	America’s Boating Course
	3rd Edition
	- State By State Law -

Boating Safety Course and Boating License Requirements by State

Passing a boating safety course will give you a discount on boat insurance and will increase your
water safety skills. Boat safety courses are an excellent investment of time and money, regardless
of your state's boating law and boating license requirements. Each state has unique boat safety laws,
and boaing education requirements. The boating rules, laws and regulations vary from state to state for
obtaining a boat license or boating safety course certification.

Be sure to review the full legal requirements for your particular state.

Alabama
http://www.dcnr.state.al.us/
Yes, state has mandatory boating education law requiring that some operators of boats and/or personal watercraft obtain a boating license. See the state's website for specific boat license and boating safety
course requirements.

Alaska
http://www.alaskaboatingsafety.org/
No mandatory boat or water safety course educational requirements.

Arizona
http://www.azgfd.com/
No mandatory boating safety course educational requirements.

Arkansas
http://www.agfc.com/boating/default.aspx
Yes, state has mandatory boating safety education law that applies to some operators of boats and/or personal watercraft. See the state's website for specific boater safety course regulation.

California
http://www.dbw.ca.gov/
No mandatory boating safety course educational requirements.

Colorado
http://parks.state.co.us/boating
Yes, state has mandatory boating education law that applies to some operators of boats and/or personal watercraft. See the state's website for specific boating regulation and safety class regulation.

Connecticut
http://www.ct.gov/dep/boating
Yes, state has mandatory boater education law that applies to some operators of boats and/or personal watercraft. See the state's website for specific safe boating course requirements.

Delaware
http://www.dnrec.state.de.us/dnrec2000
Yes, state has mandatory boat education law that applies to some operators of boats and/or personal watercraft. See the state's website for specific boat safety course requirements.

Florida
http://www.myfwc.com/
Yes, state has mandatory boating education law that applies to some operators of boats and/or personal watercraft. See the state's website for specific boating safety class regulation.

Georgia
http://www.gadnr.org/
Yes, state has mandatory boater education law that applies to some operators of boats and/or personal watercraft. See the state's website for specific boating course requirements.

Hawaii
http://www.state.hi.us/dlnr/dbor/dbor.htm
No mandatory boat or water safety course educational requirements.

Idaho
http://parksandrecreation.idaho.gov/recreation/boating.aspx
No mandatory boater safety class educational requirements. However, state has boating law that applies
to some operators of boats and/or personal watercraft. See the state's website for specific information.

Illinois
http://dnr.state.il.us/
Yes, state has mandatory boat education law that applies to some operators of boats and/or personal watercraft. See the state's website for specific boater safety course regulation.

Indiana
http://www.in.gov/dnr/boating/
Yes, state has mandatory boating education law that applies to some operators of boats and/or personal watercraft. See the state's website for specific boat safety class requirements.

Iowa
http://www.iowadnr.com/
Yes, state has mandatory boater education law that applies to some operators of boats and/or personal watercraft. See the state's website for specific boat safety course regulation.

Kansas
http://www.kdwp.state.ks.us/
Yes, state has mandatory boat education law that applies to some operators of boats and/or personal watercraft. See the state's website for specific boating safety course and boating license requirements.

Kentucky
http://www.kdfwr.state.ky.us/
Yes, state has mandatory boating education law that applies to some operators of boats and/or personal watercraft. See the state's website for specific boat safety course regulation.

Louisiana
http://www.wlf.state.la.us/
Yes, state has mandatory boater education law that applies to some operators of boats and/or personal watercraft. See the state's website for specific boating safety course requirements.

Maine
Maine (Inland) http://www.mefishwildlife.com/
Maine (Marine) http://www.maine.gov/dmr
No mandatory boating or water safety course educational requirements.

Maryland
http://www.dnr.state.md.us/
Yes, state has mandatory boat education law that applies to some operators of boats and/or personal watercraft. See the state's website for specific boater safety course regulation.

Massachusetts
http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dle
Yes, state has mandatory boating education law that applies to some operators of boats and/or personal watercraft. See the state's website for specific boat safety class requirements.

Michigan
http://www.michigan.gov/dnr
Yes, state has mandatory boater education law that applies to some operators of boats and/or personal watercraft. See the state's website for specific boating safety course requirements.

Minnesota
http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/
Yes, state has mandatory boat education law that applies to some operators of boats and/or personal watercraft. See the state's website for specific boater safety course regulation.

Mississippi
http://www.mdwfp.com/
Yes, state has mandatory boating education law that applies to some operators of boats and/or personal watercraft. See the state's website for specific boat safety class requirements.

Missouri
http://www.mswp.com/Level1/boating.asp
Yes, state has mandatory boater education law that applies to some operators of boats and/or personal watercraft. See the state's website for specific boating safety course regulation.

Montana
http://www.fwp.state.mt.us/
Yes, state has mandatory boat education law that applies to some operators of boats and/or personal watercraft. See the state's website for specific boating safety course and boating license requirements.

Nebraska
http://www.ngpc.state.ne.us/boating
Yes, state has mandatory boating education law that applies to some operators of boats and/or personal watercraft. See the state's website for specific boater safety course requirements.

Nevada
http://www.ndow.org/
Yes, state has mandatory boater education law that applies to some operators of boats and/or personal watercraft. See the state's website for specific boating safety class regulation.

New Hampshire
http://www.state.nh.us/
Yes, state has mandatory boat education law that applies to some operators of boats and/or personal watercraft. See the state's website for specific boater safety course requirements.

New Jersey
http://www.state.nj.us/
Yes, state has mandatory boating education law that applies to some operators of boats and/or personal watercraft. See the state's website for specific boat safety course regulation.

New Mexico
http://www.emnrd.state.nm.us/PRD/
Yes, state has mandatory boater education law that applies to some operators of boats and/or personal watercraft. See the state's website for specific boating safety course requirements.

New York
http://www.nysparks.state.ny.us/boating/resource.asp
Yes, state has mandatory boater education law that applies to some operators of boats and/or personal watercraft. See the state's website for specific boating safety course requirements.

North Carolina
http://www.ncwildlife.org/
Yes, state has mandatory boat education law that applies to some operators of boats and/or personal watercraft. See the state's website for specific boater safety course requirements.

North Dakota
http://gf.nd.gov/boating/
Yes, state has mandatory boat education law that applies to some operators of boats and/or personal watercraft. See the state's website for specific boating safety course requirements.

Ohio
http://watercraft.ohiodnr.gov
Yes, state has mandatory boating education law that applies to some operators of boats and/or personal watercraft. See the state's website for specific boat safety course regulation.

Oklahoma
http://www.dps.state.ok.us/ohp/aboutlp.htm
Yes, state has mandatory boater education law that applies to some operators of boats and/or personal watercraft. See the state's website for specific boating safety course and boating license requirements.

Oregon
http://www.boatoregon.com/
Yes, state has mandatory boat education law that applies to some operators of boats and/or personal watercraft. See the state's website for specific boater safety course requirements.

Pennsylvania
http://www.fish.state.pa.us/
Yes, state has mandatory boating education law that applies to some operators of boats and/or personal watercraft. See the state's website for specific boat safety class regulation.

Rhode Island
http://www.state.ri.gov/topics/boating.htm
Yes, state has mandatory boater education law that applies to some operators of boats and/or personal watercraft. See the state's website for specific boating safety course requirements.

South Carolina
http://www.dnr.sc.gov/boating.html
Yes, state has mandatory boat education law that applies to some operators of boats and/or personal watercraft. See the state's website for specific boating safety course requirements.

South Dakota
http://www.sdgfp.info/Index.htm
No mandatory boating safety class educational requirements.

Tennessee
http://www.state.tn.us/twra
Yes, state has mandatory boating education law that applies to some operators of boats and/or personal watercraft. See the state's website for specific boat safety course regulation.

Texas
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/
Yes, state has mandatory boater education law that applies to some operators of boats and/or personal watercraft. See the state's website for specific boating safety course and boating license requirements.

Utah
http://www.stateparks.utah.gov/boating/
Yes, state has mandatory boat education law that applies to some operators of boats and/or personal watercraft. See the state's website for specific boater safety course requirements.

Vermont
http://www.dps.state.vt.us/vtsp/boat/
Yes, state has mandatory boating education law that applies to some operators of boats and/or personal watercraft. See the state's website for specific boating safety course regulation.

Virginia
http://www.dgif.state.va.us/
Yes, state has mandatory boater education law that applies to some operators of boats and/or personal watercraft. See the state's website for specific safe boating course requirements.

Washington
http://www.parks.wa.gov/
Yes, state has mandatory boater education law that applies to some operators of boats and/or personal watercraft. See the state's website for specific boating safety course and boating license requirements.

West Virginia
http://www.wvdnr.gov/
Yes, state has mandatory boat education law that applies to some operators of boats and/or personal watercraft. See the state's website for specific safe boater class regulation.

Wisconsin
http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/es/enforcement/safety/boatsaf.htm
Yes, state has mandatory boating education law that applies to some operators of boats and/or personal watercraft. See the state's website for specific boating safety course and boating license requirements.

Wyoming
http://gf.state.wy.us/
No mandatory boating safety course educational requirements.

Puerto Rico
No mandatory boating safety course educational requirements.

Virgin Islands
No mandatory boating safety course educational requirements.

States with mandatory boating law require safety certification for some or all boaters. Only one state (Alabama) requires an actual boat license. However, many prospective students are not aware of state legal terminology, and search for information about a boat license or licence, or a captain or captains license. This page is an excellent resource for boating law for all fifty states.

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This page last updated April 9, 2012

Course Information

Boating Safety Course and Boating License Requirements by State