When John and his 15-year-old grandson Beau left their home in Texas to travel to Louisiana to go fishing, they expected to land some redfish. Unfortunately, they ended up with a ticket and fine from the local marine patrol officer who explained to John that the free, online boater education class he took in Texas was not valid in Louisiana because the certificate wasn’t state-issued. Plus, Beau was too young to not have a life jacket on when the boat was in motion.  The fishing trip turned out to be a lot more expensive and a lot less fun than John and Beau had planned because they didn’t know that boating laws are different in each state.

Next time, before John and Beau think about traveling out of state to boat, they will need to know and understand the laws that apply to the state they’ll be boating in. The National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) website has everything a boater would need to know about state-specific boating laws for every state and territory in the U.S.

On the NASBLA website, an informative portal can be used to quickly find state boating laws by clicking on the Boating Safety Dashboards. Each dashboard breaks down the information into categories such as Boating Education, BUI Enforcement, and Life Jackets, just to name a few. Clicking on a category will direct you to a series of interactive maps.

After clicking on “Boating Education” that will take you to a new page where you can see individual sets of data about boating education requirements for each state and territory. Using the Education Requirements – State map, clicking on your home state can tell you the following pieces of information:

• Who is required to have a Boating Education Card in that state.
• Whether the law applies to powerboats and what size motor or boat.
• What is required for an adult visiting from another state (most states require a NASBLA-approved course)
• If there is a minimum age for operating boats in the state
• Whether taking a challenge exam is allowed instead of taking an approved course
• And a link to the State’s Education Website is provided for additional information as well as contact information if other questions come up

Going back to the main dashboard, you can also click on the BUI Enforcement icon and, just like the Boating Education section, individual sets of data are available on the topic of Boating Under the Influence (BUI). While the penalties and punishments differ from state to state for BUI, you should know that boating under the influence of alcohol or drugs is illegal in all U.S. states and territories. And, drinking any amount of alcohol while driving a boat makes it less safe for everyone on board because of the additional stressors involved with boating such as the wind, waves, and sun. In an attempt to eliminate boating under the influence accidents and fatalities, the Sea Tow Foundation developed the Sober Skipper Campaign, which urges boat drivers to make the right choice and take the pledge to abstain from drinking alcohol and taking drugs while driving a boat to keep you and any passengers on board safe on the water. 

The NASBLA Life Jackets tab provides state-specific requirements for mandated life jacket wear by age and type of boat as well as whether season wear is required. While it’s important to stay in compliance with the law, to practice safe boating, smart boaters should go beyond the legal minimums to help keep everyone aboard safer. To learn more, check out the Sea Tow Foundation’s article Top 10 Times When You Should Absolutely, Positively Wear a Life Jacket. To borrow a life jacket at one of the 933 loaner stations nationwide, visit the Sea Tow Foundation’s online Life Jacket Loaner Station map nationwide. Understanding (and complying) with state boating laws will go a long way to ensure you’re boating lawfully and can enjoy a safe, fun, and memorable boating experience – wherever your boating destination takes you!

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