Boating license rules in California
All persons, regardless of age, operating a motorized recreational vessel on California waters must carry a California Boater Card as of January 1, 2025.12
The details
- Minimum age to operate
- No person under 16 may operate a boat with a motor over 15 horsepower. Ages 12 to 15 may if supervised aboard by an adult 18 or older.2
- Card and course cost
- The card only costs $10 and lasts a lifetime.1
- Cards from other states
- Non-residents temporarily operating in California for less than 60 days are exempt if they meet their home state's boating requirements.2
- Exemptions
- Exempt: rental vessel operators, holders of a USCG marine operator's license, those supervised by an adult card holder, some visitors, race participants, commercial fishing licensees.12
The official pages we read do not say: engine size covered, personal watercraft (jet skis). Ask the agency.
The rules are set by the California Division of Boating and Waterways.
Sources
- Division of Boating and Waterways Reminds Boaters of California Law to Obtain and Carry a California Boater Card (June 28, 2022), California State Parks, Division of Boating and Waterways, checked 1 November 2026
- California Boater Card FAQ (January 2017), California Division of Boating and Waterways, checked 1 November 2026
Checked 1 November 2026. "Secondary" marks a source we used only because the official page could not be read.