California Boater Card

[Winstondry]

Anyone have any info? Is it required for 2024?

[DarkShadow]

Got mine about a year ago.

Nice gentleman at our local boat ramp handed me the pamphlet which contained the test. I took it, sent the $10, and had my temp card in 10 days and my permanent card in about a month.

I'm now seeing companies charging quite a bit for 'classes', for something that is only $10. What's going on?

[camobass]

It’s all based off of age for what year you need one

January 1, 2024 – Persons 60 years of age or younger
January 1, 2025 – All persons regardless of age

[Tailingloop]

Got mine about a year ago.

Nice gentleman at our local boat ramp handed me the pamphlet which contained the test. I took it, sent the $10, and had my temp card in 10 days and my permanent card in about a month.

I'm now seeing companies charging quite a bit for 'classes', for something that is only $10. What's going on?

If you wan't to take an online version, which saves the hassle of dealing with the mail, then in most cases you need to pay. The online courses are usually broken down into subject area sections with quizzes at the end of each section. Developing web based training is not cheap. It may include animation or video. In today's world it needs to work on different devices (e.g. computer, tablet, phone), different operating systems (e.g. Windows, MacOS, Linux distributions), and different browsers (e.g. Safari, Edge, Firefox, Brave, etc)

You can do it for no cost except the $10 fee as you did.

Or you can do a CA approved online course for as much as $50 or so and the provider sends your confirmation of passing the test electronically to the state for you. Most of these providers also provide exams, which may be a bit different than the CA version due to local state laws, and the the same electronic registrations service. The online courses require a minimum amount of time spent going through the tutorials and taking the exam. This is required by the state. I presume this is sort of ensuring spend time just as you would reading through the CA Boating and Waterways pamphlet and just answering the questions. This is an open book test obviously.

You can also take a free online course though BoatUS and they will send your certificate of passing the test electronically to the state. Its a bit simpler than the CA Boating and Waterways mail in process. You dont have to be a BoatUS member. I believe BoatUS has a a box checked at the end of the process for a $10 donation but I think you can uncheck the box. At least you could previously. I would do the donation. You have to create an account and pay the state registration fee seperately before you take the online course, just as you do with the other online providers. This gets the state the info for you card and provides an account number you need to provide to the online provider.

All the info on getting the card, including approved online training/testing as well as the process for doing the paper test can be found here

https://californiaboatercard.com

I have never owned a boat but have been around them for 50 years and was able to answer most of the questions without looking up the information. Since the test covers most types of watercraft and the questions are sort of random you might get some questions on kayaking or waterskiing or something you don't do regularly.

[Winstondry]

Thanks guys!

[crawdadguy]

I got mine but it was a pain in the ass and typical California money grab (

[camobass]

After spending many years working on and running boats, I’m somewhat glad they require this. Even though most of the test revolves around life jackets. There are A LOT of people that don’t know the “rules of the road” in navigable waters. The test just touches on them but it’s good. No where near a 100 ton test.

[vdisney]

I went ahead and paid the $29 for a course and let them handle the paperwork. I got my permanent in around 2 weeks

[professionull]

After spending many years working on and running boats, I’m somewhat glad they require this. Even though most of the test revolves around life jackets. There are A LOT of people that don’t know the “rules of the road” in navigable waters. The test just touches on them but it’s good. No where near a 100 ton test.

Yes it does help a bit but there are still so many rental companies and morons on jetski's (which this test seemed to lean towards) that it doesn't seem to apply much. So far I have never once been asked about the card but that might be because I'm usually out offshore solo

[DarkShadow]

After spending many years working on and running boats, I’m somewhat glad they require this. Even though most of the test revolves around life jackets. There are A LOT of people that don’t know the “rules of the road” in navigable waters. The test just touches on them but it’s good. No where near a 100 ton test.

Yes it does help a bit but there are still so many rental companies and morons on jetski's (which this test seemed to lean towards) that it doesn't seem to apply much. So far I have never once been asked about the card but that might be because I'm usually out offshore solo

Ditto.

Unless there is enforcement, what's the point?

Problem is, if LEOs checked boater cards at the gate, a lot of these concessionaires would be losing a lot of money. Go ask the average jet ski person if they have a boater's card, let alone what 'starboard' means.

I'm glad I only paid 10 bucks for it. I'd be more pissed off if I spent money through these agencies that are the middle man and charging a lot more than the 10 bucks, and then at the end of the day, your card never gets checked.

[monstahfish]

I started taking the boat us online course and it took so damn long with all the slides and having to have them open until the timer ran out that I decided to go through the mail. I still need to finish it but I have it now at least. It was all stuff I've known for a long time, but I've also learned from some really good captains over the last 30+ years of being around boats. Still, if I get pulled over and asked for it, I'm gonna be pissed cause it should really be for rental people and new boaters. They're the ones who are dangerous especially the jet skiers.

[Stringbean]

https://californiaboatercard.com/
This is the link to the ebook to study, and exams A or B.
The person to contact is Daniel Bryant @ Daniel.Byrant@parks.ca.gov
916-902-8486
He will mail out an exam , pick the one you want to take .mail it back.
A certificate will be mailed, take a picture and attach to file and pay 10.00

[professionull]

Honestly I wouldn't bother getting it unless you have a party/pontoon boat and plan on having a lot of guests on it at the bay. I wouldn't have paid for it but it was free with my BoatUS membership

A lot of the time when I see CG at the launch ramp, they're checking for life jackets and drunk kids/operators during the summer

[DarkShadow]

I wouldn't have paid for it but it was free with my BoatUS membership.

How did you take the test?

[professionull]

It was online through BoatUS