Frequently Asked Questions Pertaining to the Pennsylvania Boating Safety Course & Certification Exam

Q. What is the "Pennsylvania Boating Safety Education
Certificate "?

A. A Pennsylvania Boating Safety Education Certificate (sometimes referred to as the Pennsylvania Boaters License) is proof of competency of the basic rules of the water that all boaters should know.

Q. Do I have to get a Boating Safety Education Certificate?

A. All Pennsylvania boaters over the age of 12 must get a Pennsylvania boating safety education certificate to legally operate a personal watercraft (PWC).

Additionally, all boat operators born on or after January 1, 1982 are required to successfully complete a Boating Safety exam and have their Boating Safety Education Certificate onboard with them while operating any motorized vessel that is propelled by a motor greater than 25 hp.

If you don't fall into this category, being certified has other benefits such as boat insurance discounts, check with your marine insurance provider to see if you're eligible.

Q. How do I get my Pennsylvania Boating Safety Education Certificate?

A. The steps required to get your Pennsylvania Boating Safety Education Certificate are as follows:

1. Complete the Pennsylvania Online Boating Safety Course at BoaterExam.com™
2. Take the Pennsylvania Online Certification exam
3. Print off your Temporary Certification of Completion
4. Your Boating Safety Education Certificate will arrive in the mail in 4-6 weeks

For a complete overview of the Pennsylvania online boating exam process, please visit our Pennsylvania Boating License Online Exam Process overview page.

Q. What does the Safe Boating Course consist of?

A. The safe boating course for Pennsylvania is made up of 6 chapters broken into relevant and related subject matter. Each chapter consists of a number of pages all of which have been given a minimum study time. Each of the pages within a chapter must subsequently be studied for the minimum required time before you can proceed to the next page. Once you have studied a chapter in its entirety you will be able to access the 10 question chapter review quiz. All the questions are multiple choice and related to the material just covered in that chapter. A passing grade of 70% is required for end of chapter review quizzes and a failing grade means the chapter will need to be repeated. Once a chapter is completed and the review quiz has been passed you will be able to proceed to the following chapter. After all 6 chapters and review quizzes have been completed you will be able to take the certification exam.

Q. How long is the Safe Boating Course?

A. The Safe Boating Course will take a total of roughly 3 hours to complete (excluding the Certification Exam). This is a requirement of the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission.

Does the course need to be completed all at once?

A. No. The course is convenient and allows you to complete it at your own pace. When you sign up to take your Safe Boating Course online with BoaterExam.com™ you will be issued a 'username' and 'password' which will allow you to log in and out of the course any time you please. Our customized Boater Exam Center keeps track of your progress within the course and each time you come back, simply log back in and continue where you left off.

Q. What if I don't pass a Chapter Review Quiz?

A. In the event that you don't pass one of the Chapter Review Quizzes simply take note of the areas in which you experienced difficulties as shown in the Post-Quiz critique. You will then be required to return and review the chapter material again before you can attempt the quiz again. Make sure you're ready before attempting a Chapter Review Quiz!

Q. Do I have to complete the course before I can take the Certification Exam?

A. Yes. All of the chapters and review quizzes must be completed before the Certification Exam may be taken.

Q. What if I don't pass the Certification Exam?

A. No problem. At BoaterExam.com™ there is no cost to retry the exam if you do not pass at first. The initial fee for the certification exam allows you to retry the exam twice at no extra cost. You will receive your score immediately upon completing the exam and you will be able to review your wrong answers. In the event that you don't pass, you can review the course material and take the exam again at no cost. However, if you are not successful in passing the Certification Exam after 3 attempts you will be required to pay the exam fee again in order to continue. This is a Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission Requirement.

Q. How much does the exam cost?

A. The cost of the certification exam is $34.95 which gives you access to an instant temporary certificate of completion following the exam. There is an additional $10 state fee for the certificate.

Q. What payment methods are accepted?

A. We accept payments by VISA, Mastercard, and PayPal.

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Q. What is the "Certification of Completion"?

A. The Certificate of Completion is a temporary proof of competency and proves that you took your boating safety education course and passed the certification exam. This certificate is valid for 60 days from the date you take your exam and should be carried with you when you boat until your permanent Boating Safety Education Certificate arrives in the mail.

Q.When will I receive my Boating Safety Education Certificate in the mail?

A. Your card should arrive in roughly 4-6 weeks from the date you take your exam.

Q. Do I have a time limit for the exmam?

A. No. The exam is not timed but inactive exams will be erased after 12 hours.

Q. Can I write the exam at any time? Day or Night?

A. Yes. The exam is available to you at any time of the day, every day of the week. Our customer service center is also open during extended hours all year round to help answer any questions you might have.

How many questions are on the exam?

A. The exam consists of 60 multiple choice questions, all with colorful and helpful visual aids, an educational tool exclusive to BoaterExam.com™.

What is the passing grade for the certification exam?

A. The passing grade is 80%, or 48 correct answers out of 60 questions.

Q. What are the technical requirements for the online boating test?