New York Boat Course Information
This article provides course information for New York boaters, including who needs to take the course, course cost, registration requirements, expiration, and what happens after completion.
Who needs to take this course?
Those born on or after January 1, 1996, must complete a boating safety course to operate a motorboat.
All operators of motorized vessels need a New York State Boating Safety Certificate as of January 1, 2025.
Available courses
New York courses are available through the following options:
Boaterexam
Boat-Ed
Ilearntoboat
BoatSmart!
Boat-Ed+
Course information
| Course Information | Boaterexam | Boat-Ed | Ilearntoboat | BoatSmart! | Boat-Ed+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | $49.95 | $54.95 | $74.95 | $49.95 | $79.95 |
| Language(s) | EN | EN; ES | EN | EN | EN; ES |
| Chapters/Units | 9 Chapters | 6 Units + Practice Exam | Interactive | 6 Modules | 4 Cruises / 24 Lessons |
| Format/Time | Online Only & Timed, 3-hour minimum | Online Only & Timed, 3-hour minimum | Interactive, 3 hours | Online Only, 3-hour minimum | Interactive, 3-hour minimum |
| Expiration | 90 days | 90 days | 60 days | No expiration | 90 days |
| Auto Renew | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Extension(s) | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Quizzes/Final Exam | Quizzes: 10 questions, 70% to pass or redo chapter. Final exam: 60 questions, 76% to pass. Students have 2 attempts to pass or must retake the course. | Quizzes: 10 questions, 70% to pass, unlimited attempts. Final exam: 60 questions, 80% to pass. Students have 2 attempts to pass or must retake the course. | Final exam: 60 questions, 80% to pass. Students have 2 attempts to pass or must retake the course. | Quizzes: 10 questions, 24 minutes, 70% to pass. Redo module if failed. Final exam: 50 questions, 2 hours, 80% to pass. Students have 2 attempts to pass or must retake the course. | Final exam: 80% to pass. Students have 2 attempts to pass or must retake the course. |
| Age Restrictions | 10, see age and operator requirements below | 10, see age and operator requirements below | 10, see age and operator requirements below | None | 10, see age and operator requirements below |
| Residency Requirement | No | No | No | No | No |
| Registration Requirement(s) | Eye color | Eye color | Eye color | Gender and eye color | N/A |
| Post Course | Print temporary certificate. Physical card arrives in 3-5 weeks. | Print temporary certificate. Physical card arrives in 3-5 weeks. | Print temporary certificate. Physical card arrives in 3-5 weeks. | Print temporary certificate. Physical card arrives in 3-5 weeks. | Print temporary certificate. Physical card arrives in 3-5 weeks. |
| Replacement Card | ilostmycard.com, see replacement card section below | ilostmycard.com, see replacement card section below | ilostmycard.com, see replacement card section below | ilostmycard.com, see replacement card section below | ilostmycard.com, see replacement card section below |
Registration requirements
Students taking the New York course may be required to provide additional information during registration. This may include:
Eye color
Gender
Registration requirements may vary by course option.
Course expiration and extensions
Course expiration varies by course option.
Boaterexam, Boat-Ed, and Boat-Ed+ expire after 90 days.
Ilearntoboat expires after 60 days.
BoatSmart! does not expire.
Extensions are available for the following course options:
Boaterexam
Boat-Ed
Ilearntoboat
Boat-Ed+
BoatSmart! does not offer extensions.
Quizzes and final exam
Exam requirements may vary by course option.
Boaterexam: Quizzes include 10 questions. Students must score 70% or higher to pass or they must redo the chapter. The final exam includes 60 questions, and students must score 76% or higher to pass. Students have 2 attempts to pass or must retake the course.
Boat-Ed: Quizzes include 10 questions. Students must score 70% or higher to pass. Students have unlimited quiz attempts. The final exam includes 60 questions, and students must score 80% or higher to pass. Students have 2 attempts to pass or must retake the course.
Ilearntoboat: The final exam includes 60 questions, and students must score 80% or higher to pass. Students have 2 attempts to pass or must retake the course.
BoatSmart!: Quizzes include 10 questions and have a 24-minute time limit. Students must score 70% or higher to pass. If a quiz is failed, the student must redo the module. The final exam includes 50 questions and has a 2-hour time limit. Students must score 80% or higher to pass. Students have 2 attempts to pass or must retake the course.
Boat-Ed+: Students must score 80% or higher on the final exam. Students have 2 attempts to pass or must retake the course.
After completing the course
After completing a New York course, students can print their temporary certificate.
The physical card typically arrives in 3-5 weeks.
Age and operator requirements
A person under the age of 10 may operate a recreational boat, other than a personal watercraft, only if accompanied by a person 18 years of age or older who either has a New York State Boating Safety Certificate or is not required to have a certificate.
A person 10 years old or older may operate a recreational boat, other than a personal watercraft, only if they carry the New York State Boating Safety Certificate on board, if required.
A person at least 14 years old may operate a personal watercraft only if they have passed a boating safety course approved by New York State Parks and carry the New York State Boating Safety Certificate on board the personal watercraft, or are accompanied on board.
No person under the age of 14 may legally operate a personal watercraft.
No person under the age of 16 may rent a personal watercraft.
Adventure License
Students who want to apply for the Adventure License, which adds an anchor icon to their driver’s license, need to apply through the New York DMV.
Students who completed their course online should log in to the account where they completed the course and select the option to get their certificate. The Adventure License link should appear on the certificate download page.
If students took the course in person or cannot access their account, they should visit the New York DMV Adventure License page:
https://dmv.ny.gov/driver-license/adventure-licenses
Replacement cards
Replacement cards are handled through ilostmycard.com for students who completed a course with us or recently completed an in-person course that has been added by the state.
Students who completed an in-person course or completed the course a long time ago may need to contact New York State Parks to search for their record.
They can email boating@parks.ny.gov with their name and date of birth.
If their record cannot be found, they may need to retake the course to obtain a certificate.
Students who took an in-person course may need to purchase a replacement card either by mailing payment to the state or ordering through ilostmycard.com, depending on their record.
Learners under 18 receive a free card shipped automatically.
Replacement card website: