For more information on the boating laws in the state of Pennsylvania visit: www.fish.state.pa.us

Mandatory Education and Age Requirements:

Mandatory Boating Education Minimum Age For Operating a Boat The BoatU.S. Online Boating Safety Course is not offered in Pennsylvania.
Certain boat operators in the state of Pennsylvania are required to successfully complete a PA Fish & Boat Commission approved boating course. Person’s who have successfully completed a course must have in their possession at all times an official waterproof plastic Boating Safety Education Certificate issued by the PA Fish & Boat Commission. See below for the listing of those persons required to take a boating safety course.
HP of Motor	Restrictions of Use
0-25	None.
Greater than 25 hp	Persons 11 years of age or younger may NOT operate. Persons born on or after January 1, 1982 may NOT operate unless they have a Boating Safety Education Certificate.
PWC* Personal Watercraft include Jet Ski©, Sea-Doo©, WaveRunner©, TigerShark©, and others. Persons 11 years of age or younger may NOT operate. Persons 12 through 15 years of age may NOT operate with any passengers on board 15 years of age or younger, or rent a PWC. All PWC operators must obtain and have in their possession a Boating Safety Education Certificate.
The official PA Boating Safety Education Certificate: If you do not have a plastic PA Boating Safety Certificate issued by the Commission, but have earned a certificate from the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, the U.S. Power Squadrons or another course approved by the Commission, you must send it to the Commission by mail, along with $10, to get your new permanent plastic PA Boating Safety Education Certificate.  The paper certificate issued by the BoatU.S. Foundation is NOT recognized by the PA Fish & Boat Commission water patrol officers. The PA issued Boating Safety Education Certificate is good for a lifetime.
For more information visit: www.fish.state.pa.us/

We provide this information as a service and strive to keep this website up to date. Please let us know of any inconsistencies by bringing them to our attention at once at onlinecourse@boatus.com. Resources for these pages include state statutes, state web pages and state approved boating guides. BoatU.S. is not responsible for any misinterpretation of the law or any change in the law that is not adequately reflected in these pages. Damages as a result of failing to abide by stated law shall not be the responsibility of BoatU.S., BoatU.S. Foundation or its employees.