Legal Boat Driving Age Kentucky

For more information on boat license requirements, age and power restrictions, and other regulations that may apply on Kentucky state waterways, visit BOATsmart! Base Knowkedge. A person must be at least 12 years of age to operate a motorboat (including boats) of 10 horsepower or more on Kentucky public waters. A person between the ages of 12 and 17 must hold a Kentucky Boating Safety Certificate Card or a certificate attesting to successful completion of a NASBLA-approved nautical training course. For more information on the Kentucky boater education program, call 1-800-858-1549 or fw.ky.gov/Boat/Pages/Boater-Education.aspx. Persons under 12 years of age must wear a personal floating device (life jacket) in the open part of a boat en route. Kentucky boat operators between the ages of 12 and 17 must obtain a Kentucky Boater Education Certificate to legally operate a boat with an engine of more than 10 horsepower. All vessels must be equipped with a Type I, II or III life jacket approved by the Coast Guard for each passenger on board. Kentucky issues titles for all registered vessels, except those documented by the Coast Guard at the federal level. Kentucky law enforcement officers have the authority to stop and board a boat to ensure the boat complies with federal and state laws.

A (boater education certificate) can be obtained by taking a boating safety course approved by the Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife Resources. “Right now in Kentucky, as long as you`re 18, you can buy a boat, put it in the water and call yourself a captain. There are rules, but you don`t need to know them,” Steger said. When you register your boat, you will receive a Kentucky Certificate of Registration and registration stickers. The registration certificate shall be kept on board during operation and shall be available for inspection by law enforcement authorities if necessary. A boat license is not required in the state of Kentucky for individuals 18 years of age or older. However, anyone between the ages of 12 and 17 must complete an approved boating safety course and obtain a boating training certificate, commonly known as a licence, to legally operate a motorized boat with an engine of more than 10 horsepower. In Kentucky, boat operators must maintain their vessels at “No Wake” speed if they are operating in an area designated as a “No Wake” zone. In addition, Kentucky boaters on the Ohio River may also be subject to the laws of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and the Coast Guard. Anyone who has owned a boat for at least five years is also exempt from taking a course.

It takes at least 3 hours to get your Kentucky Boater Education Certificate online. Once you have completed the online course and the official test, you can print a temporary map and start browsing immediately. Your permanent card will be sent to you by BOATsmart! within 4 weeks. All boating safety training materials to obtain your boater training card are available from BOATERexam.com®. Simply visit our Kentucky Safe Boating Course section to access the training materials. The Kentucky Safe Boating Course is approved by the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. With popular boating lakes in Kentucky such as Lake Cumberland, Lake Barkley, and Lake Kentucky, the bluegrass state has become a serious destination for boaters and paddlers. Boater training is mandatory in the state of Kentucky for boat operators between the ages of 12 and 17 who want to operate a boat with an engine of more than 10 horsepower. Operators aged 18 or older do not need to be certified, but it is recommended.

Now, Steger is campaigning for Senate Bill 35, which she calls “Joey`s Law.” It would require all recreational boaters in the state to complete a boater training course. Go boating in Kentucky – it`s so easy to get in the water! There are vast navigable bodies of water that run through the state, and docks and boat rental facilities on Kentucky`s popular lakes and rivers are easily accessible from most cities! Many boaters mistakenly use the term “Kentucky Boating License” when referring to their boater education card. The boater`s education card is NOT a boat licence. Unlike a driver`s license, your boater education card cannot be revoked and is valid for life. Operators are required by law to comply with all law enforcement instructions, including stopping the boat when it is reported. It is illegal to operate a boat or vessel, including personal watercraft, to handle water skis, surfboards or other similar devices while intoxicated or under the influence of any other substance that interferes with the ability to drive. When purchasing a boat, the boat owner must apply for title within 15 days of the purchase/transfer of ownership of the boat. To legally operate a motorized vessel in Kentucky, the vessel must be registered. Boats are registered at the county clerk`s office and are valid annually and end on April 30 of each year. You can take your secure boat exam directly on the Internet at BOATERexam.com®.

Once you have passed the exam, your boater training card will be sent to your home. In the meantime, you can print a certificate of completion that can be used as a temporary card to meet Kentucky boat regulations until your permanent boater training card arrives. People between the ages of 12 and 17 can legally operate a boat with more than 10 horsepower under the following circumstances: If passed, people who do not have a certificate will not be penalized until 2023. Instead, they would receive a courtesy notice stating that they must take a nautical training course. Looking for a boat launch? A marina selling ice cream cones? A campsite by the lake? A place to refuel or maybe a boat camp? Visit the official Kentucky Tourism website to see a complete list of marinas in your area! Owners of self-built boats must apply to the Kentucky Department of Transportation for a hull identification number The Kentucky Boater Education Card (also known as the Kentucky Boating License) is proof that a boater has completed and successfully completed an approved boater training course. The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources currently offers mandatory boater training for anyone between the ages of 12 and 17 who wishes to operate a motorboat with more than 10 horsepower (including personal watercraft) in Kentucky waters. Many boaters who don`t fall into this category still want to get the Kentucky Boater Education Card so they can save on their boat insurance. The bill, sponsored by Senator Ralph Alvarado, would require people to carry a secure boat certification card when operating a boat, or face penalties.

Reed was an experienced boater who had taken steps to be safe on the water. But Kentucky doesn`t require people 18 and older to take the same steps it does. In Kentucky, it is illegal to operate a boat in a reckless, negligent or dangerous manner that may endanger anyone`s life or property. The operator of a vessel is liable for damage caused by negligent conduct. In June 2021, Joey Reed, 43, died in a tragic boating accident, leaving behind five children and his partner Jenifer Steger. The BOATsmart! The Kentucky Boating Safety Course is officially recognized by the United States Coast Guard because it meets the standards of the National Recreational Boating Safety Program. BOATsmart! The Kentucky Boating Safety Course is approved by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) because it meets and exceeds U.S. standards for nautical education. NASBLA develops training standards for boat safety and represents vessel rights administrators in all 50 U.S. states and territories. In Kentucky, a person convicted of operating a vessel under the influence is liable to the following penalties: In Kentucky, passengers under the age of 12 must wear a Coast Guard-approved life jacket when traveling on an open boat or on the open deck of a type of boat.

U.S. waterways are threatened by aquatic plants, fish, and foreign invertebrates. Aquatic nuisance species (ANS) are transmitted by boats and nautical equipment from external waterways. As soon as the ANS is introduced into a new waterway, it detaches from the contaminated vessel and spreads like wildfire. ANS include: watermilfoil, zebra mussel and quagga mussels. According to Tim Smith of the Coast Guard Sector Ohio Valley in Louisville, there is no federal requirement for a boat license. The Derbyville water rental company where the capsized boat was leased requires that the “captain” of the rental boat be 18 years of age or older and have a valid driver`s license. A Kentucky Boater Education Certificate proves that you have gained the knowledge you need to safely operate a motorized boat on Kentucky waterways.