Boater Safety Certificate Requirement - Brianna’s Law

With the lake totally frozen it's hard to think about boating but spring is approaching and now is a great time to complete your boater safety course. Brianna's Law, passed in 2019, takes full effect this year. This has been phased in since 2019 but this year, as of January 1st 2025, all operators regardless of age, of motorized watercraft, including personal watercraft, must complete a boater safety course and carry the card on their person or in the boat.

Operators of sailboats, kayaks, rowboats, paddle boards or canoes, as long as they are not motorized, do not need a boater safety certificate.

Once obtained the certificate is good for a lifetime. If you have an old certificate it is still good and you do not need to take the course. If you've taken a course but you've lost your certificate you may be able to contact NYS Parks and Recreation and get a copy of your certificate. There are no records, however, for individuals that have taken a course prior to 1990. Those individuals will have to repeat the course. Below are commonly asked questions regarding this law.

How old do you have to be to take the course and operate a motorized watercraft in NYS? Minimum age to drive motorized watercraft in NYS is 10, age 14 for personal watercraft. You may operate a boat between the ages of 10-18 without a certificate if accompanied by an individual 18 or older with a valid Boating Safety Certificate.

What if you rent a boat? Are you required to have a boater safety certificate? No, if you are 18 or older, you may operate the rented motorized watercraft without a certificate. The livery should demonstrate how to properly operate the boat before renting. The answer is yes, however if you are under 18. You are required to hold a certificate before you can rent a motorized boat.

Can you use a certificate obtained from another state? Yes provided the course was approved by the National Assoc. Of Boating Law Administrators.

What are my options for obtaining a certificate? In-classroom courses are offered throughout the state. They are usually 8 hours long. The cost of these courses varies, the certificate itself is $10.00. There are also numerous online options. The cost of these also varies but some are free but require a $15 certificate cost, some can be as much as $40.00. This all includes the certificate. The advantage of these online courses is you do not have to take the course all at once. Average time is 3 hours. Below are some of the .com options for online courses.

Boaterexam

BoatSmart

Boat ed

Learn to Boat

Boat US

What are the potential fines for not holding a valid certificate? Up to $250

Warm regards,

The CLA