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NEW YORK

The BoatUS Foundation's Online Course is the only free Online Boating Safety Course approved to satisfy the New York state mandatory education requirement for boaters born on or after 5/1/1996 as well as all PWC operators who are required to complete a NASBLA approved boating safety course.

 
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Here's how to get started:

 
 
watch our short video here

Click below to view a short video on using our online course

View Video

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Create an account and enroll yourself in the New York Boating Safety Course from the Course Catalog

print your certificate

Pass the course and print out your certificate of completion yourself for free - it's absolutely free to take the course and print your certificate

 
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After completing the course you will be awarded a temporary certificate that you can print free of charge but you will also need to purchase a permanent boating education card for $10 or apply for the the New York Adventure License as described below.

Instructions for purchasing a permanent boating education card from the BoatUS Foundation:

For $10 you may purchase a permanent plastic boating education card from the BoatUS Foundation (or read below for information about the New York Adventure License Program). To order your card, log in at elearning.boatus.org and click on "My Account" on the top menu bar. Under the calendar on the left side of the My Account screen click the print link next to your New York certificate to open the certificate options window. Click "Mail Card/Certificate to Me" and fill in the requested payment information to place your order. Please allow 4-6 weeks from date of purchase to receive your permanent boating education card.

New York Adventure License Program:

If you love to spend time on New York's waterways, make it easier to carry on the tradition of boating safely. After successful completion of this course, in just a few easy steps, you can choose to have your certification noted, as an anchor icon, on your NY Driver’s License or other identification document issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). The advantage is that you no will longer need to carry your boating safety certificate with you when boating, provided you have your driver’s license with you.

For more information click on the link below to be taken to New York’s Adventure license page.

Get Your Adventure License

 

Education Requirements

 

Age Requirements

New York has a mandatory education law for all boaters born on or after 5/1/1996 and all PWC operators of any age. The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation has approved the BoatUS Foundation’s Free Online Boating Safety Course to meet this mandatory education requirement.

 

Course Information

The BoatUS Foundation's New York Boating course consists of 6 lessons and a Final Exam. Pages are timed such that you must spend a minimum of 3 hours studying the course material before taking the Final Exam.

Each lesson has a 10-question quiz which you must pass with a score of at least 80% or you will be required to repeat the entire lesson. The Final exam is 75 questions and you must pass with a score of 80% or better.

Print your free temporary card to get out on the water right away and order your permanent card for $10 or apply for your Adventure License.

 

Other Information

Boat Operation (excluding PWCs):

  • Children under 10 may not operate.
  • Boaters born on or after 5/1/1996 may only operate if they have successfully completed an approved boating safety course such as the BoatUS Foundation’s Free Online Boating Safety Course.
 

PWC Operation - Education is Mandatory for All PWC Operators:

  • All personal watercraft operators must successfully complete an approved boating safety course before they can operate a PWC on any waters of New York.
  • All PWC operators must be a minimum of 14 years old - no one under the age of 14 may operate a PWC.
  • No one under the age of 16 may rent a personal watercraft. Those under 18 years of age wishing to rent a personal watercraft must possess a boating safety education certificate.
 

For more information on educational requirements, contact New York State Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation Bureau of Marine, Recreational Vehicles at (518) 474-0445. Or, visit http://www.boatus.com/courseline/default.asp to find a boating safety class near you.

 

Suffolk County Boaters

NEW YORK'S BOATER EDUCATION LAW, SIGNED BY THE GOVERNOR IN 2013, WILL SUPERSEDE SUFFOLK COUNTY'S PREVIOUSLY ENACTED BOATER EDUCATION REQUIREMENT AS OF 5/1/2014.