Boating Certification and Registration – Connecticut

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The following is excerpted from the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) webpage “https://portal.ct.gov/DEEP/Boating/Certification/How-to-get-a-certificate-to-operate“.

WHO MUST HAVE CERTIFICATION?: Recreational boaters using Connecticut’s waterways are required to have either a Safe Boating Certificate (SBC) or a Certificate of Personal Watercraft Operation (CPWO) to operate a boat in Connecticut. A Safe Boating Certificate permits an individual to operate any recreational vessel, except for a personal watercraft, on Connecticut’s waters. A Certificate of Personal Watercraft Operation allows an individual to operate any recreational vessel, including a personal watercraft, such as a “Jet Ski”. When operating a vessel, you must have your certificate on board at all times.

HOW TO GET A CERTIFICATE: To get a Safe Boating Certificate, you must successfully complete a DEEP approved basic boating course or pass DEEP’s Equivalency Exam. To get a Certificate of Personal Watercraft Operation, you must successfully pass an approved combination basic boating/personal watercraft course or pass an approved basic boating course and an approved 2 1/2 hour personal watercraft course or pass DEEP’s Equivalency Exam.

BOATING CLASSES

Schedules and contact numbers for Safe Boating Classes and Personal Watercraft Classes are listed on the DEEP webpage “Combination Safe Boating/Personal Watercraft, Personal Watercraft and Canoe and Kayak Safety Class Schedules”

BOAT REGISTRATION

In Connecticut, all boats with motors regardless of length, and all sailboats powered by sail alone, 19 1/2 feet or longer in length, must be registered before launching. Boats must be registered with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). Proof of ownership must be submitted when you register the boat. Once the application is processed, an identification number will be assigned to the boat and you will be issued a certificate of number/registration, along with two validation decals. The registration will be valid until April 30 of the following year. Connecticut vessel numbers stay with the boat as long as it is registered in the state. Jet-skis are treated as motor boats and must be registered.

TO FIND PROVIDERS IN CONNECTICUT’S COMMUNITY RESOURCES DATABASE:

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SOURCE: Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, Boating Certification and Registration, Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles
PREPARED BY: 211/nl
CONTENT LAST REVIEWED: March2023