State Requirements
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New Jersey, www. njsp.org/maritime/
New York, www.nysparks.state.ny.us
Connecticut, www. ct.gov/dep
Pennsylvania, www.fishandboat.com
Massachusetts, www.boated.com/ma/handbook/agency.htm
• Rhode Island, www.dmv.com/ri/rhodeisland/all-about/boating-regulations
• New Hampshire, www.nhboateducation.com
• Vermont, www.vsp.vermont.gov
• Maine, www.gov/ifw
State Requirements
• Subjects
• Age
• Boating Education and Licensing
• Registration
Education and Licensing
New Jersey
• Age Restrictions for power vessels
• <13 years may not operate a power vessel
• 13 - 15 years low power (<10 hp) with a
Boating Safety Certificate
(see site for more details}
• =>16 may operate a power vessel including a
PWC with a Boating Safety Certificate
njsp.org/maritime/
Education and Licensing
New Jersey
• Regulations for Tidal Waters
• Residents and boaters for more than 90 days
require a NJ State Police Boating Safety
Certificate.
• Boating Safety Courses are available
through USCGA, USPS and other NJ
licensed instructors
• Visitors require a Boating Safety Certificate
approved by their home state, USCG, or
NASBLA.
njsp.org/maritime/
Education and Licensing
New Jersey
• Regulations for Non Tidal Waters
• Residents require a Boat License from the
MVC. MVC requires NJSP Boating Safety
Certificate to issue a Boat License.
• Visitors require written proof of a course
similar to a NJ Boating Safety Certificate or
approve by USCG, or NASBLA.
• Exceptions: <1 hp, 12 volt electric, vessel =>
12’ with a motor <10 hp, an authorized race
with a permit, certain private or community
lakes, check local regulations
njsp.org/maritime/
Titling, Registration &
Documentation - New Jersey
• Registration
• All powered vessels
• NJ Department of Motor Vehicles registers
vessels: www.state.nj.us/mvc
• Vessels registered in other states operating for
more than 180 consecutive days in NJ
Titling, Registration &
Documentation - New Jersey
• Documentation:
• All documented vessels for which the owner
maintains, owns, rents, leases or otherwise
occupies space within NJ, other than on a
transient basis, must be registered with NJ
DMV
• Are not required to display registration
number
• Shall display registration stickers
njsp.org/maritime/
Education and Licensing
New York
• Age and Education
• 10 - born after May 1 1996 you may operate a
motorboat (non-PWC) with a boating safety certificate
• 14 years and older you may operate a PWC with a
boating safety certificate
• Born before May 1 1996 a boating safety certificate is
not required to operate a motor boat
www.nysparks.state.ny.us
Education and Licensing
New York
• Acceptable courses
• NYS 8 hour course taught by a NY approved
instructor. To find a course go to:
www.nysparks.state.ny.us
• USCG Auxiliary ABS or BS&S at
www.cgaux.org
• US Power Squadron ABC at wwwusps.org
Titling, Registration &
Documentation - New York
• Registrations numbers and validation
stickers
• The registration number must be
permanently attached to both sides of the
vessel’s bow, read from left to right, be 3”
block letters and of a color that contrasts
with that of the hull.
• Validation stickers are to be affixed to the
hull, in line with, and no further than three
inches aft of, the registration number.
www.nysparks.state.ny.us
Titling, Registration &
Documentation - New York
• Documentation:
• Documented pleasure vessels must apply for
registration and display the appropriate
validation stickers. The DMV will not issue a
title or a number to a documented vessel.
• Validation sticker should be placed in the
same place they would be if there was a
registration number.
www.nysparks.state.ny.us
Education and Licensing
Connecticut
• Age to operate a power vessel
• <12 only a vessel with < 10 hp
• 12 to any age a power vessel except a PWC
• 16 to any age a PWC
ct.gov/deep
Education and Licensing
Connecticut
• Education
• To operate a power boat or sail boat
=>19.5’ (no motor):
• Residents and Property Owners must
have a Ct Safe Boating Certificate
• Anyone using Ct waters for more
than 60 days in a year must have a
Ct Safe Boating Certificate
ct.gov/deep
Education and Licensing
Connecticut
• Education PWC
• To operate a Personal Water Craft (PWC)
all persons must have a Ct Certificate of
Personal Watercraft Operations (CPWO)
• Certificates from some neighboring states
are acceptable, contact CT DEEP
ct.gov/deep
Education and Licensing
Connecticut
• Education continued
• Requirements
• Boat: 8 hour SBC (Safe Boating Certificate)
course
• PWC: 8 hour combined SBC and CPWO
(Certificate of Personal Watercraft
Operation) course
• A 2 1/2 hour PWC course will provide a
temporary CPWO
• SBC plus 2.5 hour PWC class room course =
CPWO
ct.gov/deep
Education and Licensing
Connecticut
• Education continued
• Providers
• Community Colleges
• Private Providers
• USCG Auxiliary
• US Power Squadron
ct.gov/dep
Education and Licensing
Connecticut
• Education continued
• Schedule of classes
• ct.gov/deep
• cgaux.org
• usps.org
ct.gov/dep
Titling, Registration &
Documentation - Connecticut
• Registrations
• All power boats and sail boat =>19.5’
• Owned by Ct residents or boat in Ct more
than 60 days
• Registrations is handled by the Ct DMV
(ct.gov/dmv/)
• Numbers and Validation stickers are issued
to the owner
ct.gov/dep
Titling, Registration &
Documentation - Connecticut
• Registrations continued
• Registration numbers must be placed on the
hull near the bow on both sides.
• Validation stickers must be placed two
inches to the right of the number.
• Starboard side toward the bow
• Port side toward the stern
ct.gov/dep
Titling, Registration &
Documentation - Connecticut
• Documentation
• Documented vessels must be registered if in
the state more than 60 days.
• Validation stickers but not numbers are
issued and must be affixed to both sides of
the bow.
ct.gov/dep
Education and Licensing
Pennsylvania
• Age for operating a power boat
• 0 - 25 hp: no restrictions
• > 25 hp: 12 years of age
• PWC: 12 - 15 years of age may NOT operate
with passengers 15 years of age or younger on
board or rent a PWC
• PWC: 16
www.fishandboat.com
Education and Licensing
Pennsylvania
• Boating Safety Education Certificates
• 0 - 25 hp: No certificate required
• > 25 hp: Persons born after January 1 1982
must have a boating safety certificate
• PWC: All operators must have a boating
safety certificate
www.fishandboat.com
Education and Licensing
Pennsylvania
• Boating Safety Education Certificates
• Pennsylvania residents must have a
permanent Boating Safety Education
Certificates issued by the PA Fish & Boat
Commission
• Out of state boaters must have a certificate
issued for a course approved by the National
Association of State Boating Law
Administrators (NASBLA).
www.fishandboat.com
Education and Licensing
Pennsylvania
• Classroom Courses
•
•
•
•
Pa Fish & Boat Commission
U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary
U.S. Power Squadrons
Other approved organizations
• Class finder
• www.fishandboat.com
www.fishandboat.com
Education and Licensing
Pennsylvania
• Distance Learning
• Boat Pennsylvania Internet Boating Course
information is available from
www.fishandboat.com
• Pennsylvania Video-Correspondence
Course, call 1-888-723-4741
www.fishandboat.com
Titling, Registration &
Documentation - Pennsylvania
• Registration
• Boats propelled by machinery and electric
motors must be numbered, regardless of
length and type of motor
• Documented boats must be registered
• Unpowered boats may be registered
• Renewal cycle is every two years
www.fishandboat.com
Titling, Registration &
Documentation - Pennsylvania
• Numbering
• Forward half of the vessel
• Read left to right
• Registration decal 6” before or aft of the
number
• Documented and low-volume boats (kayaks)
do not have to display number but must
display registration decals
www.fishandboat.com
Education and Licensing
Massachusetts
• Age for operating a power boat
• 12 - 15 years with Boating Education Course
no restrictions
• =>16 No requirements
• PWC requirements
• <16 may not operate a PWC
• 16 - 17 with State approved Boating
Education Course
• 18 and older no reqirements
www.boat-ed.com/ma/handbook/pwc.htm
Education and Licensing
Massachusetts
•Classroom Courses
•Massachusetts Boating and RV Bureau
•U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary
•U.S. Power Squadrons
•Other approved organizations
•Class finder
•www.mass.gov/dfwele/dle/courselist.htm
www.boat-ed.com/ma/handbook/pwc.htm
Titling, Registration &
Documentation - Massachusetts
•Registration is required for all boats
except
•Boats without any kind of motor (unpowered
canoes sailboats or kayaks
•Boats registered in another state and using
Ma waters less than 60 consecutive days
•Boats documented with the US Coast Guard
www.boat-ed.com/ma/handbook/pwc.htm
Education and Licensing
Rhode Island
•All Rhode Island residents born after
1/1/1986 must have a Boater Safety
Education Certificate (BSEC)
•PWC: BSEC is required for all
operators
•Less than 13 you must have a BSEC
on board and be supervised by an adult
over 18
www.dmv.com/ri/rhode-island/all-about/boating-regulations
Education and Licensing
Rhode Island
•Boater Safety Education Certificate
Cont’
•Exceptions
•Vessels =>10 hp
•USCG Commercial Operators License
•Non residents who meet the
requirements of boaters in their
respective states
www.dmv.com/ri/rhode-island/all-about/boating-regulations
Education and Licensing
Rhode Island
•Classroom Courses
•U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary
•U.S. Power Squadron
•Community College of Rhode Island
•Other NASBLA approved courses
•On line courses are acceptable
•Boat Ed, US Coast Guard, BoatWise,
Boat US Foundation
•On line courses may not be acceptable
in other states
www.dmv.com/ri/rhode-island/all-about/boating-regulations
Titling, Registration &
Documentation - Rhode Island
•Registration is required for all powered by
machinery, gasoline, diesel, electric
•Exceptions
•Rowboats less than 12 feet
•Non-motorized canoes sailboats or
kayaks
•Boats registered in another state and
using RI waters less than 90
consecutive days
www.dmv.com/ri/rhode-island/all-about/boating-regulations
Titling, Registration &
Documentation - Rhode Island
Numbering
• Be affixed on both sides of the bow
• Be block letters, three inches high and
contrasting with the color of your boat
• Letters must be separated from the
numbers by a space or a hyphen.
• Registration decals are placed after the
number separated by a space
• Port side aft of the number
• Starboard side forward of the number
www.dmv.com/ri/rhode-island/all-about/boating-regulations
Education and Licensing
New Hampshire
• Age and certificte requirement for
operating a power boat
• 0 - 25 hp: no restrictions
• > 25 hp: 16 years of age with a Boating
Safety Education Certificates
• PWC: 16 with a Boating Safety Education
Certificates
• Born before January 1 1982 no BSEC
required
Education and Licensing
New Hampshire
• Boating Safety Education Certificates
• Boating certificate issued by another state
and NASBLA approved
• USCG Auxiliary boating safety certificate
• USPS boating safety certificate
• USCG unexpired commercial boating license
• NH unexpired commercial boating license
Education and Licensing
Vermont
• Age for operating a power boat
• < 12 years boats =< 6 hp
• => 12 years operate a power boat except a PWC
with a Boating Safety Education Certificates
• PWC: 16 with a Boating Safety Education
Certificates
Education and Licensing
Vermont
• Education
• Over the Internet: Complete study course @
www.boat-ed.com/vermont
• In a classroom: The Vermont State Police
can help you find a course @
www.vsp.vermont.gov or 802-878-7111 x
2211
• Not a residents of Vermont and have proof
that they passed an approved boater
education course in another state.
Education and Licensing
New Hampshire
• Age for operating a power boat
• =< 25 hp does not have any restrictions
• Vessel > 25 hp => 16 yrs with a SBEC.
• < 16 years boats only if accompanied by a
person => 18 with a SBEC
• PWC => 16 yrs with a Safe Boater
Education Certificate (SBEC)
Education and Licensing
New Hampshire
• NH Safe Boating Education Certificate.
• Log on to www.nhboatingeducation.com
• Take the on line course
• Print the On Line Exam Results Slip
• After two business dates phone 888-254-
2125 to find in-person examination at
one of numerous locations
Education and Licensing
New Hampshire
• New Hampshire also accepts:
• A boating certificate issued by another State
agency and NASBLA approved.
• A boating certificate issued by the US Power
Squadron.
• A boating certificate issued by the US Coast
Guard Auxiliary.
• An unexpired commercial boating license
issued by the US Coast Guard.
• An unexpired commercial boating license
issued by the State of New Hampshire.
Registration New Hampshire
• All motor boats including electric must
be registered and carry a validation
sticker
• Sailing vessels >12’ including boats and
boards must be registered
• Other small vessels, canoes, kayaks
without motors are exempt
• Boats registered in other states using NH
30 or more consecutive days must be
registered
Education and Licensing
Maine
• Age restrictions for operating a power
boat
• <12 yrs, >10 hp only if supervised by a
person at least 16 years
• PWC: No one under 16 yrs may operate a
PWC. 16 and 17 yrs must have an approved
Boating Safety Certificate and proof of age
or be accompanied by a person => 18
• =>18 no requirements
Questions