Virginia Boating Regulations
The Virginia Boating Safety Education Course Certificate (also sometimes incorrectly referred to as the Virginia boating
license or Virginia Boater Education Card) is proof that a boater has taken and passed an approved boating safety education course.
The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries is gradually phasing-in the mandatory boater education requirement that has
been law since 2007. In 2009 all PWC operators 20 years and younger must meet the requirement by July 1, 2009. A new block of
boaters will be added each year until July 1, 2016 when all boaters who are not exempt shall meet the requirement.
- PWC operators 20 years of age or younger shall meet the requirements by July 1, 2009
- PWC operators 35 years of age or younger shall meet the requirements by July 1, 2010
- PWC operators 50 years of age or younger and motorboat operators 20 years of age or younger shall meet the requirements by July 1, 2011
- All PWC operators, regardless of age, and motorboat operators 30 years of age or younger shall meet the requirements by July 1, 2012
- Motorboat operators 40 years of age or younger shall meet the requirements by July 1, 2013
- Motorboat operators 45 years of age or younger shall meet the requirements by July 1, 2014
- Motorboat operators 50 years of age or younger shall meet the requirements by July 1, 2015
- All motorboat operators,regardless of age,shall meet the requirements by July 1, 2016
Many boating fatalities occur because boaters are not educated about boating safety.
The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries believes that an educated boater
is a safer boater.
Where can I take my boating safety education course and get my Certificate?
You can take your Boating Safety Education Course directly on the Internet at BoaterExam.com™.
Once you complete the course your certificate is mailed to your home. In the meantime, you can print off a Temporary Certificate that can be used to satisfy the Virginia boating regulations until your permanent Boating Safety Education Course Certificate arrives.
Where can I get more information about Virginia boating regulations and the Virginia Boating Safety Education Course Certificate?
Answers to most of your questions can be found on our Frequently
Asked Questions page. You may also visit
The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries for additional
information, or you can contact us and we will be
glad to answer any of your questions.