An official boater education provider
Approved by NASBLA·U.S. Coast Guard Recognized|ContactFind Your State|
American Boating Foundation

Official Tennessee Boating License Online Safety Course

Required Under Tenn. Code Ann. § 69-9-226 · Approved by TWRA

Get Certified Now

Tennessee Boater Safety

I need this

Tennessee Boater Safety Education Certificate preview
Get Certified

State & Federal Approved

U.S. Coast GuardTennessee Wildlife Resources Agency approvedNASBLA approved
Before you start
Who needs a certificateThe 1989 birth-date rule, age limits and the supervision exemption.→Free practice test10 Tennessee questions with instant answers. See where you stand.→What it costsOne-time fee, no renewal, and how the options compare.→
Friends in life jackets laughing on the back of a wake boat on a Tennessee lake
Couple in life jackets riding a personal watercraft on a Tennessee lake

High-quality training that promotes the safety and education of boat operators in Tennessee.

The American Boating Foundation offers individuals the opportunity to earn their Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency boating safety certificate by learning the skills & techniques necessary to safely operate a boat. The course is designed for everyone who plans to operate a motorboat, sailboat, paddle craft or personal watercraft.

Friends in life jackets laughing on the back of a wake boat on a Tennessee lake
Couple in life jackets riding a personal watercraft on a Tennessee lake

High-quality training that promotes the safety and education of boat operators in Tennessee.

The American Boating Foundation offers individuals the opportunity to earn their Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency boating safety certificate by learning the skills & techniques necessary to safely operate a boat. The course is designed for everyone who plans to operate a motorboat, sailboat, paddle craft or personal watercraft.

Get Certified

Receive Your Boating License

Print your temporary certificate the moment you pass. We report your completion to TWRA, and TWRA mails your permanent Boating Safety Certification of Completion wallet card.

  1. Step 01

    Apply Online

    Enroll in the Tennessee course here in minutes. The only other step is TWRA's one-time $10 permit after you pass.

  2. Step 02

    Complete Course

    Study the material at your own pace on any device, then take the final exam as many times as you need to pass.

  3. Step 03·TWRA Wallet Card

    Receive License

    Print your temporary certificate the moment you pass. We report your completion to TWRA, and TWRA mails your permanent Boating Safety Certification of Completion wallet card.

Ready When You Are
Start Step 1
American Boating Foundation

An official online boater education provider. State-approved certification for safer waterways across the United States.

support@americanboatingfoundation.com

Courses

  • Find Your Course
  • Pricing
  • Course Login
  • Replacement Cards

Your State

  • Browse All States
  • State Boating Laws
  • Required Equipment
  • Reporting an Accident

About

  • Our Mission
  • Accreditation
  • Press & Media
  • Contact

Resources

  • Boating Blog
  • FAQ
  • Glossary
  • Help Center

Tennessee

  • Tennessee Course
  • Requirements
  • Practice Test
  • Cost

© 2026 American Boating Foundation. All rights reserved.

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • SMS Terms
Official Record

Recognized by the State of Tennessee

Our curriculum is reviewed against the standards of every agency that governs boating safety on Tennessee waters.

  • Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency seal
    TWRA
    Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency
    State certifying authority
  • NASBLA logo
    NASBLA
    National Association of State Boating Law Administrators
    National curriculum standard
  • United States Coast Guard seal
    USCG
    United States Coast Guard
    Federal navigation rules
  • T.C.A. § 69-9-226
    Tennessee Boating Safety Education Law
    Statute of record
Official BulletinStay current on U.S. boating safety.
Validate Coverage

County Validation Checker

  1. 01

    Enroll in the training

    • Time of completion: about 3 hours
    • Training approved by TWRA
    • New and updated for 2026
  2. 02

    Complete the online training and final exam

    • 40-question final exam, 80% to pass
    • Study at your own pace
    • High-quality interactive training with animated videos for the best learning experience
  3. 03

    Receive your Boater Safety Education Certificate

    • Print your temporary certificate the moment you pass. We report your completion to TWRA, and TWRA mails your permanent Boating Safety Certification of Completion wallet card.
AndersonBedfordBentonBledsoeBlountBradleyCampbellCannonCarrollCarterCheathamChesterClaiborneClayCockeCoffeeCrockettCumberlandDavidsonDecaturDeKalbDicksonDyerFayetteFentressFranklinGibsonGilesGraingerGreeneGrundyHamblenHamiltonHancockHardemanHardinHawkinsHaywoodHendersonHenryHickmanHoustonHumphreysJacksonJeffersonJohnsonKnoxLakeLauderdaleLawrenceLewisLincolnLoudonMaconMadisonMarionMarshallMauryMcMinnMcNairyMeigsMonroeMontgomeryMooreMorganObionOvertonPerryPickettPolkPutnamRheaRoaneRobertsonRutherfordScottSequatchieSevierShelbySmithStewartSullivanSumnerTiptonTrousdaleUnicoiUnionVan BurenWarrenWashingtonWayneWeakleyWhiteWilliamsonWilson
Certification ValidCertification Invalid
Official Credential

The certificate you'll carry.
On the water.

A preview of the Tennessee Boater Safety Education Certificate you'll receive from the American Boating Foundation when you pass. TWRA approved, built to the NASBLA standard.

Course
100% Online
Approval
TWRA Approved
Standard
NASBLA
Issuance
Print On Passing

Drag or hover the card to inspect

Sample Tennessee Boater Safety Education Certificate from the American Boating Foundation
SAMPLE
TWRA Approved Course
The Law, Translated

The Tennessee Law In Plain English

  1. Official Text

    “Any Tennessee resident born after January 1, 1989, who is operating a boat of more than 8.5 horsepower, must have onboard the TWRA-issued Boating Safety Education Certificate card.”

    Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1660-02-12-.01(1)1

    ✓In Plain English

    If you live in Tennessee and were born after January 1, 1989, you need a Boating Safety Education Certificate on board to operate any boat with more than 8.5 horsepower.

Sources

  1. Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1660-02-12-.01 — Boating Education Program.
  2. Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency — Boating Safety Education, tn.gov/twra.
  3. Tenn. Code Ann. §§ 69-9-226 and 70-1-206 — statutory authority for Rule 1660-02-12-.01.
Help & Support

Questions? We've Got Answers.

Browse the most common questions about getting certified — or chat with Sal, our virtual assistant, for an instant answer any time.

  • Tennessee residents born after January 1, 1989 need the certificate on board to operate a boat with more than 8.5 horsepower. Visitors from other states who were born after January 1, 1989 need a NASBLA-approved boating safety certificate.

  • Not before you start. Enroll and take the course here first. Tennessee does require a one-time $10 Boating Safety Exam Permit from TWRA, which you buy on GoOutdoorsTennessee.com or at any hunting-and-fishing license agent after you pass. Check that your address there is correct, because that is where TWRA mails your wallet card. We report your passing score to TWRA, and TWRA issues the official card.

  • No. Your progress is saved automatically — you can start on your desktop and finish on your phone, on your own schedule.

  • NASBLA (the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators) reviews and approves boating safety courses to ensure they meet nationally recognized standards. The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency accepts our NASBLA-approved course for state certification.

  • You must be at least 12 years old to take the Tennessee boating safety exam. The certificate is not required when an adult who is at least 18 and was born before January 1, 1989 is on board and able to take immediate control of the boat. TWRA publishes further rules for young operators and personal watercraft at tn.gov/twra.

  • Yes. TWRA requires you to have your Boating Safety Education Certificate with you while you operate. Print your temporary certificate the moment you pass. We report your completion to TWRA, and TWRA mails your permanent Boating Safety Certification of Completion wallet card.

  • Yes. Our free 10-question Tennessee practice test covers the rules TWRA asks about most.

    Take the practice test →

  • It's a one-time fee with no renewal, because the certificate never expires. See the full cost breakdown.

    See the cost breakdown →

Sal T. Water
Sal T. Water
Online — replies instantly

Need an answer right now?

Chat with Sal, our virtual assistant, about how the Tennessee course works, pricing and payment, or your account. Legal questions go straight to our team.

Prefer a human?

Email our support team.

Emailsupport@americanboatingfoundation.com