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Boating License Requirements by State, by Education Tier
Every U.S. state plus DC, grouped by how their boater-education rule works — states that require a card for the covered operators, states that require it only for some operators, and states with no mandatory card. Click any state for the detail, or use the finder to pin down yours. Because boating law changes and some states are mid-rollout, always confirm the current rule on the official state agency page.
Find your state's requirement →Education card required (19 states)
A boater-education card or certificate is mandatory to operate a motorboat or personal watercraft for the covered population (often all operators, or everyone born after a cutoff year). See this tier in detail →
| State | Who needs it | Min operating age | Reciprocity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | none (age-based): all operators 12+ must hold a vessel operator license / boater-safety certification | 12 (licensed; 12-13 require a licensed adult 21+ aboard), 14 to operate unsupervised; same for PWC | yes |
| California | all operators regardless of age (full phase-in completed January 1, 2025) | 16 to operate a motorboat over 15 hp (incl. PWC) unsupervised; 12-15 may operate over 15 hp only if supervised aboard by someone 18+ | yes |
| Connecticut | all operators (any age); a Safe Boating Certificate is required regardless of birth year | under 16 may operate a non-PWC vessel only under direct supervision of someone 18+ holding an SBC/CPWO; PWC by under-16 requires a person 18+ aboard holding a CPWO 2+ years | yes |
| District of Columbia | all operators of motorized vessels (no birth-year cutoff) | no fixed minimum; under-18 may operate a motorized vessel only under supervision of an adult 18+ who completed an approved course; PWC same | yes |
| Hawaii | none - applies to all operators of motorized vessels over 10 hp regardless of birth year | no statewide minimum for a motorboat (under-16 operators must hold the card and be directly supervised by a certified adult 21+); 15 minimum for a thrill craft (PWC) | yes |
| Kansas | born on or after January 1, 1989 (requirement does not apply to persons 21 or older) | 12 to operate a motorized vessel/PWC without direct, audible supervision; no one under 12 may operate unsupervised regardless of certification | yes |
| Louisiana | born after January 1, 1984 | 16 to operate a PWC; no separate motorboat minimum (operator born after 1/1/1984 must be certified or accompanied by a certified person 18+) | yes |
| Maryland | born on or after July 1, 1972 | PWC: 16 (with certificate); motorboat: no statutory minimum but operator must hold the certificate if born on/after July 1 1972 | yes |
| Massachusetts | phasing in (Hanson-Milone Act): born after Jan 1 1989 by Apr 1 2026; born on/before Jan 1 1989 by Apr 1 2028 | motorboat: 12 (under 12 only if directly supervised by a competent person 18+); PWC: 16, no exceptions | yes |
| Michigan | motorboat (over 6 hp): born on or after July 1 1996; PWC: born after Dec 31 1978 | motorboat: no minimum if 6 hp or under; PWC: 14 (no one under 14 may operate) | Verify on the official state agency page |
| Mississippi | born after June 30, 1980 | under 12 must be accompanied by a person 21+ to operate a boat or PWC; minimum age 10 to take/certify | Verify on the official state agency page |
| Nebraska | born after December 31, 1985 | 14 (motorboat and PWC) | yes |
| New Jersey | none: all power-vessel and PWC operators (a boat safety certificate is required of all operators) | 16 to operate a power vessel or PWC | yes |
| New York | all motorized-vessel operators regardless of age (Brianna's Law fully phased in as of Jan 1, 2025) | 10 (motorboat, with adult supervision until 18 unless certified); PWC operators must be at least 14 and hold a certificate | yes |
| Texas | born on or after September 1, 1993 (motorboat over 15 hp, PWC, or wind-blown vessel over 14 ft) | 13 to operate alone a vessel over 15 hp / PWC / wind-blown vessel over 14 ft; under 13 prohibited on a PWC unless a person 18+ is aboard | Verify on the official state agency page |
| Vermont | born after January 1, 1974 | education applies to operators 12+ born after Jan 1 1974; PWC minimum age verify | yes |
| Virginia | all operators of motorboats 10 hp or greater (any age); all PWC operators 14+ | PWC: 14 (must also hold the certificate); motorboat minimum age verify | yes |
| Washington | born after January 1, 1955, age 12+, operating a motor 15 hp or greater (incl. all PWC) | 12 to operate a 15+ hp motorboat; PWC operators must be 14 (state rule; verify) | yes |
| West Virginia | born on or after December 31, 1986 | 15 to operate a motorboat or PWC alone; 12-15 may operate if a person over 18 is aboard | yes |
Required for some operators (27 states)
A card is required only for a sub-population — a birth-year cohort, a youth age band, personal-watercraft operators, and/or vessels above a horsepower threshold. See this tier in detail →
| State | Who needs it | Min operating age | Reciprocity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arkansas | born on or after January 1, 1986 | motorboat 10+ hp: 12 (or any age under direct supervision of someone 18+); PWC: 16 (12-15 with direct supervision of 18+; under 12 with 21+) | yes |
| Colorado | none (age-based, not birth-year based) | 18+ no requirement; 14-17 may operate only with a CPW-approved boating-safety certificate; under 14 may not operate (effective June 1, 2024) | yes |
| Delaware | born on or after January 1, 1978 | PWC operators must be at least 14 (14-15 need an adult aboard; 16+ with a certificate may operate a PWC unsupervised) | Verify on the official state agency page |
| Florida | born on or after January 1, 1988 (operating a vessel with a motor of 10 hp or more) | at least 14 to operate a personal watercraft; at least 18 to rent a PWC | yes |
| Georgia | born on or after January 1, 1998 (operating any motorized vessel) | under 12 only with a competent adult on a vessel under 16 ft with motor 30 hp or less; 12-15 only if course-certified OR accompanied by a competent adult; 16+ unrestricted with ID | yes |
| Illinois | none (age-based): operators 12-17 must hold a valid boating-safety certificate | 10 (motorboat over 10 hp / PWC, with on-board supervision ages 10-11; under 10 may not operate); same for PWC | yes |
| Indiana | none (by age/license status): operators of a motorboat over 10 hp must hold a driver's license OR be 15+ with an approved course + BMV-issued ID card | 15 (motorboat over 10 hp / PWC, with boater education + BMV ID if no driver's license; under 15 may not operate motorboat over 10 hp or PWC) | Verify on the official state agency page |
| Iowa | none (age-based): operators 12-17 operating a motorboat/PWC over 10 hp without a responsible adult 18+ aboard; no requirement for 18+ | 12 to operate a motorboat/PWC over 10 hp unaccompanied (with education); under 12 only if accompanied aboard by a responsible person 18+ | yes |
| Kentucky | none (age-based): operators ages 12-17; adults 18+ exempt | 12 to operate a motorboat or PWC over 10 hp (under 12 prohibited on vessels over 10 hp) | yes |
| Maine | born on or after January 1, 1999 (PWC of any size; motorboats over 25 hp) | PWC: 16; motorboat over 25 hp (if born on/after Jan 1 1999): 12 with completed course; under 12 may not operate over 10 hp unless immediately supervised by someone 16+ who completed the course | yes |
| Minnesota | phasing in: born after Jun 30 2004 (effective Jul 1 2025); fully phased to all born after Jun 30 1987 by Jul 1 2028 | motorboat: under 12 may operate <75 hp only with an accompanying operator (none under 12 over 75 hp); PWC: no one under 13; 13-17 needs a permit unless a person 21+ is aboard | yes |
| Missouri | born after January 1, 1984 | 14 (motorboat) unless accompanied by an adult aboard; same for PWC | yes |
| Montana | none (age-based): ages 13-14 operating a motorboat/PWC over 10 hp unattended; not required for 15+ or when accompanied by someone 18+ | 13 (motorboat/PWC over 10 hp) if certified or accompanied by an 18+ adult; 12 and under only with an 18+ adult aboard | yes |
| Nevada | born on or after January 1, 1983 (motorboat over 15 hp on interstate waters); PWC operators must complete education regardless of birth year | 14 for PWC; motorboat minimum age verify | yes |
| New Hampshire | none (hp-based): all operators age 16+ of a motorboat over 25 hp | 16 to operate a motorboat over 25 hp (with certificate); no statewide minimum for boats 25 hp or under | yes |
| New Mexico | born on or after January 1, 1989 | 13 to operate without onboard adult supervision (under 13 requires an adult aboard); same for motorboat and PWC | yes |
| North Carolina | born on or after January 1, 1988 (applies to a motor of 10 hp or greater) | no statutory minimum for a motorboat; PWC: 16 unrestricted, 14-15 only with an adult 18+ aboard or certificate + ID (none under 14) | yes |
| North Dakota | none (age-based): only operators ages 12-15 operating alone a motorboat/PWC over 10 hp; 16+ exempt | 12 (under 12 may operate motorboat/PWC over 10 hp only if accompanied by a person 18+); same for PWC | Verify on the official state agency page |
| Ohio | born on or after January 1, 1982 (operating a vessel powered by more than 10 hp) | under 12 may not operate a vessel over 10 hp except under direct supervision of someone 18+; PWC: none under 16 except ages 12-15 with a person 18+ aboard | Verify on the official state agency page |
| Oklahoma | none (age-based): only operators ages 12-15 must hold the certificate; 16+ exempt | under 12 may not operate a motorboat over 10 hp, a PWC, or a sailboat 16 ft+; 12-15 only with a certificate OR an adult 18+ aboard; 16+ unrestricted | yes |
| Oregon | none (hp-based): operators of a motorboat/PWC greater than 10 hp must hold a Boater Education Card | 12 (motorboat over 10 hp, with supervision until 16); under 12 may not operate; PWC: 16+ to operate independently; liveries may not rent a PWC to anyone under 18 | yes |
| Pennsylvania | born on or after January 1, 1982 (motorboats over 25 hp); ALL PWC operators required regardless of birth date | motorboat: none 11 or younger may operate a boat over 25 hp; PWC: effective min 12; 12-15 may not carry passengers 15 or younger; none under 16 may operate a rented PWC | yes |
| Rhode Island | born after January 1, 1986 (vessels with a motor greater than 10 hp); AND all PWC operators regardless of age/birth year | motorboat: none under 12 unless supervised by a competent person 18+; 12-15 alone only with a certificate; PWC: under-16 operators only if they hold an RI certificate | partial |
| South Carolina | born after July 1, 2007 (effective 08/18/2023) to operate a boat/PWC powered by 10 hp or more | no statewide minimum; 16+ may operate any recreational boat/PWC unrestricted; under-16 operators of a 15 hp+ motor must complete an approved course or be supervised by an adult 18+ | yes |
| Tennessee | born after January 1, 1989 (operating a vessel over 8.5 hp); exempt if an adult 18+ born before Jan 1 1989 is aboard to take control | under 12 may not operate a motorized vessel unless 8.5 hp or less; PWC rental not to anyone under 16 | yes |
| Utah | none (age-based): required only for PWC operators ages 12-17 | motorboat: under 16 only with on-board supervision by someone 18+; PWC: 12 min, ages 12-15 require 18+ supervision | Verify on the official state agency page |
| Wisconsin | born on or after January 1, 1989 | motorboat: under 10 prohibited, 10-15 with restrictions, 16+ unsupervised; PWC: under 12 prohibited, 12+ with certificate, 16+ alone | yes |
No mandatory education card (5 states)
There is no mandatory statewide education card to operate a motorboat; a NASBLA-approved course is voluntary and recommended. See this tier in detail →
| State | Who needs it | Min operating age | Reciprocity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | none | none statewide; within Alaska State Parks operators under 14 must be accompanied by an adult | Verify on the official state agency page |
| Arizona | none | 12 to operate a motorized vessel/PWC over 8 hp (under 12 only in emergency or with a supervising adult 18+ aboard); no minimum for vessels 8 hp or less | Verify on the official state agency page |
| Idaho | none | no statewide minimum for motorboat or PWC (some counties set their own minimums; verify county) | Verify on the official state agency page |
| South Dakota | none | under 12 may not operate >6 hp without a person 18+ aboard; PWC: under 14 may not operate without a person 18+ aboard | Verify on the official state agency page |
| Wyoming | none | 16 (under 16 OK if accompanied by an adult 18+); same for PWC | Verify on the official state agency page |
Grouped by each state's published education-required rule (the real per-state column — this niche has no single "boat class" that sets the requirement). Cross-referenced against NASBLA; per-field rules are cited to the official state source on each state page. Verified June 2026. How we compile this. Informational only, not legal advice.
Find your state's requirement →