South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster signed into law the bill passed by the South Carolina Legislature that requires anyone born after July 1, 2007, to have completed a boating safety course to operate a boat or personal watercraft (PWC). This new law is effective August 6, 2023. Existing South Carolina law requires any boat operator under the age of 16 who is unaccompanied and operating a boat or PWC of 15 hp to pass a boater safety course and to carry a boater education card.
In North Carolina, residents born after January 1, 1988, must have completed a boating safety course before they can operate a boat. Additionally, for PWCs, no person under 14 can operate a PWC. Teenagers between 14 and 16 can operate a PWC if:
· Accompanied by a person 18 years of age or older; OR
· The teenager has his boating safety course completion card and proof of age onboard.
Boating safety course are available on many websites but here are a couple you may consider:
DNR Boater Education
Boat-ed
Thank you,
Ray Garcia
First Vice-Chair