In Washington no one under the age of 12 can operate any motorized vessel of 15 horsepower or greater. Additionally, one must be at least 14 years old to operate any personal watercraft (PWC). Read more about Washington's age restriction laws.

A properly fitter personal flotation device (PFD) must be available for all persons onboard a vessel when underway. Anyone onboard a PWC must be wearing their PFD at all times. Read more on Washington's PFD requirements.

The state of Washington has specific boating guidelines concerning tsunami emergencies. For example, if you are in deep coastal waters when a tsunami emergency arises the best course of action is to move immediately to deeper waters. Read more about tsunami emergencies.

Operating a boat under the influence of alcohol is a serious offense in Washington State. Anyone with a blood alcohol level of 0.08% is considered under the influence. Persons convicted will face harsh fines and possible jail time. If you have a drink, don't drive a boat! Read more on the influence of drugs and alcohol on boat operation.

Whether you are a well-seasoned boater, or you're anxious to get on the water for the very first time, you need to study the online guide if you want to do well on your online exam. Here are a few tips to help you study, help you pass the exam the first time around.

Take Your Time. We can't stress this enough. We recommend you take at least 2-3 hours to read the study guide, and ideally do this over a period of a few days or nights.

Study Everything. Remember that this exam is geared toward all boaters in Washington. So even though you might never operate a PWC or have a boat with a marine sanitation device onboard, you still need to know this material, since it will all be covered on the exam.

State Specifics. Throughout the course you will notice sections that are within blue boxes. This is information that is specific to the state of Washington. You will be faced with several state-specific questions in the exam, so be sure to pay attention to these sections in the study guide!

The Boater Family will come up here and there throughout the online guide. They are there to stress key points in the guide. Be sure to take note of what they have to say.

Don't overlook the buoy system or rules of the road. You can expect to see a lot of these on the exam. Also, many people have trouble with questions pertaining to coldwater immersion and sound signals. Be sure to fully understand these sections as well!

The Washington Online Boater Exam consists of 75 questions, all with four multiple-choice answers. Each question will contain one or several graphics to help illustrate key concepts. A score of 80%, or 60 correct answers, is needed to pass.

Take Your Time! Sound familiar? It's true for studying, and it's true for the exam as well. There is no time limit to take the online exam, so don't rush! At BoaterExam we recommend you take at least an hour to write the exam. Be sure to read a question fully before you answer, and always choose the most appropriate answer. If you're not sure of an answer, take a guess. There are no penalties for incorrect answers, so take an educated guess. You might end up getting it right!

Review Your Answers. Before you score your exam, take a few moments to go through every question, and review the answer you selected. Rethinking and changing one answer can mean the difference between a fail and a pass!

Don't worry about it! That's why we have the 'pay only when you pass' policy. Now that you have a better idea what the exam is all about, you can review your incorrect answers, study the relevant course material, and take the exam again!

When you have passed the exam, you will be taken to the registration and payment pages. 2 options will be listed:

Full Serve Option

When you select the full serve option, we will take care of all the details for you. We will collect the state fee, fill out your paperwork and send it to the state on your behalf. You can print out a temporary card, and wait for your Washington State Boater Education Card to reach you in the mail within a few weeks.

Self Serve Option

With the self-serve option, you can print your certificate of completion (temp card) and send it to the State Parks and Recreation Commission along with the printed application form and the state fee. You should receive your Washington State Boater Education Card within 3-4 weeks of sending in the paperwork.

Whichever payment option you prefer, you will still have the option of reviewing your incorrect answers and printing out your certificate of completion, which acts as a temporary card for up to 60 days.

If you are simply visiting the state of Washington for a period of less than 60 consecutive days, then you do not need certification to go boating on Washington waters. After 60 days, however, you will require a Washington Boater Education Card, even if you have an education card from your home state or country.

No and yes. Many boaters use the term "Washington Boating License" when referring to their Boater Education Card. However, the Boater Education Card is NOT a boating license. Unlike a driver's license, your Boater Education Card does not have yearly renewal fees, cannot be revoked, and is good for life.

If you have any questions about Washington State Boating Regulations or about your online exam, feel free to visit BoaterExam.com or contact our customer service center for more information. We will do our best to answer any questions you might have!