If you plan to buy a boat, you must complete a Boaters Education Course to get your official PWC license. However, you are not legally required to have a boating license in all US states. In places like Alaska and Arizona, you don’t need a license to operate any motorboat.
Let’s take a look at the requirements in other states:
| State | Licensee Requirements |
| Alabama | If you are born after 28th April 1956 |
| Arizona | Not required |
| Alaska | Not required |
| Arkansas | If you are born after 1st January 1986 |
| Colorado | Children under the age of 14 cannot operate a boat |
| California | From 1st January 2022, California changed its law. Now, all boaters aged 45 are required to have a California Boater Card |
| Connecticut | Anyone who wants to operate a motorboat |
| District of Columbia | Anyone under 18 is required to have a BS Certified on board |
| Delaware | If you are born after 1st January 1978 |
| Florida | If you are born after 1st January 1988 |
| Georgia | If you are born after 1st January 1988 |
| Hawaii | Anyone operating a motorboat |
| Iowa | 12 to 17-year-olds operate a PWC with more than 10 h.p. |
| Illinois | If you are born after 1st January 1988 and have a Boating Safety Certificate |
| Idaho | Anyone renting a PWC, people who have broken boating laws, and OUI-convicted boat operators |
| Indiana | Everyone is required to have a boating license except 15-year-olds who have passed a boater education course |
| Kentucky | 12 to 17-year-olds are required to have a Safe Boating Certificate |
| Kansas | If you are under 21 years old and are born after 1st January 1989 |
| Louisiana | If you are under 16 years old |
| Maine | 16 to 17-year-olds operating a PWC |
| Massachusetts | If you are under 12, you need adult supervision. 16-year-olds can operate a PWC with a license |
| Montana | 14-year-olds require a boating license |
| Maryland | If you are born after 1st July 1972 |
| Michigan | 12 to 15 years old cannot operate a PWC above 6 h.p. |
| Mississippi | If you are born after 30th June 1980 |
| Minnesota | 12 to 17-year-olds can operate a PWC over 25 h.p. |
| Missouri | If you are born after 1st January 1984 |
| Nevada | If you are born after 1st January 1983 |
| Nebraska | Anyone above the age of 18 |
| New Hampshire | Anyone above the age of 16 |
| New Mexico | If you are born after 1st January 1989 |
| New Jersey | Everyone is required to have a license, regardless of their DOB |
| New York | Anyone above the age of 14 |
| North Dakota | Anyone above the age of 15 |
| North Carolina | Anyone above the age of 16 |
| Ohio | If you are born after 1st January 1982 |
| Oregon | Anyone above the age of 12 |
| Oklahoma | 12 to 16-year-olds require a license |
| Puerto Rico | If you are born after 1st July 1972 |
| Pennsylvania | If you are born after 1st January 1982 |
| Rhode Island | If you are born after 1st January 1986 |
| South Dakota | Not required |
| South Carolina | Anyone above the age of 16 |
| Texas | 13 to 17-year-olds require a license |
| Tennessee | Tennessee residents born after 1st January 1989 |
| Utah | 12 to 17-year-olds require a license |
| Virginia | Different age categories |
| Vermont | If you are born after 1st January 1974 |
| Virgin Islands | Not required |
| West Virginia | If you are born after 31st December 1986 |
| Washington | 12 to 20-year-olds require a license |
| Wisconsin | If you are born after 1st January 1989 |
| Wyoming | Not required |
If you live in Texas, you must be at least 13 years old to operate a boat.
Once you have completed your Boaters Education Course, you can freely operate a PWC anywhere in the state.
To get a dock for your new boat, visit the EZ Dock Texas website. The company offers different types of boat docks for kayaks, canoes, PWCs, and yachts. For more information about boat docks, call (800) 654-8168.
