---
title: Boating Education Course Requirements in the US
description: Do I need a license to drive a boat? How old do you have to be to take the boating safety course? What are the exemptions for a boating license?
image: https://21118949.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/21118949/courses/usa2024/images/images-transparentes/age-restrictions-hr.png
---

![Who is required to complete a boating education course in the US?](https://21118949.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hub/21118949/hubfs/courses/usa2024/images/images-transparentes/age-restrictions-hr.png?width=1100&height=696&name=age-restrictions-hr.png)

| Alabama boating license |  Required if you are at least 12 years old, and will be operating a motorized boat. |
| --- | --- |
| Alaska boating license | Not required. |
| Arizona boating license | Not required. |
| Arkansas boating license | Required if you were born on or after January 1st, 1986 and will be operating a motorized boat. |
| [California boating license](https://aceboater.com/en-us/california) | Required as of January 1st, 2024, all boaters 60 years of age or younger will be required to carry the Boater Card. All boaters regardless of age will be required to obtain the card by 2025. |
| Colorado boating license | Required if you are 14 or 15 years old and will be operating a motorized vessel. |
| Connecticut boating license | Required to legally operate any boat with an engine (even a dinghy), or a sailboat 19 1/2' or longer, you need a Safe Boating Certificate and all PWC operators |
| Delaware boating license | Required if you were born on or after January 1st, 1978, and will be operating a motorized boat. |
| District of Columbia boating license |  Required for everyone operating a motorized vessel. |
| [Florida boating license](https://aceboater.com/en-us/florida) | Required if you were born on or after January 1st, 1988, and will be operating a motorized boat of 10 hp or more.  |
| Georgia boating license | Required if you were born after January 1st, 1998 and will be operating a motorized boat. |
| [Hawaii boating license](https://aceboater.com/en-us/hawaii) | Required if you will be operating a motorized boat over 10 hp and all PWC operators  |
| Idaho boating license | Not required. |
| Illinois boating license | Required if you were born on or after January 1st, 1998, and will be operating a vessel powered by a motor of more than 10hp. |
| [Indiana boating license](https://aceboater.com/en-us/indiana) | Required if you are at least 15 years old and will be operating a motorboat and  all PWC operators |
| Iowa boating license | Required for youth aged 12 through 17 who operate a motorboat over 10 hp. and all PWC operators  |
| Kansas boating license | Required if you are between 12 and 20 years old, are unaccompanied, and will be operating a powerboat. |
| [Kentucky boating license](https://aceboater.com/en-us/kentucky) | Required for youth aged 12 through 17 who will be operating a motorized vessel over 10 hp. |
| Louisiana boating license | Required if you were born after January 1st, 1984, and will be operating a motorboat and all PWC operators |
| Maine boating license | Required if you are older than 12 years of age, and will be operating a vessel powered by a motor of more than 10 hp and all PWC users between the ages of 16-17   |
| [Maryland boating license](https://aceboater.com/en-us/maryland) | Required for those born on or after July 1st, 1972 to legally operate a motorized vessel on MD waters you must have a valid certificate of boating safety education. |
| Massachusetts boating license | Required for youth aged 12 to less than 16 years of age who will be operating a motorized boat and all PWC operators between the ages of 16-17 |
| Michigan boating license | Required if you were born after June 30th, 1996, and will be operating a motorized vessel in Michigan and all PWC operators. |
| Minnesota boating license | Required for youth between 12-17 years of age to operate a motorboat over 25 HP. |
| Mississippi boating license | Required if you were born after June 30th, 1980 and will be operating a motorized boat. |
| Missouri boating license | Required if you were born after January 1st, 1984 and will be operating a motorized boat. |
| Montana boating license | Required if you are between 13 and 14 years of age and will be operating a motorized boat. all PWC operators. |
| Nebraska boating license | Required if you are between 14 to 18 years of age and will be operating a motorized boat. |
| [Nevada boating license](https://aceboater.com/en-us/nevada) | Required if you were born on or after Jan 1st, 1983 to operate motorboats of more than 15 hp on interstate waters.  |
| New Hampshire boating license | Required if you are 16 years of age or older operating a vessel over 25 horsepower.   |
| [New Jersey boating license](https://aceboater.com/en-us/new-jersey) | Required for everyone operating a motorized vessel. |
| [New Mexico boating license](https://aceboater.com/en-us/new-mexico) | Required if you were born on or after Jan 1st, 1989 and will be operating a motorized boat.  |
| [New York boating license](https://aceboater.com/en-us/new-york) | Required for everyone operating a motorized vessel. |
| [North Carolina boating license](https://aceboater.com/en-us/north-carolina) | Required for PWC operators between 14 and 16 years of age if they want to operate on their own.   |
| North Dakota boating license |  Required for youth aged 12 through 15 years old, unaccompanied, and will be operating a power-driven vessel or PWC of 10 hp or more. |
| [Ohio boating license](https://aceboater.com/en-us/ohio) | Required if you were born on or after January 1st, 1982 and operate a powerboat greater than 10 horsepower.   |
| Oklahoma boating license | Required for youth aged 12 to less than 16 years of age who will be operating a motorized boat.   |
| Oregon boating license | Required for anyone 12 and older operating a motorboat greater than 10 hp.  |
| Pennsylvania boating license | Required if you were born after January 1st, 1982 to operate motorboats greater than 25 horsepower and all operators of PWC.  |
| Puerto Rico boating license | Required if you were born after July 1st, 1972 and will be operating a motorized boat. |
| Rhode Island boating license | Required if you were born  after January 1st, 1986 operating a vessel powered by an engine of 10 or more horsepower and all PWC operators.  |
| South Carolina boating license | Required for youth 16 years to operate a boat or personal watercraft with a 15 hp motor or greater, unaccompanied. |
| South Dakota boating license | Not required. |
| Tennessee boating license | Required if you were born after January 1st, 1989 and will be operating a motorized boat. |
| Texas boating license |  Required if you were born after Aug. 31st, 1993, and will be operating a boat over 15 hp, and all PWC operators and, all sailboat over 14 feet long  |
| Utah boating license | Required for all PWC operators between ages 12 and 17.   |
| Vermont boating license | Required if you were born after January 1st, 1974 and will be operating a motorized boat. |
| [Virginia boating license](https://aceboater.com/en-us/virginia) |  Required if you operate a motorboat of 10 hp or greater and, all PWC operators age 14 and older. |
| Washington boating license | Required for all operators of motorboats with 15 horsepower or greater.  |
| [West Virginia boating license](https://aceboater.com/en-us/west-virginia) | Required if you were born after Dec. 31st, 1986 and will be operating a motorized boat. |
| Wisconsin boating license | Required if you were born on or after January 1st, 1989, and will be operating a motorboat and all PWC operators. |
| Wyoming boating license | Not required. |

 

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#### Boating safety course and boating exam accredited in USA

[↑](https://aceboater.com/en-us/boating-education-course-requirements-in-the-us#top)

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