No person shall operate a vessel with a motor of 10 horsepower or greater on the public waters of [North Carolina] unless the operator has met the requirements for boating safety education or provides proof that he or she is at least 26 years of age.
Requirements: Completes and passes the boating safety course that is approved by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) and accepted by the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission.
The (two page) ratified bill can be downloaded from the NC General Assembly web site. It lists all of the conditions and exceptions for operating powered craft, including the use of Personal Watercraft.
Approved boating safety education courses include the following USCG Auxiliary courses:
Students who pass a course exam are issued a “Boating Education ID Card”. This ID card also satisfies the similar Virginia Law.
Information about courses taught in the Piedmont area can be found on our Public Education page.