Boater safety course

[sammygee]

Getting conflicting info on whether Pennsylvania boat owners need to complete the boaters safety course and who will enforce the law  

[Grey Wolfe]

In PA, the Fish Commission does check on safety inspections. 

[sammygee]

What about a Pa boater operating in NY waters ???

[Grey Wolfe]

I would think you can be requested to provide your card,

 the Pa Boating Course is US Coast Guard approved course.

[tyler.woodard04]

It was my understanding out of state and renters would not need it.  but do not use that as the law

[Sean Youngblood]

https://parks.ny.gov/boating/education.aspx    Only exemptions I see is if you are renting a boat or have a certificate from your home state.

[AnglingAddict]

If your PA registered boat remains in NY for 90 consecutive days it is supposed to be registered with NY state in which case you would need to hold a valid boaters certificate - if you just keep it registered in PA you can probably get away without needing a certificate but technically you are breaking the law - probably will never be an issue unless you are involved in some kind of  accident that involves an investigation.    

[littlemack01]

Check  out the other string on the boater safety course . Lots of good info . i took the boat usa course for ny for free and at 69 I still had a good enough memory to pass . it's also free . Beats a $150 ticket at the launch .

[marinecrafts]

A quick check on Google says:  YES!  ALL boaters in our state must have passed some form of safety boating class in their state to pilot a boat in NY waters.

[Bad Habit]

All boaters in New York must complete a course approved by National Association of Boating Law Administrators and can be issued by any state. If you are renting a boat and over the age of 18 no boating certificate is required. 

[LongLine]

Boating Frequently Asked Questions - NYS Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation

 

Persons over 18 and renting a boat don't need it.  Persons under 18 renting one do need it.

 

As to enforcement: Any law enforcement in your boating area can enforce it.  At the Genny this includes the RPD, MCSD, State Police, NYSDEC, USCG & Border Patrol. 

[Sundaze]

My understanding is yes but it can be the PA Boater safety course.  

[Long time fisherman]

Does anyone offer an online coarse?

[Bad Habit]

Boat US. Offers an online course for free. For $13 you can get an anchor symbol on your drivers license that indicates you completed the course.

[sammygee]

 

Boat USA offers a free course.

 

Took it over the last few days.  Took about 3 hrs.  Not rocket science. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

bBBB

[Long time fisherman]

  On 3/28/2025 at 12:57 AM, Bad Habit said:

Boat US. Offers an online course for free. For $13 you can get an anchor symbol on your drivers license that indicates you completed the course.

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 👍🙂

[jk1]

Just took the coast guard course last week here in Williamsport I had a certificate form 1990 also.  Test is easier than than the course.  they said you can load the copy of the certificate to your smart phone and you are good to go.  As long as you are smart enough to brig it back up = I am borderline in that respect, not good on the phone......jk

[mudflat]

  On 3/28/2025 at 1:04 AM, sammygee said:

 

Boat USA offers a free course.

 

Took it over the last few days.  Took about 3 hrs.  Not rocket science. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

bBBB

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Good thing it was just a written test and not an actual piloting on the water test 😁

[sammygee]

ouch     Hope all is well.  See u in a few weeks

 

[pukingdog]

Southtowns Walleye club is giving course April 26th. $35 includes lunch.

Takes all day. Register online by April 4th. I had the course in 1968. Took certificate to NY DMV. They would not put it on my driver license because it was not legible enough to copy as proof. They said I can put my lifetime hunting license on my driver license for $13 and my boating cert for another $13 when I complete the course again. I told them to pound salt.

[JakeyBaby]

Just finished mine even though I don't agree with it. Boat US for free, but..... the certificate i can download is only temporary for up to 90 days. I have to purchase the Final certificate for $15? But I can go to the dmv and have it added to my license for $13? Am I missing something?

[Bad Habit]

I did mine on Boat US. I was able to do the DMV transaction right on the boat US website. It was offered at the end of the test.

[JakeyBaby]

Just looked at my confirmation email and now I see it, thanks

[pukingdog]

Point I was trying to make was:  if you want to add lifetime hunting/fishing license and to add safe boating cert to your driver's license: you should do them all at once for 1 fee of $13. If you go to dmv to modify your drivers license, it's $13 every time you make a separate change and they have to replace your old identification. 

I also talked to a coast guard power squadron guy that told me DEC guys at Lake George were not recognizing anchor symbol on drivers license and insisted on see only the sale boating certificate. Don't know for sure if that's true but that what he told me over the phone when I inquired about getting anchor symbol on my license with my old 1968 certificate.

[seeyawader]

Just some advice about the coarse from new york parks and rec,,,,my opinion,,,,,,so I paid for the coarse $35 dollars or something like that. Started good, informative, then I kept on getting a pop-up that said complete the coarse faster by paying 15 bucks and take the coarse interactively, then last chance to finish faster so I paid the extra,,,big mistake,,it took me to ilearntoboat.com and the interactive coarse was horrible. Cartoonish story's to click through that had nothing to do with boating, solving some mystery of creatures on the water, some mystery of stolen boats,,just bizarre stuff to click through. Don't click the interactive coarse!!