Hello boater! Effective July 17, 2009, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources changed their guidelines for distance learning. Students are now required to spend a minimum amount of time on each course page before proceeding to the certification exam.

Click here to go to the latest version of the Boat Illinois online course—the official boating safety course of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

Navigation Lights and Precautions at Night

Navigation lights help you and other boaters determine which is the give-way vessel when encountering each other at night. These lights must be displayed from sunset to sunrise and during periods of restricted visibility, such as fog. There are four common navigation lights: sidelights, sternlights, masthead lights, and all-round white lights. At night, make sure your lights are working correctly and carry extra bulbs. If visibility is severely restricted, use your sound signals to alert others in the area.