless of DOB. |
| New Mexico |
Those born on or after January 1, 1989. |
| New York |
Motorboats - Any individuals born on or after 5/1/96 are now required to successfully complete an approved course in boater education in order to operate a motorboat. Approved courses include those offered by NYS Parks, the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary or the U.S. Power Squadron. Individuals less than 10 years of age may not take this course of instruction.
Personal Watercraft - Operators may not operate a Personal Watercraft (JetSki, SeaDoo, etc.) unless they are at least 14 years of age and hold a boater safety certificate issued by State Parks, the USCG Auxiliary or the US Power Squadron for having completed a an 8-hour classroom based course of instruction.
A person without a safety certificate may operate a PWC when accompanied by someone over 18 years of age who is the holder of a boater safety certificate. For the purposes of this section, "accompanied" shall mean upon the same PWC.
|
| North Carolina |
PWC operators between 14 and 16 years of age if they want to operate on their own . |
| North Dakota |
No person of twelve through fifteen years of age may operate
a motorboat (includes personal watercraft, i.e. Jet skis,
etc.) propelled by over a ten horsepower motor unless the
operator is accompanied by a person eighteen years of age
or older or the operator has taken and passed a boating
course approved by the Department. |
| Ohio |
Anyone born on or after January 1, 1982 who
operates a powerboat grater than 10 horsepower. |
| Oklahoma |
All persons from 12 to less than 16 years
of age. |
| Oregon |
Boaters 12 and older operating a motorboat greater than 10 horsepower. |
| Pennsylvania |
Operators born on or after January 1, 1982 to operate motorboats greater than 25 horsepower and all operators of PWC. |
| Puerto Rico |
Anyone born after July 1, 1972. |
| Rhode Island |
All PWC operators and anyone born after January 1, 1986 operating
a vessel powered by an engine of ten (10) or more horsepower. |
| South Carolina |
Persons younger than 16 years of age that operate a boat powered by 15 horsepower engine or greater by themselves. |
| South Dakota |
No requirement |
| Tennessee |
TN resident born after January 1, 1989 must pass a proctored exam. |
| Texas |
Operators between ages 13-17 years. |
| Utah |
Personal Watercraft operators 12 through 17 years old. |
| Vermont |
Any person born on or after January 1, 1974. |
| Virginia |
Beginning July 1, 2009 compliance with boating safety education will be phased in according to age category. |
| Virgin Islands |
No requirement. |
| Washington |
Operators of motorboats with 15 horsepower or greater, must be 12 years of age or older. Is being phased in beginning January 2008 starting with 12 to 20 year olds and increasing age each year until fully implemented in 2014. |
|
West Virginia |
Anyone born after
December 31, 1986. |
| Wisconsin |
Anyone born on or after January 1, 1989 and who is at least 16 years old. |
| Wyoming |
No requirement. |
Boating
safety should be a concern for everyone on the water. Regardless
of whether or not your state requires boater education, regardless
of whether you're a boat owner or are just "along for the ride",
education in boat operation, navigation, and life-saving skills
is important in both preventing accidents, and minimizing them if
they occur.
Other Boat Education
Resources:
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