Frequently Asked Questions for the
Boating Safety Education Requirements
I was born on
or after January 1, 1988 and want to operate a boat in Florida.
Do I need a license?
In order to operate a motorboat of ten (10)
horsepower or greater, Florida law requires anyone who was born on
or after January 1, 1988 to successfully complete an approved
boating safety course and obtain a Boating Safety Education
Identification Card issued by the Florida Fish & Wildlife
Conservation Commission (FWC).
Florida does not have a "boating license."
The Boating Safety Education Identification Card is proof of
successful completion of the educational requirements and is valid
for life.
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I've
heard there were some changes in the law regarding the requirements
to operate a boat in Florida. What were the
changes?
Effective January 1, 2010, boat operators who were
born on or after January 1, 1988 must have a Florida Boating Safety
Education Identification Card in order to operate a motorboat with
ten horsepower or more. The requirement to take an approved
boating safety course and to obtain an FWC-issued identification
card did not change, but the age threshold for the educational
requirements is now be based on whether or not you were born on or
after January 1, 1988.
- The new law also created an exemption from the educational
requirements for an operator if he or she is operating a
vessel within 90 days after the purchase of that vessel and has
available for inspection aboard that vessel a bill of sale meeting
all the requirements as established in
Chapter 328.46(1), Florida Statutes.
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Are some people who were born on or
after January 1, 1988 exempt from these boating safety educational
requirements?
Yes, there are some exemptions. Below is a
list of those exemptions.
- A person licensed by the U. S. Coast Guard as a master of a
vessel.
- A person operating on a private lake or pond.
- An operator who is accompanied onboard by a person who is least
18 years old and possesses the required Boating Safety Education
Identification Card, provided that person is attendant to and
responsible for the safe operation of the vessel.
- An operator who is accompanied onboard by a person who is
exempt from the educational requirements, provided that person is
attendant to and responsible for the safe operation of the
vessel.
- A non-resident who has in his or her possession proof that he
or she has completed a NASBLA-approved boater safety course or
equivalency examination from another state.
- A person is operating a vessel within 90 days after the
purchase of that vessel and has available for inspection aboard
that vessel a bill of sale meeting all the requirements as
established in
Chapter 328.46(1), Florida Statutes.
- A person operating a vessel within 90 days after completing an
approved boating safety course, as required in Chapter 327.395(1),
and has a photographic I.D. and a boater education course
completion certificate showing proof of having completed the
required boating safety education course. The course
completion certificate must provide the student's first and last
name, date of birth, and the date the course was successfully
completed. (Effective October 1, 2011.)
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I will
be visiting Florida from another state and I want to rent a
personal watercraft. How will these boating safety
educational requirements apply to me?
As a non-resident, you must comply with the boating
safety education requirements. However, if you have proof in
your possession that you have completed a boater safety course or
equivalency exam that meets or exceeds Florida's requirements
(usually in the form of a certificate or card), you would not need
to have a Florida Boating Safety Education Identification
Card. In addition, you would also be exempt if you met any of
the other conditions for exemptions listed in the previous
question.
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I am an
18-year-old boater who just passed an approved online boating
safety course and received a printed certificate of course
completion. Do I still need to get a boating safety
card?
Yes. In addition to the requirement to
successfully complete an approved boating safety course, you must
also have an FWC-issued Boating Safety Education Identification
Card - along with a photo ID - in your possession to operate a
motorboat of 10 horsepower or more. Effective October 1,
2011, a course completion certificate for an approved course -along
with a photo I.D. - can be used for up to 90 days from date of
issue to operate a motorboat of 10 horsepower or more.
(See the last frequently asked question for more
details on requirements for certificate.)
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I am 21
years of age and will be visiting Florida for a few days, but I
don't have a Boating Safety Education Identification Card.
How can I rent a boat?
If you are visiting from another state and you do
not meet any of the conditions to be exempt from the boating safety
education requirements, you can get a temporary certificate in
order to rent a boat. These certificates are issued by
vendors around the state. A list of vendors is available
on-line. The temporary certificate is valid for one year and is not
intended to be a permanent replacement for the Boating Safety
Education Identification Card.
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I received
a temporary certificate from an FWC contractor. Can I send my
Temporary Certificate to your office and exchange it for a Boating
Safety Education Identification Card?
No. The Temporary Certificate is a
certificate that allows an individual to temporarily meet Florida's
boating education requirements. It is not a substitute for a
Boating Safety Education Identification Card and is only valid for
one year from the date it is issued.
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If I am required to
have a boating safety I.D. card to operate my boat and I just
completed an approved boating safety course, can I operate my boat
while I am waiting to receive my card?
Yes. If you are required to have an FWC-issued Boating
Safety Education I.D. card in order to operate a boat and you have
completed an approved boating safety course, the course completion
certificate (along with a photo I.D.) can be used as proof of
meeting the educational requirement.
In order to meet the legal requirement, the course completion
certificate must have your first and last name, your date of birth,
and the date you successfully completed the course. You must
have the certificate with you (along with a photo I.D.) while
operating the boat. The course completion certificate can be
used for up to 90 days and it
is not a permanent replacement for the
Boating Safety Education I.D. Card.
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