Boating license rules in Massachusetts
People born after January 1, 1989 need a boater safety certificate to operate a motorboat after April 1, 2026. Everyone else has until April 1, 2028.1
The details
- Personal watercraft (jet skis)
- PWC operators must be at least 16 years of age, regardless of whether they have a boater safety certificate, and must also hold a certificate.1
- Minimum age to operate
- Over 12 without a certificate may operate a motorboat only under direct supervision of a certificate holder over 18. Course students must be at least 12.1
- Card and course cost
- Massachusetts does not currently charge a fee to take a boating safety education course. MEP courses are free. Other providers may charge.1
- Cards from other states
- Non-residents with a valid certificate from another US state, territory or Canada need no Massachusetts certificate. Residents cannot use an out-of-state certificate.1
- Exemptions
- Exempt with documentation: merchant mariner credential holders, qualified active military, recent vessel owners with a temporary certificate, commercial fishing operators, approved program students.1
The official pages we read do not say: engine size covered. Ask the agency.
The rules are set by the Massachusetts Environmental Police.
Sources
- Hanson-Milone Boater Safety Act: Frequently Asked Questions, Massachusetts Environmental Police, checked 1 November 2026
Checked 1 November 2026. "Secondary" marks a source we used only because the official page could not be read.