Every class type · Every state
From the state safety card to a USCG captain's license — compare accredited courses and local schools, then enroll with confidence.
Eight course types, from the entry-level safety certification most states require to professional captain's licensing.
A boater safety course teaches the rules, navigation, and…
A USCG captain's license lets you carry paying passengers. The…
Sailing lessons range from a first-time keelboat introduction…
Powerboat handling courses build confidence with close-quarters…
Personal watercraft courses cover the safety rules and handling…
Paddlesports instruction covers kayaking, canoeing, and…
Youth and summer programs introduce kids to boating safety,…
Professional and commercial training covers towing…
Online captain’s license school, founded in 2002: the OUPV course is $695 and the 100-Ton Master $895, with the proctored final exam taken online.
10% off at Mariners with code
About $70 off the $695 OUPV course
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A NASBLA-approved online boater safety course: a flat $39.95 in most states for the course, exam and card, approved in 22 states including Florida, New York and California.
$5 off at AceBoater with code
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New boater essentials start with what federal law requires on most boats — life jackets, a throwable, a sound signal, a fire extinguisher — then useful extras.
For most boaters the best online safety course is whichever NASBLA-approved course your state accepts — and Boat-Ed, with a course for nearly every state, is usually on that list. But if you want the lowest flat price, the widest availability, or a free option, the right pick changes. Here is an honest comparison.
If you want to take up to six paying passengers on an uninspected boat — fishing charters, dive trips, small tours — you need an OUPV (“Six-Pack”) license. If you'll carry more than six passengers or run an inspected vessel, you need a Master license. Both are issued by the U.S. Coast Guard.
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