New York
The BoatUS Foundation's Online Course is the only FREE Online Boating Safety Course approved by 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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Recognized by the U.S. Coast Guard, approved by NASBLA and your state boating license agency.
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Study and pass the FREE Boating Safety Course.

Print out your certificate of completion yourself for free
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Education Requirements:

Print your free temporary card to get out on the water right away and order your permanent card for $13 or apply for your Adventure License!
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.
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.
Other Information:
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 boatus.com/courseline/ 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 May 1, 2014.
How Do I Get My New York Certificate?

After completing the course you will be awarded a temporary certificate (90 days) that you can print free of charge but you will also need to purchase a permanent boating education card for $13 or apply for the the New York Adventure License as described below.
Purchasing a permanent boating education card from the BoatUS Foundation:
For $13.00 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 2-3 weeks from date of purchase to receive your permanent boating education card.
New York Adventure License Program:
After successful completion of this course, 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. The New York State Adventure License costs $13.50
For more information click on the link below to be taken to New York’s Adventure license page:
Get Your Adventure LicenseFrequently Asked Questions:
Below are some common questions asked about our FREE boating safety course.
- How much does the course cost?
The BoatU.S. Foundation is a free NASBLA approved course. When you finish, you can print your certificate on your own printer or order a printed paper certificate($8) or plastic card($13) for a fee. Some states will charge additional fees to issue you a permanent state ID verifying completion of a boating safety course. Be sure to read your state's Mandatory Eduation Requirements for more information.
- How do I print my certificate?
Figure A.
Figure B.
Instructions for Users With a Printer:
- Once you have completed all included lessons for a course you will be awarded a certificate of completion (if applicable) which you can print yourself from your My Account screen. It will appear on the left under the calendar as shown in the image (Figure A) above.
- Click on your state name to bring up your printing options (Figure B). To print a paper copy of your certificate click "Print Certificate".
- After you choose "Print Certificate", a separate window will pop-up and you may briefly see the certificate before it moves off screen and your print dialog appears. Then select your printer from the list and click OK. Do not assume that your certificate won't print just because you can't see it.
- How long is my certificate valid?
Your boating safety certificate will never expire. It is valid for life.
- I took the course a while ago, how do I re-print my certificate?
If you took the course prior to August 1, 2010, to re-print your certificate at any time, follow these steps:
- Click on the course you originally took below. (If you cannot remember which course you took please call us at 800-245-2628)
- Enter you email address and first name (make sure you enter the email you used when you registered with the course originally).
- Click Get Previous Certificate and follow the prompts
General Boating Safety Course | PWC Safety Course | Oregon Boating Safety Course
If you took the course after August 1, 2010, to re-print your certificate at any time, follow these steps:
To view the complete list of questions visit:
www.boatus.org/courses/faq/

Need Help? Contact us!
Most Questions Can Be Answered Through Our FAQs Page.
Call or Email the BoatUS Foundation about our boating safety course or about course questions.
Feel free to call or email if you ever need help while you are taking the course.
Send an email to SmartBoating@BoatUS.com
Or call us Toll Free at 1-800-245-2628
Mon - Fri: 9AM - 5PM Eastern Time

Course Information:
4 - 8 Hours
Estimated Course Time
6 Lessons
Each Contains a 10 Question Quiz
Final Exam
75 Questions Pulled Randomly

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