What Is Required for Boat Rental in Florida?

Whether you’re a Florida native or someone who’s coming to pay a visit to the state, you might be interested in taking to the ocean on a boat at some point. If you do not own a boat of your own, you’re going to have to rent one, which means you’re going to have to know the state’s laws about what’s required for boat rental in Florida.

Here’s just a quick overview of some of the information you’ll need to know:

• Age: You must be at least 26 years old to rent a boat in Florida.
• Identification: You must have a valid photo identification and major credit card.
• Training: If you were born after January 1, 1988, you are required to have a Florida Boater’s Education card, indicating you have passed boating safety courses in the state that are required for all people born after that date who wish to operate a marine vessel.

That pretty much covers everything you’ll need to rent a boat beyond the money to pay the fee, which varies from business to business.

About the certification

As mentioned above, anyone born after January 1, 1988 who wishes to operate a boat in Florida is required to have their Boating Safety Education Identification Card. These cards are issued by the Florida Wildlife Commission after you complete a boating safety course in the state. This course is designed to provide boaters with all the information they need to know about operating a vessel on the open water.

This legislation was implemented some years back as a means of curbing the incidence of boating accidents, which happen all too frequently on Florida waters even with the mandated safety training. Boating can be quite a dangerous hobby, especially for people who do not know what they’re doing, as accidents can happen anytime or anywhere in a flash. Boating safety courses teach you not only how you can avoid accidents, but what you need to do to keep everyone safe if an accident does occur.

You might think that if you’re used to driving a car, you can handle a boat just fine. But this isn’t the case—driving a boat is, in some ways, much more complicated.

But what if you’re a non-resident? Do you still need to complete safety training before you can enjoy the Florida waterways?

Non-residents must be able to provide proof of their boating competency, but that does not mean you have to complete the state’s mandated safety course. If you passed a boater safety course or similar training in another state, you’ll be qualified. If you have no proof of completing such a safety course anywhere else, you can still potentially rent a boat if you’re at least 26 years old, so long as you get a temporary certificate allowing for such a rental. These certificates are valid for up to a full year, but are not a replacement for the standard boating safety ID.

For more information about boat rental in Florida, contact the team at Cool Breeze Boats and Jet Ski Rentals today.

Categorised in: Boat Rental

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