State pages
California Boater Card: required at every age since 2025
The phase-in by age is over: since January 1, 2025 the card covers every operator of a motorized boat. Enter your details to see whether an exemption applies to you.
California · Motorboat
Yes, you need the card
The rule covers every operator of this boat.
| Your age that day | 30 yrs |
| Minimum age to operate alone | 16 yrs |
| Credential | California Boater Card |
| State fee | $10 |
| Free BoatUS course | accepted |
| Cheapest legal route | $10free course + $10 state fee |
Since Jan. 1, 2025 every operator of a motorized recreational vessel, whatever the age, must carry a California Boater Card.
Official page: California State Parks, Division of Boating and Waterways · Read on October 24, 2026
Since January 1, 2025, every person who operates a motorized recreational boat in California, whatever their age, must carry the California Boater Card, issued by the Division of Boating and Waterways of California State Parks. The requirement was phased in by age from 2018 to 2024, which is why older guides still mention age limits; they no longer apply. The card costs $10 and is valid for life; a lost card is replaced for $5. You get it after passing an approved boating safety course, and the free online course of the BoatUS Foundation is accepted for California. Exemptions remain: operating a rental boat, operating under the direct supervision of an adult of 18 or more who holds a card, a visitor from another state boating fewer than 60 days who meets the home-state rule (90 days for a foreign visitor), and holders of a commercial fishing license or a Coast Guard marine operator license. A separate age rule applies: under 16, nobody may run a motor of more than 15 hp alone. Operating without the card is an infraction with fines that rise with each offense.
What the state charges for the card
State fee, California
$10
| Replacement | $5 |
| Valid for | lifetime |
| Free BoatUS course | accepted |
Lifetime card issued by the Division of Boating and Waterways; courses are separate (free and paid courses exist).
State rules read and practice questions written by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · How each state is checked
California facts: read on the official pages on October 24, 2026.
From a phase-in to everyone
The California rule started on January 1, 2018 for operators aged 20 or younger, and the age limit rose each year: 25, 35, 40, 45, 50, then 60 in 2024. Since January 1, 2025 there is no age limit. The full check above still accepts a past outing date, which shows how the rule applied on that day, for example after a citation.
The card, its fee and its life
The California Boater Card costs $10, is valid for life, and a replacement costs $5. The fee goes to the state; the course is separate. The BoatUS Foundation course is accepted in California (its California page), so the cheapest legal total is the card fee alone. The mini-tool shows the fee and the replacement price in any state.
What the state charges for the card
State fee, California
$10
| Replacement | $5 |
| Valid for | lifetime |
| Free BoatUS course | accepted |
Lifetime card issued by the Division of Boating and Waterways; courses are separate (free and paid courses exist).
Who is exempt
- Operating a rental vessel.
- Under the direct supervision of an adult 18+ who holds a card.
- Out-of-state visitor boating fewer than 60 days who meets home-state rules (90 days for a foreign visitor).
- Holders of a current commercial fishing license or a US Coast Guard marine operator license.
Being exempt from the card does not lower the age rule: under 16, operating a motor of more than 15 hp is not allowed, except sailboats up to 30 feet, and ages 12 to 15 may do it with an adult of 18 or more on board.
California beside its neighbors
| California | Oregon | Nevada | Arizona | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Who needs it | All operators | All operators | Born on or after January 1, 1983 | State not verified yet |
| State fee | $10 | $20 | not confirmed | not confirmed |
| Free BoatUS course | accepted | accepted | accepted | accepted |
Lake Tahoe and the Colorado River are shared with Nevada and Arizona. Each state applies its own rule on its side of the line, so a Californian boating on Lake Havasu follows Arizona law there, and a visitor from Arizona on the California side uses the visitor exemption.
On the water
An officer can also check the boat: registration numbers on both sides of the bow under 33 CFR part 173, a wearable life jacket for each person and the other equipment of 33 CFR part 175. The practice test covers the rules on the exam. Facts on this page were read on the Division of Boating and Waterways pages on October 24, 2026; this site is not affiliated with the state.