Michigan Frequently Asked Questions

The Michigan Boat Ed Course fee is $29.50.

Michigan Boat Ed Course is valid for only 90 days from the time of registration and payment. If you are not able to complete this course within 90 days, the course will be automatically renewed for another 30 days. Your credit card will be charged $10 for each renewal. You can turn off the auto-extension feature at any time. Just uncheck the box beside "Automatically renew my course" available on your Profile page or Payment page.

You can enter your credit card information online with confidence on our secure server. This charge will appear on your credit card statement as “Safety Courses 18008302268.”

You need education if you were born after June 30, 1996, and will be operating a vessel in Michigan. Most PWC operators also need education.

There is no minimum age requirement to take this online course.

You do not have to be a resident of Michigan to take this online course.

Typically it takes about 3 hours to go through the online course, excluding any quizzes and/or exams and re-studying that you may choose to do.

You may complete the course at your own pace. The course can be completed in one sitting or completed a little at a time over several days. All pay-up-front courses are available for 90 days from time of registration and payment.

The Michigan Boat Ed Course is approved and accepted by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

For visiting boaters, all states, territories, and provinces will recognize boating education cards that meet NASBLA requirements and Canadian Pleasure Craft Operator Cards that meet Transport Canada’s requirements. (This is known as “reciprocity.”)

If you fail a unit quiz, you can take it again until you pass. You must score at least 70% on the unit quizzes to pass.

The Online Course Exam is the exam you take at the end of the online course. You must score at least 80% on the exam to pass. You have unlimited attempts to pass the exam. If you don’t complete the exam in one session, don’t worry. When you log in later, you will be taken to the first unanswered question of the exam.

1. Study and pass the online course.

Study and pass the $29.50 course. Throughout the Michigan Boat Ed Course, you’ll be tested on what you’ve learned.

2. Print your Boating Safety Certificate.

After successfully completing the online course, you’ll be able to immediately print out your Boating Safety Certificate.

3. Get ready to go boating!

The Boating Safety Certificate you printed in Step 2 serves as your permanent certificate and allows you to legally go boating.

Once you have completed all 3 steps for certification, you’re ready to go boating.

The Michigan Boating Safety Certificate is proof that you have successfully completed all the education requirements. You can print the Michigan Boating Safety Certificate right then, and/or request that a PDF be emailed to you.

To replace a lost or destroyed Michigan Boating Safety Certificate, log in to the course and print a new one.

• A computer or mobile device with Internet access
• Cookies and JavaScript enabled in browser
• A soundcard and speakers or headphones
• A printer to print your course completion document

This course is designed to work on any mobile device, such as iPhones, iPads, and Android phones and tablets, as well as your computer.

If you need to update your profile information or change your password, click on your username in the navigation bar at the top of the web page in the course. Re-submit your revised information using the form provided.

If you forget your password, you can reset it from the Forgot Your Password page. You will need to enter your username and the email from your profile, and an email containing the link to reset your password will be sent. There is also a link to the Forgot Your Password? page on the Log In page for your convenience.

When you log out, your progress is recorded so that when you log in again, you can pick up where you left off. When logging back in, you will be taken to the Course Contents page where you can see the progress you have made. You can click on a link for the last page viewed to go back to that part of the course.

You may log in and out as many times as you wish. Your progress is monitored and saved.

Our course videos should play in all browsers. If a video is not showing up, your browser may require Adobe Flash to play them. You can download the Flash plugin for your browser at Adobe’s site.

If you are still having trouble, you might be able to find help at Vimeo’s FAQs. (Vimeo is the video player used in the course.)

If you have not been active within the course for more than 15 minutes, you will automatically be logged out of your session. A notice stating, “Your session has expired due to inactivity” will appear at the top of the course. Log back in, and you can continue interacting with the course. Your progress will have been recorded, and you should be able to continue where you left off in the course.

If you are disconnected from the Internet, simply log back in and pick up where you left off. Your progress will be saved.

You may call us at 1-800-830-2268 to speak with a customer service representative, 9:00 a.m. to midnight EST, seven days a week.