Safety is important for everyone on the water. Some states require a boating license for anyone operating a vessel. If you are headed for the lakes, rivers, and bays, it’s crucial that you verify whether or not you need a license. To help make the process easy, here’s some info on how to get a boating license.
Why Is Boating Education Important?
Boating safety is crucial on the water. The more people who have at least some form of education in boat safety, the safer everyone can be when they go for a cruise. Some states, in fact, legally require you to have a license (more on that later), but regardless of laws, it is the right thing to do. Having your boating license can make you a safer boater, allowing you to enjoy your favorite activities with less risk and more fun.
When Do I Need a Boating License?
While many of us grew up driving a boat without any formal education or licensing, there are now many laws that require people, especially younger boaters, to complete boater education courses. The American Boating Association has compiled a complete list of state laws for you to reference. For example, in Arkansas, anyone born on or before January 1st, 1986 must complete a boater education course. In Connecticut, anyone wishing to boat more than 60 days a year must have their license, and in New Jersey, anyone operating a powered vessel must have their license, regardless of their date of birth.
Alaska, Wyoming, South Dakota, and the Virgin Islands, on the other hand, have no requirements for boating licensing. As you can see, a lot will depend on where you live. Make sure you know the requirements in your area.
Typical Boating-Safety Course
There are many ways you can complete a boater’s education course. While you can take the course in person, you may also be able to complete the requirements with an online education class.
Online boating classes can take many forms. Most of the time, however, the course will consist of learning, quizzes, and course completion. The learning section generally includes different aspects of boating that are broken down into different sections. These sections can include safe operation, boating etiquette, emergency response, and legal requirements.
These learning sections are usually followed by a short quiz that tests your knowledge of the previous information. You’ll need to get a passing score before you can move to the next phase. If you don’t pass, you can usually study the learning section and attempt the quiz again.
After you complete all of the units, you can move into the final step, which is obtaining a license or certificate through the state. You will need to demonstrate that you completed the course successfully to get your boater education license.
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