Boater Card Rules

All states

Boating license rules in Georgia

All persons born on or after January 1, 1998 that operate any motorized vessel on the waters of the state must have completed a department approved boat education course.1

The details

Card and course cost
The DNR classroom course is free. Other course costs vary. Reprinting a DNR issued card is free.2
Cards from other states
Non-residents with proof of a NASBLA approved boater course or equivalency exam from another state are exempt.1
Exemptions
Exempt: USCG licensed masters of a vessel, persons operating on a private lake or pond, and non-residents with NASBLA approved course proof.1

The official pages we read do not say: engine size covered, personal watercraft (jet skis), minimum age to operate. Ask the agency.

The rules are set by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Law Enforcement Division.

Sources

  1. Mandatory Boater Education, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Law Enforcement Division, checked 1 November 2026
  2. Boating Education, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Law Enforcement Division, checked 1 November 2026

Checked 1 November 2026. "Secondary" marks a source we used only because the official page could not be read.