Boating license rules in West Virginia
Anyone born on or after Dec. 31, 1986 must successfully complete a Boating Safety Education Course before operating a motorboat or personal watercraft.1
The details
- Personal watercraft (jet skis)
- The same certificate requirement applies to personal watercraft. No separate PWC minimum age is stated.1
- Card and course cost
- Free in-person classes are available. Online courses carry a vendor fee. Replacement card fee is $10.1
The official pages we read do not say: engine size covered, minimum age to operate, cards from other states, exemptions. Ask the agency.
The rules are set by the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources.
Sources
- Get Your WV Boater Education Card, West Virginia Division of Natural Resources, checked 1 November 2026
Checked 1 November 2026. "Secondary" marks a source we used only because the official page could not be read.