North Carolina Boat Course


All residents born on or after January 1, 1988 must have a North Carolina Boater Education Card to operate a motorized watercraft of 10 HP or more.

Returning user? Sign in here
North Carolina License

Approved by North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission

There is no minimum age to take the course and you do not need to be a resident of the state. Pass the course and be certified for life!

You are just three steps away from getting a license

online boat course

Complete Course

State-accredited online course for all ages

online boater exam

Pass The Online Exam

Unlimited re-tries

temp boater license

Go Boating

Print temporary license and start boating!

Wavve Boating
Wavve Boating

Join the Wavve Boating Community

Enjoy two weeks free

Wavve Boating is an easy to use marine navigation app that helps boaters navigate and explore with ease, while connected to their boating community. Recently promoted by Apple as a “New App We Love”, this app provides intuitive nautical charts, crowdsourced points of interest, and a dynamic tidal map.

Start Today

FAQs

Course
+
Is it mandatory to complete a boat course in North Carolina to drive a boat?

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.
+
Are there any age or operator restrictions for driving a boat in North Carolina?

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.
+
Are senior citizens exempt from obtaining their boater education card?

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.
+
What is the minimum age to take this course?
No, there is no minimum age to take this course
+
How long will it take to complete the North Carolina boater education course?
The course takes a minimum of 3 hours
+
Do I have to complete the course in one sitting?
No, you can do it over one sitting or as many sittings as you would like
+
Do I need to be a resident of North Carolina to take this course?
No, you do not need to be a resident of North Carolina to take this course
+
I failed a chapter quiz. Did I fail the North Carolina boater education course?
No, you did not fail the course and need to try again
+
What score do I need to pass chapter quizzes?
You need to score 80.00% to pass chapter quizzes
+
How many questions are there on the exam?

There are 60 questions in the final exam.
+
What score do I need to pass the final online exam?
You need to score 80.00% to pass the final online exam
+
Do you have practice questions before taking the official exam?
There are quizzes at the end of each chapter in the boater education course
+
Is it an open book exam?
No, it is not an open book exam
+
Do I have take the course before I write the exam?
Yes, you must pass the course before taking the exam
+
Do you have a soft copy of the materials so I can review it offline?
No, we do not the materials available offline
+
Is there a practical exam before I can start driving a boat or I just need the boater's education card?
Yes, you must pass (the course and) the exam before you can drive a boat
+
Does passing the boater education course give me a foundation to take other boating courses?
Yes, the boater education course provides a foundation for other boating courses

Certification
+
Is it a boating safety license?

It is a boating safety education certificate and not a license.
+
How do I get my North Carolina boater card after completing the course?

Your boater card will be mailed to you 2 to 3 weeks after completion of the course and exam.
+
How do I get my temporary certificate of completion?
You can print your temporary certificate from your dashboard after logging in
+
What is the proof of online course completion?
Once you pass and pay for the North Carolina boater course, you will be able to immediately print out the Certificate of Completion. This is your proof of online course completion. You can print the Certificate of Completion right then, and/or request that a PDF be emailed to you.
+
How long is the validity of my North Carolina boater education card?
The North Carolina boater education card is good for your lifetime
+
Will boaters who have previously taken a boating safety course be required to take another course or test?
No, if you took a boater education course in another state or in Canada, it will be recognized in North Carolina
+
Will I ever have to renew my North Carolina education card?
No, you do not need to renew your boater education card. It is good for life
+
Does my temporary certificate allow me to operate any boat?
You can use your temporary certificate for [60 days] to operate a personal watercraft, after which you are required to have your North Carolina boater education card
+
When do I need a boater education card?

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.
+
Do I need proof of competency to operate a non-powered watercraft?
No, you do not need a proof of competency to operate a non-powered watercraft
+
What is acceptable proof of competency for non-residents?
Your boater education from another state or Canada is proof of competency
+
Is my boater education card revokable or suspendable?
Yes, your boater education card can be revokable and suspendable if laws are broken
+
What if I still have not received my boater education card after the expected date of delivery?

Email [email protected]
+
Will there be a penalty for those who have a North Carolina boater education card, but do not carry it while boating?
Yes, there is a penalty for not carrying your North Carolina boater education card while boating

Course Accreditation
+
Is your North Carolina boater education course approved by the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission?
Yes, our North Carolina boater education course is approved by the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission
+
Is your North Carolina boater education course approved by NASBLA (National Association of State Boating Law Administrators)?
Yes, our North Carolina boater education course is approved by NASBLA
+
Is the North Carolina boater card accepted outside of the state?
For visting boaters, all US states, US territories, Canadian provinces, and Canadian territories will recognize boater eduation cards that meet NASBLA (National Association of State Boating Law Administrators) and Canadian Pleasure Craft Operator Cards that meet Transport Canada's requirements
+
How do I contact the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission?
The phone # is 919.707.0032 and the mailing address is 1717 Mail Service Center, , Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1717

Price & Billing
+
What does the North Carolina boater education course cost?
The North Carolina boater education course costs $29.99
+
Is it safe to enter my credit card information?
Yes, our website is secure and it is safe to enter your credit card information
+
What other payment options do you have aside from debit/credit card?
Customers can using debit and credit. We do not accept Bitcoin or other digital currencies at this time
+
Is there an annual cost for the card?
No, there is no annual cost
+
How does the automatic time extension feature work?
The North Carolina boater course is valid for your lifetime from the time of registration and payment
+
What is your refund policy?
Please email us your issur or concern and we will review on a customer-by-customer basis
+
Do you have an affiliate network program?
Yes, we have an affiliate program where we reward referrals. Below is the link for more information and to sign up: https://www.shareasale.com/shareasale.cfm?merchantID=57099
+
Do you offer referrals or any promotions?
We offer referrals through our affiliate program (https://www.shareasale.com/shareasale.cfm?merchantID=57099). We may do promotions from time to time

Replacement Documents
+
How do I replace my temporary North Carolina online course completion document if I lost or damaged it?
You can re-print your temporary card after logging into your account, assuming you passed the course and exam
+
How do I replace my North Carolina boater card if I lost or damaged it?

Email [email protected]

Account
+
How do I sign up?
Select a course and click the "Sign Up!" button
+
What if I forget my password?
On the Login screen, click "Lost Password?" and follow the steps
+
How can I change my user information?
Please email [email protected] or call 1.888.885.8830
+
If I log out, do I lose my progress?
No, you will not lose your progress
+
How many times can I log in and out of the course?
You can login as many times as you would like

IT
+
Can I access the course on my mobile device?
Yes, you can access the course on a mobile phone
+
Can I do part of the course on desktop and part on mobile?
Yes, you can access the course from a desktop, mobile phone or tablet
+
What happens if I lose my internet connection while taking the exam?
If you lose your internet connection, it will take you back to the point in the course you were currently at
+
Will this course run on any web browser?
Yes, the course will run on any web browser
+
What are the system requirements in order to take the exam online?
You can take the exam on any computer that has an internet connection and a browser
+
What is required to play the videos in the course?
There are no videos in the course

Moving to North Carolina
+
Do I need to pass a boating course when moving to North Carolina from another state?

Yes.
+
I have a boater card from another state. Will it be accepted in North Carolina?

Yes.
+
How long can I drive a boat in North Carolina with my out of state boater card?

There are no limits on how long you can drive a boat with your out of state card.
+
Where can I get more boating related information for moving to North Carolina?

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

General
+
I have a question that is not answered above. What do I do?
If you cannot find the answer to your question, please contact us directly at [email protected] or by phone @ 1.888.885.8830
+
What are your hours of operation?
Our hours of operation are 9am-midnight EST
+
Why should I choose BoatTests101.com?
We offer an official online boat course to get your boater card, which is accredited by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA), the US Coast Guard Auxiliary and the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission
+
Can I help to teach the boater education course?
Please email [email protected]
+
How can I apply to work at your company?
Please check out our job postings or email [email protected]

Ready? Get Certified Today!