In Florida, before you start using your boat on water, you are required to have a boating license. Some of the factors they consider when issuing you the boat license is your age. Read the following guidelines to understand how you can get a boating license in Florida.
- What You Really Need
It is commonly called the boating license, but in actual sense, it is a Boater Education Card. It is a must-have if you intend to go boating and if you are born past 1st January in 1988. It is recommended for those born before this time, but it is not compulsory. You are not required to have the boater educational card. People with less than 14 years of age are not allowed to operate a boat. This is regardless of if you have the boater education card.
- Enroll for the Boater Education Training
To acquire a boater educational card, you are supposed to enroll and complete a training course. Upon completion, you are approved to get the boater education card from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Basically, this training covers the legal requirements, operation, and maintenance of the boat. For the training, you can enroll for the classroom training which takes 8 hours for day training and 12 hours for the part-time training. You can also enroll for the online training at Florida aceboater. After, the training you need to sit for an exam and score more than 80%. You will be issued with a temporary waiting card as you wait for the Boater Education Card. This course was intended to help boaters have fun and stay safe in water.
The following are ways you can enroll and complete your Boater Education course:
1. You should attain a course that is approved by the 12 FWC
- Choose any of the approved classrooms that are provided by the United States Power Squadron or it can also be approved by the US Coast Guard Auxiliary. Additionally, you can look for the online approved courses.
- You can enroll for the home study training, which is offered by the U.S Power Squadrons or the FWC. If you choose the home study program, the course provider will give you free course and reading materials. The home study course may take up to 8 hours to complete. Some course providers may charge something small. They may charge up to $50 for the home course.
3.Giving out Your Details
Once you have successfully completed the course, you are required to provide some of your personal information such as the certificate of completion, your address, your name, date of birth and your phone number. All this information is sent to the Division of Law Enforcement and The Boating Safety Section in Florida. You are not required to renew the card. It is a lifetime card. However, if you lose it, you can give out your details again to the above institutions to get a new card.
