Entry 11Third watch · Rules & Safety4 min
Florida does not have a boating license in the sense of a driver license, but it does require many operators to prove they have taken a boating safety course. The rule is section 327.395 of the Florida Statutes, and it is the reason a 30-year-old renting a center console in Fort Lauderdale may be asked for a card that a 50-year-old is not.
The rule in one sentence
A person born on or after January 1, 1988 may not operate a vessel powered by a motor of 10 horsepower or more unless he or she has the required documents aboard. Age and engine size are the two triggers: older operators are not covered by the requirement, and neither are boats under 10 horsepower.
What must be aboard
The law requires photographic identification plus one of the following:
- a Florida boating safety identification card issued by the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, or a state ID or driver license showing that card;
- a temporary certificate;
- an International Certificate of Competency;
- a boating safety card or certificate from another state or a U.S. territory; or
- a Canadian Pleasure Craft Operator Card.
The alternatives count when they show completion of a course that meets the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators minimum standards, or passing a temporary certificate exam.
Two ways to qualify
| Boating safety identification card | Temporary certificate | |
|---|---|---|
| How you get it | Complete an approved boating safety education course | Pass a temporary certificate examination |
| How long it lasts | For life | 90 days from issue |
| Format | Digital, electronic or paper | Digital, electronic or paper |
| State fee | Up to $2 | Up to $2, plus any agent’s service fee |
A temporary certificate can suit someone who needs to operate for a short time. Approved courses and exams must include material on diving vessels, awareness of divers in the water and divers-down warning devices.
Tip: Take the course rather than relying on a temporary certificate if you will boat here more than one season. The card never expires.
Who is exempt
Section 327.395(6) lists the people who do not need the documents:
- someone licensed, or previously licensed, by the U.S. Coast Guard to serve as master of a vessel;
- someone operating only on a private lake or pond;
- someone accompanied by a person 18 or older who is exempt or holds a valid card, and who is attending to the operation of the boat and responsible for its safe operation and any violation;
- a nonresident with photo ID and proof of a course or exam from another state or territory that meets the national minimum standards;
- someone operating within 90 days after buying the vessel, with a bill of sale aboard; and
- someone operating within 90 days after finishing a course, with photo ID and the course certificate showing name, date of birth and the date the exam was passed.
Renting a boat in Fort Lauderdale
Boat rental businesses, which Florida law calls liveries, have their own duties under section 327.54, and several of them protect the renter. A livery may not knowingly rent a vessel to someone who needs a boater education card unless that person shows the documents the law requires, or is within 90 days of finishing a course with the course certificate. It may not rent a motorized vessel to anyone under 18.
Before you leave the dock, the livery must give pre-rental instruction, and you sign a written statement confirming each part of it. The law says the instruction must cover at least:
- the operating characteristics of the boat you are renting;
- safe operation and right-of-way;
- your responsibility as operator for safe and proper operation;
- local conditions such as hazards, boating-restricted areas and water depths; and
- emergency procedures for capsizing, someone falling overboard, taking on water and accidents.
A livery also may not knowingly rent a boat with more people than its capacity plate allows, with a motor larger than the boat’s rated capacity, without the required safety equipment, or in unseaworthy condition. If the rental boat looks overloaded or poorly kept, you are entitled to ask questions before you sign.
The penalty
Operating in violation of section 327.395 is a noncriminal infraction, punishable under section 327.73.
Before your first Fort Lauderdale trip
- Check your birth year and your engine’s horsepower against the rule.
- Carry photo ID and the card or alternative, along with the boat’s registration certificate; see Florida Boat Registration: Who Needs It, What It Costs by Length and How to Display the Numbers.
- Learn the local speed rules in No-Wake and Manatee Zones in Broward County: Idle Speed, Slow Speed and the 25 MPH Rule.
- Read Boating Through the Port Everglades Inlet: Currents, Big Ships and Rules for Small Craft before heading offshore through the inlet.
- If you rent, expect the livery to ask for the card and to give the pre-rental briefing before you take the boat out.