TN Boating Laws: Online Boater Education Now Available
Getting your boater education card in Tennesee just got easier!
Now, in 2025, boaters can take the required TN boater education course online.
Before April 2025, boat operators in Tennessee only had the option of an in-person course to meet the state's requirements for boater education. However, the state has added the option to take a NASBLA-approved course online, making it more convenient than ever to get safety certified and boat or ride a jet ski legally.
Here's what you need to know to comply with TN boating laws!
Why Did the TWRA Change the Rules?
The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) understands how important boater education is to help reduce the number of boating accidents, injuries, and deaths that take place on the water each year.
Boater safety education saves lives! So, the state has now made it easier to find and take a course to get a Tennessee Boater Education Certificate. Carrying this card with you on the water shows law enforcement that you've passed a safety course.
Plus, the knowledge you gain through an approved boater course helps you navigate the waters safely to protect yourself and others. With the new option to take a course online, more boaters can learn safety essentials if finding an in-person course isn't convenient.
Does an Online Course Comply with TN Boating Laws?
Yes!
If you choose a state-approved, NASBLA-approved course like BOATERexam, an online course covers everything you would learn in an in-person course and meets Tennessee's state requirements.
The TWRA partners with course providers, such as BOATERexam, to ensure that the course material and final exam comply with the state's regulations.
So, if you take the Tennessee online course from BOATERexam, you will learn everything you need to know to boat safely, including:
- How to choose the right life jacket
- The parts of a boat
- How to tie boat knots
- How to launch and dock
- The safety equipment you need on board
- Sound signals
- Right-of-Way Rules
- Safe Operation
- What to do in an emergency
- And more
BOATERexam offers a comprehensive course with videos, illustrations, and quizzes for a fun learning process that helps you retain the information you learn to pass the final exam and put what you learn into action on the water.
Plus, you can take the BOATERexam course from any device you can connect to the internet. Work through the course at your own pace, starting and stopping as you have time.
Are There Any Exceptions to the Tennessee Boating License Requirement?
If you're wondering how to get a Tennesse boating license, it's the same thing as getting your boater education card (or certificate).
Taking a state-approved boater education course and passing the final exam means you'll receive your "license" (i.e., your boater education card or certificate). There really isn't a "license."
However, there are a few exceptions to the state's rule.
- Young boat operators are not required to have a Boating Safety Certification of Completion (i.e., the Tennessee boater education certificate) if there is an adult (18 years old or older, born before January 1, 1989) on board to take immediate control of the watercraft.
- If you are not a resident of Tennessee while operating a boat with more than 8.5 horsepower, you are also exempt from taking the Tennessee boater certification course — as long as you have completed a NASBLA-approved course from another state.
In other words, your boater card from another state meets the requirements in Tennessee.
Additionally, if you're on a human-powered vessel (like a canoe or kayak), you don't have to have a boater card (although it's a good idea to take a safety course anyway).
What Happens After I Finish the Online Course?
After completing all of the learning in the course, you'll take the final exam. Once you pass the exam, you can immediately print a temporary Tennessee boater education certificate that allows you to hit the water right away.
Within a few weeks, you'll also receive a TWRA-issued Boating Safety Certification of Completion wallet card (or your Tennessee boating license). This is your permanent card.
To comply with TN boating laws, carry this card with you every time you operate a motorized vessel (including a personal watercraft).
Will My Card Expire?
No! Your card is good for life and never expires.
However, if you lose it, it's easy to replace it.
You can:
- Request a new card through the ilostmycard website.
- Or, if you were born after January 1, 1989, and completed the in-person exam to receive the Tennessee boater education certificate, log in to the Go Outdoors Tennessee website for information about replacing it.
Take the BOATERexam Online Course for Tennessee (and Boat Safely)!
BOATERexam makes it easy and fun to learn boating safety essentials, take the required exam, and get your Tennesse boater education certificate. You can do everything through our website, including ordering your card.
It's easier than ever to learn about boater safety, get certified, and comply with Tennessee boating laws.
Take the Tennessee course through BOATERexam, then hit the water safely!
