Virginia Boating Safety Education Requirements

If you operate a motorboat or PWC in Virginia, you need to you know about Virginia’s boating safety education requirements.

In 2007, the Virginia General Assembly enacted a law to establish a boating safety education compliance requirement. This requirement will be phased in over the next several years and by 2016, all operators of PWCs (Personal Watercraft such as jet skis, Sea Doos, Wave Runners) and operators of Motorboats with a 10 hp or greater motor, will be required to have a boating safety education course completion card on board when operating a PWC or Motorboat.

As of July 1, 2009, all PWC operators 20 years old and younger must complete a boating safety course. This is the beginning of the phase-in of the Education Compliance Requirement for all Virginia boaters.

Beginning July 1, 2010, all PWC operators 35 and younger must complete a boating safety course.

For more information, visit:

http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/boating/education/requirement/