Is Boat-Ed or BoaterExam.com cheaper?

BoaterExam.com starts around $34.95, while Boat-Ed’s price varies by state from about $29.50 to $64.95. Because both are priced per state, check your specific state’s price — and note that in some states only one of them is the approved provider.

Are both courses NASBLA-approved?

Yes. Both Boat-Ed and BoaterExam.com are NASBLA-approved and issue the official boater education card in the states where they’re approved. Always confirm the course is accepted in your state before paying.

Which states accept Boat-Ed vs BoaterExam.com?

Availability is set per state, and in some states only one of them is an approved provider. Boat-Ed has a course for nearly every state; BoaterExam.com covers 39. Check your state’s boating agency or our state pages for the accepted course.

Do I still get a card if I take either course?

Yes — completing an approved course is how you earn the card. Most states require the boater education card to operate a motorized vessel, and the card is typically valid for life and recognized across state lines.

What is the difference between Boat-Ed and Boat-Ed+?

Boat-Ed+ is Boat-Ed’s premium version of the same state-approved course, and both earn the same official boater education card. Boat-Ed+ swaps the read-and-quiz format for scenario-based lessons with a virtual instructor, adds a free year of the Wavve Boating app, and is sold in 28 states.

Is Boat-Ed+ approved in my state?

Only where Boat-Ed publishes it — 28 states as of September 2026. Where it exists it is approved in its own right: California lists “Boat-Ed +” by name on the roster it calls the only courses the state approves, and the Oregon State Marine Board lists it among approved internet courses. Check your state agency first.

Provider comparison

Boat-Ed vs BoaterExam.com

Two NASBLA-approved online boater safety courses, compared on price, coverage and format.

Boat-Ed and BoaterExam.com are both NASBLA-approved online boater-safety courses that earn the official state boater education card. Boat-Ed, from Kalkomey, is an official state-delegated provider with a course for nearly every state, priced by state (about $29.50–$64.95). BoaterExam.com starts around $34.95 and also offers a Canadian option. Either earns a card recognized in the states where it’s approved.

Boat-Ed vs Boat-Ed+: what’s the difference?

Boat-Ed+ is Boat-Ed’s premium version of the same state-approved course. It earns the same official boater education card and satisfies the same legal requirement — what changes is how you learn it: scenario-based lessons with a virtual instructor instead of read-and-quiz. It is sold in 28 states and priced separately in each, so the gap against the standard course depends on where you boat.

It is the same legal result. Boat-Ed says Boat-Ed+ “fulfills the legal state requirement for operating a boat”, and state agencies list it in their own right — California names “Boat-Ed +” separately from “Boat Ed” on a roster it calls “the only ones approved by the State of California and the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators”. — California Boater Card program
What actually differs is the format: Boat-Ed describes Boat-Ed+ as “interactive, scenario-based learning with a virtual classroom instructor”, built around on-the-water simulations rather than reading followed by a quiz. — Boat-Ed's New York Boat-Ed+ course page
Price is set per state, and so is the gap. In Oregon the all-in cost is identical: the Marine Board lists standard Boat-Ed at $54.95 plus a $20 Oregon Boating Education Card fee, and Boat-Ed+ at $74.95 “includes your Oregon State Marine Board card fee”. In New York and California, Boat-Ed+ is listed at $79.95. Check the Boat-Ed+ page for your own state before assuming either way. — Oregon State Marine Board
Certifying through Boat-Ed+ includes a free year of the Wavve Boating navigation app, which Boat-Ed bundles with the course rather than selling separately. — Boat-Ed+ App Store listing, published by Kalkomey
Boat-Ed, Boat-Ed+ and BOATERexam.com are all operated by the same company: boat-ed.com states it “is produced by Kalkomey Enterprises, LLC”, and BOATERexam.com’s own terms cover the sites “operated, hosted, and/or published by Kalkomey Enterprises, LLC”. The BOATERexam® marks themselves are noted on that site as owned by Fresh Air Educators®. — BOATERexam terms of use, and the Boat-Ed site footer

Which states have Boat-Ed+?

Boat-Ed publishes a Boat-Ed+ course in 28 states. If yours is not listed, the standard Boat-Ed course is the one to compare:

Alabama, California, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wyoming.

No Boat-Ed+ course is published for the other 22 states or the District of Columbia — among them Texas, Arizona, Georgia, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Tennessee, Utah and Wisconsin. — Boat-Ed's state course pages

Boat-Ed vs BoaterExam.com: side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Boat-Ed vs BoaterExam.com
	Boat-Ed	BoaterExam.com
Starting price	Boat-EdFrom $29.50About $29.50 to $64.95 depending on the state and course; some states add a separate card fee	BoaterExam.comFrom $34.95From ~$34.95; varies by state, plus a separate state fee in some states.
Format	Boat-EdOnline	BoaterExam.comOnline
NASBLA approved	Boat-Ed Yes	BoaterExam.com Yes
Pros	Boat-Ed Official, NASBLA-approved course for most states Fully online and self-paced Available in nearly every state, priced per state	BoaterExam.com Listed as an approved provider on official state-agency sites Covers many US states plus a Canadian option Operated by Kalkomey Enterprises, the company behind Boat-Ed
Cons	Boat-Ed Price varies by state — $54.95 in most Entry-level safety education only — no on-water or license training	BoaterExam.com Pricing varies by state and may add state fees Available in 39 states
	See Boat-Ed	See BoaterExam.com

We may earn a commission if you enroll through a link above, at no cost to you.

Do you need a boating license? Check your state

Which should you choose?

Both are solid NASBLA-approved choices, and the price difference is small. Pick whichever is the approved provider for your state and compare its exact state price. Boat-Ed covers more states — nearly every state, against BoaterExam.com’s 39 — while BoaterExam.com is a strong alternative and the better fit if you also need the Canadian Pleasure Craft Operator Card.

Read the full breakdowns: Boat-Ed and BoaterExam.com.

Last updated: September 24, 2026

Safety gear to have aboard

Whichever course you pick, these five are the items first-time boaters are most often missing — and four of them are federal requirements. Confirm what applies to your boat with the U.S. Coast Guard and your state boating agency.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Buying through these links costs you nothing extra, and it never affects which courses we recommend — see our affiliate disclosure.

USCG-approved life jackets
One properly fitted, Coast Guard-approved wearable life jacket is required for every person aboard.
Shop on Amazon
Engine cut-off switch lanyard
On a boat under 26 feet, federal law requires the operator to use the engine cut-off link whenever the boat is on plane or above displacement speed — unless the main helm is inside an enclosed cabin. U.S. Coast Guard
Shop on Amazon
Throwable flotation device
A Type IV cushion or ring buoy to toss to someone in the water — required on most boats 16 feet and longer.
Shop on Amazon
Marine fire extinguisher
Required on boats with a permanently installed fuel tank or any space that can trap fumes. The label must read "Marine Type — USCG Approved", and since April 2022 a disposable extinguisher more than 12 years past its stamped date is expired. U.S. Coast Guard
Shop on Amazon
Whistle or marine air horn
An audible signalling device so you can warn other vessels and signal in reduced visibility.
Shop on Amazon

Building a full kit? Read the complete new boater essentials checklist — ten items, what the law requires, and what is simply worth having.

Boat-Ed vs BoaterExam.com — FAQ

Is Boat-Ed or BoaterExam.com cheaper?: BoaterExam.com starts around $34.95, while Boat-Ed’s price varies by state from about $29.50 to $64.95. Because both are priced per state, check your specific state’s price — and note that in some states only one of them is the approved provider.
Are both courses NASBLA-approved?: Yes. Both Boat-Ed and BoaterExam.com are NASBLA-approved and issue the official boater education card in the states where they’re approved. Always confirm the course is accepted in your state before paying.
Which states accept Boat-Ed vs BoaterExam.com?: Availability is set per state, and in some states only one of them is an approved provider. Boat-Ed has a course for nearly every state; BoaterExam.com covers 39. Check your state’s boating agency or our state pages for the accepted course.
Do I still get a card if I take either course?: Yes — completing an approved course is how you earn the card. Most states require the boater education card to operate a motorized vessel, and the card is typically valid for life and recognized across state lines.
What is the difference between Boat-Ed and Boat-Ed+?: Boat-Ed+ is Boat-Ed’s premium version of the same state-approved course, and both earn the same official boater education card. Boat-Ed+ swaps the read-and-quiz format for scenario-based lessons with a virtual instructor, adds a free year of the Wavve Boating app, and is sold in 28 states.
Is Boat-Ed+ approved in my state?: Only where Boat-Ed publishes it — 28 states as of September 2026. Where it exists it is approved in its own right: California lists “Boat-Ed +” by name on the roster it calls the only courses the state approves, and the Oregon State Marine Board lists it among approved internet courses. Check your state agency first.

Sources (9)

Every factual claim on this page traces to one of these. The date is when we last checked it against the source.

Boat-Ed state course pages — checked 2026-09-23
Boat-Ed's New York Boat-Ed+ course page — checked 2026-09-22
Boat-Ed+ App Store listing, published by Kalkomey — checked 2026-09-22
BOATERexam state pages — checked 2026-09-22
BOATERexam terms of use, and the Boat-Ed site footer — checked 2026-09-22
California Boater Card program — checked 2026-09-22
Oregon State Marine Board — checked 2026-09-22
U.S. Coast Guard — checked 2026-09-22
U.S. Coast Guard — checked 2026-09-22

Protect your time on the water

Compare boat insurance quotes in minutes — many quotes are free with no obligation.

Get a boat insurance quote

Boat-Ed vs BoaterExam.com

Boat-Ed vs Boat-Ed+: what’s the difference?

Which states have Boat-Ed+?

Boat-Ed vs BoaterExam.com: side by side

Which should you choose?

Safety gear to have aboard

USCG-approved life jackets

Engine cut-off switch lanyard

Throwable flotation device

Marine fire extinguisher

Whistle or marine air horn

Boat-Ed vs BoaterExam.com — FAQ

Protect your time on the water