Official Boater Safety Education Course

Take this Hawaii state–approved online course, print your temporary certificate, and be on the water in just a few hours.

Hawaii Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation, US Coast Guard, and NASBLA logos Approved by Hawaii Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation http://www.hawaii.gov/dlnr/dbor/

Hawaii Boater License

Who Needs the Card?

All personal watercraft operators must have their boating license on board to meet the Hawaii boating requirements. You must be at least 15 to operate a PWC.

Get your Hawaii Boater Education Certificate in 3 Steps.

  1. Study and Pass the Hawaii Boater Safety Course

    Study the free online course material. After completing the course, you’ll take the Hawaii Certification Exam. (If you don’t pass on the first try, don’t worry. Keep taking the exam for free until you pass.)

  2. Pay and Print Your Temporary Certificate

    After passing and paying the $29.50 course fee, you’ll instantly print out a temporary certificate, which is your temporary operating permit to operate legally on Hawaii waters while you wait for your permanent card to arrive.

  3. Receive Your Boater Education Card in the Mail

    Your lifetime Hawaii Boater Education Certificate will arrive by mail in 7-10 business days. (Use your Temporary Boater Education Certificate to get on the water immediately after passing the course and until your permanent card arrives.)

    Ready? Start the Course Today →

What to Expect When Taking the Course

Learning: Step by Step

To help you improve your boating skills and to prepare you for the final exam, the course is broken down into 6 easy-to-understand units that you can complete at your own pace:

  • Unit 1: Before Getting Underway
  • Unit 2: Getting Out on the Water
  • Unit 3: Navigation and Safe Operation
  • Unit 4: Hawaii's Legal Requirements of Boating
  • Unit 5: Boating Emergencies
  • Unit 6: Enjoying Water Sports

Reinforcement: Unit Quizzes

As you progress through the course, you’ll be given the opportunity to demonstrate how well you’re understanding the boater safety topics by taking a quiz at the end of each of the 6 units.

You’ll need to score 70% or greater on the unit quiz before moving on to the next unit.

If you don’t pass a unit quiz, that’s no problem. You’ll just go back and study the unit again until you’re ready to pass.

Mastery: The Final Exam

After completing all units, you’ll have the choice to proceed directly to the online Certification Exam or you may first take a practice exam.

Both the practice exam and the final exam cover all the course material and will assess your knowledge of boating safely on Hawaii waters.

You must score 80% or greater on the final exam to pass. If you fail the final exam, there is no penalty. You can retake the exam as many times as you like until you pass.

  • Boat ramp etiquette
    Illustration from Unit 2: Getting Out on the Water
  • Boating safety tips
    Illustration from Unit 5: Boating Emergencies
  • Local regulations
    Illustration from Unit 6: Enjoying Water Sports

A Comprehensive Course in Hawaii Boating Education

Developed Specifically for Hawaii Boaters

Boating Basics Instruction

The Boat Hawaii Course features easy-to-understand boating safety instructions and hundreds of detailed illustrations to help you improve your boating skills and become a better, more prepared skipper.

This online boating safety course is based on the Boat Hawaii - A Course on Responsible Boating, which was developed and printed by Boat Ed specifically for the Hawaii Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation for use in classroom instruction.

Boat Ed is the only boating safety education course and exam provider that develops print materials on behalf of state government boating and boater safety agencies.

  • Hawaii Specific Safety Topics This is the same course that is used by Hawaii Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation for classroom instruction.
  • Boating safety education has proven to be successful in reducing boating accidents, injuries, and conflicts among boaters Boat Ed is the only boating safety course provider that develops print materials on behalf of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary.

Comprehensive Boater Education Content

This Hawaii boater education course covers a range of topics—from safety instructions to boat handling to reading the weather—and prepares you for a variety of situations you could find yourself in while on the water.

Whether or not you are required to complete Hawaii’s boating safety course requirement, all boaters have a responsibility to learn about boat operation, communication, navigation, and life-saving techniques before taking to the water.

Because educated boaters are safer boaters, completing this Hawaii-approved online course can also earn you a discount on your boat and PWC insurance.

  • Figure from Unit 4 - Preparing Your Anchor Learn the rules of the water to have a safe and enjoyable day boating in Hawaii.
  • Figure from Unit 3 - Penalties for Operating Under the Influence
    Free boat safety exam training material recognized by Hawaii Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation.

Video Instruction

The Hawaii online boater education study guide and course feature context-based video instruction to enhance your retention and motivation. You will watch live-action videos of boat and PWC operators preparing for an outing, using good judgement, and reacting to unexpected changes.

  • Casting Off video thumbnail Sample course instructional video, “Casting Off”
  • Capsizing, Swamping, or Falling Overboard video thumbnail Sample course instructional video, “Capsizing, Swamping, or Falling Overboard”

Interactive Animations

Learning in this Hawaii boater safety course is reinforced by the use of interactive animations that help students understand safe boating skills such as casting off and docking, understanding traffic laws on the water, dealing with emergencies, and more.

  • Learning to Tie Nautical Knots animation thumbnail Sample course instructional animation, “Tying Knots”
  • Personal Watercraft Overtaking Sample course instructional animation, “Personal Watercraft Overtaking”

It’s Official and Approved!

This online boater education course is approved by the Hawaii Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation and recognized by the U.S. Coast Guard as an approved online boating license course.

It’s the Law!

Hawaii law enforcement officers patrol the waterways to make your boating experience safe and pleasant. Cooperate with them by following the Hawaii boating laws and guidelines in this course.

It’s Fast and Easy!

With this complete boater course, finish your classroom boating safety educational requirement at your own pace on your mobile device or computer in a just a few hours. Complete the course in one sitting or a little at a time. It’s up to you.

It’s Made in the USA!

This Hawaii boat license safety course is proudly made in Dallas, Texas, USA, and our servers and data storage facilities are located within the USA Recreational boating is truly one of America’s favorite pastimes and a freedom we all should continue to enjoy.

How do I get my state boating license?

You may have heard that you need the Hawaii Boat License to operate your boat, but what you really need is the Hawaii Boater Education Certificate. You can get the Hawaii Boater Education Certificate by taking this Boat License Safety course at boat-ed.com. Find out if you need the card.

Did you lose your card? Replace it here.

Approved by:

Hawaii Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation
333 Queen Street, Suite 300
Honolulu, Hawaii 96813
(808) 587-1967
http://www.hawaii.gov/dlnr/dbor/