Mom helping her kids put their life jackets on, pontoon boat
North Dakota state law requires youth ages 12-15 who want to operate a boat or personal watercraft by themselves with at least a 10 horsepower motor must pass the state’s boating basics course.
However, the North Dakota Game and Fish Department recommends all boaters take a boater education course. In fact, some insurance companies give adult boat owners who pass the course a discount on boat insurance.
The course is available for home-study from the Game and Fish Department’s Bismarck office. Two commercial providers also offer the course online, and links to those sites are found on the department’s website at gf.nd.gov.
While the home-study course is free, students are charged a fee to take it online. The online provider charges for the course, not the Game and Fish Department. The fee remains with the online provider.
Upon completion of the online test, and providing a credit card number, students will be able to print a temporary certification card, and within 30 days a permanent card will be mailed.
The course covers legal requirements, navigation rules, getting underway, accidents and special topics such as weather, rules of the road, laws, life saving and first aid.
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