North Carolina Boat Course

In North Carolina, all residents 14 years of age or older must take boaters safety courses to drive personalized watercraft (PWC). However, drivers older than 14 may operate water vessels without taking an education course if they are under a valid supervisor.

Persons age 14 years of age may not operate a PWC legally.

Persons 14 or 15 years of age may operate PWC only if:

He or she is being accompanied on board the PWC by a person who is at least 17 years old and who is in compliance with the requirements for operating a vessel or he or she has on his or her own ID and a boating certification card approved by NASBLA and accepted by North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission or other boating safety education that is compliance with the state laws.

Anyone 16 years of age or older and born on or after January 1, 1988 may operate a PWC with motor of 10 horsepower or greater only if he or she is in compliance with the requirements in operating.

In North Carolina, all residents 14 years of age or older must take boaters safety courses to drive personalized watercraft (PWC). However, drivers older than 14 may operate water vessels without taking an education course if they are under a valid supervisor.

There are 60 questions in the final exam.

It is a boating safety education certificate and not a license.

Your boater card will be mailed to you 2 to 3 weeks after completion of the course and exam.

North Carolina law requires any person born on or after January 1, 1988, who will be operating a vessel over 10 hp to pass a boater safety course and to carry a boater education card.

Email [email protected]

Email [email protected]

Yes.

Yes.

There are no limits on how long you can drive a boat with your out of state card.

You may visit North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (ncwildlife.org) for more information.