Boating Laws & 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. Each state has unique boating education requirements, and the boating rules, laws and regulations vary from state to state for obtaining a boat license or safety certification. Be sure to review the full legal requirements for your particular state.

	Virginia
	Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries
	Yes, state has mandatory boater education law that applies to some operators of boats and/or personal watercraft. As of July 1, 2015, all PWC operators age 14 and older and motorboat operators 50 and younger must complete a boating safety course. Beginning July 1, 2016, all PWC operators age 14 and older and all motorboat operators regardless of age need to take a boating safety course. PWC Age Restriction: No person under the age of 14 may operate a PWC. Those operators 14 and 15 MUST show proof of completing an approved and accepted boating safety course either in a classroom or online. The challenge exam or other provisions of the Education Compliance Requirement do not meet the requirements of the age restriction law.   See the state's website for specific safe boating course requirements.
	View the official Virginia boating web site here.

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.