Iowa Boating Regulations and Laws
The Iowa Boater Education Card (also referred to as the
Iowa boating license) is proof that a boater has taken and passed an
approved boater education course. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources currently has a mandatory boater education requirement that requires all boaters between 12 and 17 years of age to have the Iowa boating license on board when the vessel is
underway to satisfy the Iowa boating regulations.
Many boating fatalities occur because boaters aren't educated about boating safety. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources believes that an educated boater is a safer boater.
Where can I take my safe boating exam and get my Boating Safety Certificate?
You can write your safe boating exam directly on the Internet at
BoaterExam.com™.
Once you pass the exam your boating education card is mailed to
your home. In the meantime, you can print off a Certificate of Completion that can be used until your permanent Boating Safety Certificate arrives. Your permanent Boating Safety Certificate will arrive
in the mail after about 3 to 5 weeks.
Where can I get the boater safety education course material?
All the required safe boating training
material to get your boating education card is available
for free at BoaterExam.com™. Simply visit
our Iowa Safe Boating Course section
to gain access to the free training material. The Iowa
Safe Boating Course is accredited by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.
Where can I get more information about Iowa boating regulations and the Iowa Boating Safety Certificate?
Answers to most of your questions about the Iowa boater's license can
be found on our Frequently
Asked Questions page. You may also visit The Iowa Department of Natural
Resources for additional information, or you can contact
us and we will be glad to answer any of your questions.