Accreditation
Three approvals stand behind your certificate.
A boater education certificate is only worth what the issuing course is approved to do. Here is exactly who reviews our courses, what each approval covers, and how to verify it yourself.
The Three Layers
What each approval actually means.
National standard
NASBLA approved
The National Association of State Boating Law Administrators publishes the education standard that states use to judge a course. NASBLA approval means our curriculum, question bank, and testing rules were reviewed against that standard by an independent panel.
Federal recognition
U.S. Coast Guard recognized
The U.S. Coast Guard recognizes the NASBLA education standard as meeting the national requirement for recreational boater education. That recognition is why a certificate earned in one state is generally honored when you travel.
State approval
Approved by your state agency
Each state boating agency approves courses for its own waters and its own law. We submit a separate course for each state we serve and only open enrollment once that state has approved it.
How To Verify
Don't take our word for it.
Every state maintains a public list of the boater education courses it has approved, and NASBLA maintains a list of approved courses nationally. Two checks confirm any provider:
- Find the provider on your state boating agency's approved course list.
- Confirm the course is listed as NASBLA approved for that state.
Our state pages link straight to the responsible agency, so you can check before you pay. If you can't find what you need, email support@americanboatingfoundation.com and we'll send you the listing.
Reciprocity
Traveling with your card
States generally honor a NASBLA-approved certificate issued elsewhere, but the rule is the destination state's to make. Check the state you're visiting before you launch.
Validity
Earned once
In most states a boater education certificate does not expire and needs no renewal. Keep it with you — carrying it is usually part of the requirement.
Reporting
What we report, and to whom.
When you pass, we issue your certificate and report your completion to the state boating agency on the schedule that state requires. The record we send is the identity information you gave us at enrollment, which is why the legal name and date of birth on your profile must match your identification.
How we handle that information is set out in our privacy policy.
Next Step
Find the approved course for your state.
Course availability differs by state. Start from the state picker on our home page to see what's approved and open where you boat.