Did you know that anyone born on or after January 1, 1988 must have a Boating Safety Education ID Card to legally operate a boat in Florida?
Florida’s Boating Safety Education law took effect in October of 1996. The law was initially designed to “cap” in October of 2001, and from that point forward to only affect persons 21 and younger. Currently, any boat operator who is 21 or younger (has not yet turned 22) and operates a vessel with 10-horsepower or more must do the following:
• Take a state and NASBLA-approved boating safety course,
• Send proof of course completion to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and
• Carry their Commission-issued Boating Safety Education ID Card and a photo ID with them while operating the vessel.
Exemptions include:
• A person licensed by the US Coast Guard as a master of a vessel,
• A person operating only on a private lake 
or pond,
• A person accompanied by an individual who is either exempt from the requirement or is at least 18
years old and possesses the required ID card (provided that person is attendant to the safe operation
of the vessel and is responsible for any violation that occurs).
Approved boating safety courses are taught in classroom settings by a multitude of organizations or may be taken either online or by completing a home study course. Boating Safety Education ID Cards are issued free of charge. Further information on course options is available at: www.myfwc.com/boating/safety/ID_card.htm.
More info can be found here: http://myfwc.com/boating/safety-education/
Should you find yourself involved in a situation that requires your insurance company to get involved, or an injury that has been sustained, make sure you get in touch with me to schedule your free consultation. Boating accident attorneys in Orlando are a dime-a-dozen, but finding the lawyer with the experience, proven track record and customer satisfaction that I maintain is not common at all. I am here to personally serve my clients and do not rely on paralegals, interns or investigators to maintain or manage your case.
